2 Chronicles 18

1Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.

2After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria, and Ahab sacrificed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people with him, and persuaded him to go up to Ramoth-gilead.

3Ahab, king of Israel, said to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He answered him, “I am like you, my people like your people, and we will be with you in battle.”

4Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please seek the word of Yahweh today.”

5The king of Israel gathered four hundred prophets, and said to them, "Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?" They said, "Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand."

6Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there still a prophet of Yahweh here whom we might inquire of?"

7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we can inquire of Yahweh, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good about me, only evil all his days. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."

8The king of Israel called one officer and said, "Quickly, Micaiah son of Imlah."

9The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat each on his throne, wearing their robes, sitting in the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

10Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns for him and said, "Yahweh declares: With these you will gore Aram until they are destroyed."

11All the prophets prophesied alike, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and succeed, for Yahweh will deliver it into the king's hand."

12The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Look, the words of the prophets with one voice are good to the king; please let your word be like one of theirs, and speak good."

13Micaiah said, "As Yahweh lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak."

14When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead for battle, or shall I refrain?" He said, "Go up and succeed—they will be given into your hand."

15The king said to him, “How many times must I put you under oath to tell me only truth in the name of Yahweh?”

16He said, "I saw all Israel dispersed across the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. Yahweh said, 'These have no master—let each return to his house in peace.'"

17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"

18He said, "Therefore hear Yahweh's word: I saw Yahweh seated on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing to his right and his left."

19Yahweh said, "Who will deceive Ahab, king of Israel, to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?" One said this way, and another that way.

20A spirit came forward, stood before Yahweh, and said, "I will deceive him." Yahweh said to him, "How?"

21He said, "I will go out and become a spirit of deceit in the mouth of all his prophets." He said, "You will deceive and also succeed; go out and do so."

22Now, look—Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and Yahweh has spoken disaster against you.

23Zedekiah son of Chenaanah drew near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, saying, "Which way did the spirit of Yahweh pass from me to speak to you?"

24Micaiah said, "Look, you will see on that day when you enter an inner chamber to hide yourself."

25The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon ruler of the city, and to Joash son of the king."

26Say, "Thus says the king: Put this one in the prison house, and feed him bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I return in peace."

27Micaiah said, "If you surely return in peace, then Yahweh has not spoken through me." He said, "Listen, all peoples."

28The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and enter the battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle.

30The king of Aram commanded the captains of his chariots, "Do not fight with small or great, except only with Israel's king alone."

31When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He is the king of Israel,” and turned toward him to fight, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; God drew them away from him.

32It happened that when the captains of the chariots saw it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

33A certain man drew his bow haphazardly and struck the king of Israel between the joints and the breastplate. He said to the charioteer, "Turn your hands, your hand, and carry me out of the army, for I am wounded."

34The battle intensified that day, but Israel's king held himself upright in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening; then at the time of sunset he died.