< 1 Kings 22 >
1 Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.
And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
2 Then it came about that in the third year, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to the king of Israel.
And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3 Now the king of Israel had said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, but that we are doing nothing to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?”
And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4 So he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to war at Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am like you, my people are like your people, and my horses are like your horses.”
And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
5 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please seek direction from the word of Yahweh for what you should do first.”
And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray thee, for the word of Jehovah.
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Should I go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I not?” They said, “Attack, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here yet another prophet of Yahweh from whom we might seek advice?”
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we may inquire of him?
8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may seek advice from Yahweh to help, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him because he does not prophesy anything good about me, but only hardships.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say that.”
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and commanded, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah, right away.”
Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10 Now Ahab the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on a throne, clothed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
11 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “Yahweh says this: 'With these you will push the Arameans until they are consumed.'”
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed.
12 Then all the prophets prophesied the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead and win, for Yahweh has given it into the hand of the king.”
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.
13 The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now look, the words of the prophets declare good things to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like one of them and say good things.”
And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets [declare] good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak thou good.
14 Micaiah replied, “As Yahweh lives, it is what Yahweh says to me that I will say.”
And Micaiah said, As Jehovah liveth, what Jehovah saith unto me, that will I speak.
15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth Gilead for battle, or not?” Micaiah answered him, “Attack and win. Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king.”
And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go up and prosper; and Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.
16 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I require you to swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”
And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of Jehovah?
17 So Micaiah said, “I saw all Israel scattered to the mountains, like sheep who have no shepherd, and Yahweh said, 'These have no shepherd. Let every man return to his house in peace.'”
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Jehovah said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.
18 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but only disaster?”
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?
19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven were standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
And [Micaiah] said, Therefore hear thou the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 Yahweh said, 'Who will entice Ahab, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One of them said this and another one said that.
And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner; and another said on that manner.
21 Then a spirit came forward, stood before Yahweh, and said, 'I will entice him.' Yahweh said to him, 'How?'
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him.
22 The spirit replied, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Yahweh replied, 'You will entice him, and you will also be successful. Go now and do so.'
And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23 Now see, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and Yahweh has decreed disaster for you.”
Now therefore, behold, Jehovah hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets; and Jehovah hath spoken evil concerning thee.
24 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, came up, slapped Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the Spirit of Yahweh take to go from me to speak to you?”
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak unto thee?
25 Micaiah said, “Look, you will see on that day when you will go to hide in an inner room.”
And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26 The king of Israel said to his servant, “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, my son.
And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;
27 Say to him, 'The king says, Put this man in prison and feed him with only a little bread and only a little water, until I come safely.'”
and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28 Then Micaiah said, “If you return safely, then Yahweh has not spoken by me.” Then he added, “Listen to this, all you people.”
And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you.
29 So Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth Gilead.
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.
And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31 Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not attack unimportant or important soldiers. Instead, attack only the king of Israel.”
Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty and two captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32 It came about that when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat they said, “Surely that is the king of Israel.” They turned to attack him, so Jehoshaphat cried out.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel; and they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 It came about that when the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34 But a certain man drew his bow at random and shot the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. Then Ahab said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded.”
And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded.
35 The battle grew worse that day and the king was held up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died in the evening. The blood ran out from his wound into the bottom of the chariot.
And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even; and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot.
36 Then about the time the sun was going down, a cry went up throughout the army, saying, “Every man should go back to his city; and every man should go back to his region!”
And there went a cry throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his country.
37 So King Ahab died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him in Samaria.
So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood (this was where the prostitutes bathed), just as the word of Yahweh had declared.
And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood (now the harlots washed themselves [there]); according unto the word of Jehovah which he spake.
39 As for the other matters concerning Ahab, all that he did, the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Israel?
Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 So Ahab slept with his ancestors, and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.
So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
41 Then Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.
43 He walked in the ways of Asa, his father; he did not turn away from them; he did what was right in the eyes of Yahweh. Yet the high places were not taken away. The people were still sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
And he walked in all the way of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah: howbeit the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.
44 Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 As for the other matters concerning Jehoshaphat, and the might that he showed, and how he waged war, are they not written in the book of the events of the kings of Judah?
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 He removed from the land the rest of the cultic prostitutes who had remained in the days of his father Asa.
And the remnant of the sodomites, that remained in the days of his father Asa, he put away out of the land.
47 There was no king in Edom, but a deputy ruled there.
And there was no king in Edom: a deputy was king.
48 Jehoshaphat built oceangoing ships; they were to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber.
Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.
49 Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not allow it.
Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
50 Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David, his ancestor; Jehoram his son became king in his place.
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
51 Ahaziah son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel.
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel.
52 He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh and walked in the way of his father, in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he led Israel to sin.
And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherein he made Israel to sin.
53 He served Baal and worshiped him and so he provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.
And he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger Jehovah, the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.