Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

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

1Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.

2Then after some years, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep, goats, and cattle for him and for the people who were with him. Then he persuaded him to attack Ramoth-gilead,

2After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.

3for Israel's King Ahab asked Judah's King Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?" He replied to him, "I am as you are, my people as your people; we will be with you in the battle."

3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He answered him, “I am as you are, my people as your people. We will be with you in the war.”

4But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "First, please ask what the LORD's will is."

4And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

5So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, "Should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?" They replied, "March up, and God will hand it over to the king."

5Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.”

6But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD here anymore? Let's ask him."

6But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the LORD of whom we may inquire?”

7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man who can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." "The king shouldn't say that," Jehoshaphat replied.

7And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

8So the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!"

8Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.”

9Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria's gate, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.

9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

10Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.'"

10And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.’”

11And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will hand it over to the king."

11And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph. The LORD will give it into the hand of the king.”

12The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, "Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably."

12And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.”

13But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, I will say whatever my God says."

13But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what my God says, that I will speak.”

14So he went to the king, and the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should I refrain?" Micaiah said, "March up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you."

14And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And he answered, “Go up and triumph; they will be given into your hand.”

15But the king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

15But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

16So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, "They have no master; let each return home in peace."

16And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’”

17So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?"

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

18Then Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and the whole heavenly army was standing at his right hand and at his left hand.

18And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

19And the LORD said, 'Who will entice King Ahab of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' So one was saying this and another was saying that.

19And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another.

20"Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.' "The LORD asked him, 'How?'

20Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘By what means?’

21"So he said, 'I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' "Then he said, 'You will entice him and also prevail. Go and do that.'

21And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’

22"Now, you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit into the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you."

22Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The LORD has declared disaster concerning you.”

23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, "Which way did the spirit from the LORD leave me to speak to you?"

23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you?”

24Micaiah replied, "You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day."

24And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.”

25Then the king of Israel ordered, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's son,

25And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,

26and say, 'This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison and feed him only a little bread and water until I come back safely.'"

26and say, ‘Thus says the king, Put this fellow in prison and feed him with meager rations of bread and water until I return in peace.’”

27But Micaiah said, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he said, "Listen, all you people!"

27And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”

28Then the king of Israel and Judah's King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.

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

29But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

29And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

30Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel."

30Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.”

31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.

31As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; God drew them away from him.

32When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

32For as soon as the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

33But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to the charioteer, "Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!"

33But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”

34The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then he died at sunset.

34And the battle continued that day, and the king of Israel was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening. Then at sunset he died.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.