2 Chronicles 18

1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and allied himself with Ahab by marriage.

Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; he allied himself with Ahab by having one of his family marry his daughter.

2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead.

After some years, he went down to Ahab in Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him. Ahab also persuaded him to attack Ramoth Gilead with him.

3 And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

Ahab, king of Israel, said to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered him, “I am like you, and my people are like your people. We will be with you in the war.”

4 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please first seek the word of Yahweh for your answer.”

5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Should we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I not?” They said, “Attack, for God will give it into the hand of the king.”

6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we may enquire of him?

But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here still another prophet of Yahweh with whom we might seek advice?”

7 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesieth good to me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may seek the advice of Yahweh, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” But Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say that.”

8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat each of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

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.

10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they shall be consumed.

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.”

11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

All the prophets prophesied the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead and win, for Yahweh has given it into the hand of the king.”

12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one consent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

The messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the words of the prophets with one mouth are favorable to the king. Let your words agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”

13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

Micaiah replied, “As Yahweh lives, it is what God says that I will say.”

14 And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

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 be victorious! For it will be a great victory.”

15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

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?”

16 Then he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

So Micaiah said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep who have no shepherd, and Yahweh said, 'These have no shepherd. Let every man return to his house in peace.'”

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good to me, but evil?

So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but only disaster?”

18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

Then Micaiah said, “Therefore all of you should hear the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven were standing on his right hand and on his left.

19 And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

Yahweh said, 'Who will entice Ahab, king of Israel, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said this and another that.

20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said to him, How?

Then a spirit came forward and it stood before Yahweh and said, 'I will entice him.' Yahweh said to him, 'How?'

21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

The spirit replied, 'I will go out and I will become 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.'

22 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.

Now see, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and Yahweh has decreed disaster for you.”

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak to thee?

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?”

24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

Micaiah said, “Look, you will know that on that day, when you run into some inner room to hide.”

25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;

The king of Israel said to some servants, “You people seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, my son.

26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this man in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

You people will 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 return safely.'”

27 And Micaiah said, If thou shalt certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

Then Micaiah said, “If you return safely, then Yahweh has not spoken by me.” Then he added, “Listen to this, all you people.”

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

So Ahab, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up against Ramoth Gilead.

29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

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 they went into the battle.

30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, except only with the king of Israel.

Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not attack the unimportant or the important soldiers. Instead, attack only the king of Israel.”

31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they surrounded him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

It came about that when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat they said, “That is the king of Israel.” They turned around to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him. God turned them away from him.

32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

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.

33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armour: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thy hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

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.”

34 And the battle increased that day: yet the king of Israel held himself in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening: and about the time of the sun setting he died.

The battle grew worse that day, and the king of Israel was held up in his chariot facing the Arameans until the evening. About the time that the sun was going down, he died.