NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab,

1Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab.

2and after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. He persuaded him to join in an attack against Ramoth Gilead.

2Some years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.

3King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle."

3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, "Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?" And he said to him, "I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle."

4Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the LORD."

4Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire first for the word of the LORD."

5So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, "Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" They said, "Attack! God will hand it over to the king."

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

6But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?"

6But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?"

7The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom we can seek the LORD's will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such things!"

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

8The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah."

8Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Bring quickly Micaiah, Imla's son."

9Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them.

9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, 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.

10Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the LORD says, 'With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!'"

10Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are consumed.'"

11All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king!"

11All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."

12Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success!"

12Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, "Behold, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably."

13But Micaiah said, "As certainly as the LORD lives, I will say what my God tells me to say!"

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

14Micaiah came before the king and the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" He answered him, "Attack! You will succeed; they will be handed over to you."

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

15The king said to him, "How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the LORD to tell me only the truth?"

15Then the king said to him, "How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

16Micaiah replied, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the LORD said, 'They have no master. They should go home in peace.'"

16So he said, "I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd; And the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.'"

17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?"

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

18Micaiah said, "That being the case, hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left.

18Micaiah 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 and on His left.

19The LORD said, 'Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?' One said this and another that.

19"The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that.

20Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the LORD. He said, 'I will deceive him.' The LORD asked him, 'How?'

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

21He replied, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' The LORD said, 'Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.'

21"He said, 'I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.'

22So now, look, the LORD has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the LORD has decreed disaster for you."

22"Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."

23Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, "Which way did the LORD's spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?"

23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, "How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?"

24Micaiah replied, "Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide."

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

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

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

26Say, 'This is what the king says: "Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I return safely."'"

26and say, 'Thus says the king, "Put this man in prison and feed him sparingly with bread and water until I return safely."'"

27Micaiah said, "If you really do return safely, then the LORD has not spoken through me!" Then he added, "Take note, all you people."

27Micaiah said, "If you indeed return safely, the LORD has not spoken by me." And he said, "Listen, all you people."

28The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead.

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

29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and then enter the battle; but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle.

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

30Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, "Do not fight common soldiers or high ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel!"

30Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, "Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone."

31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The LORD helped him; God lured them away from him.

31So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "It is the king of Israel," and they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him.

32When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him.

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

33Now an archer shot an arrow at random and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer, "Turn around and take me from the battle line, for I am wounded."

33A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of the chariot, "Turn around and take me out of the fight, for I am severely wounded."

34While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting.

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

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