1 Kings 22

1 Then three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.

2 However, in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel,

3 who said to his servants, “Do you not know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we have failed to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?”

4 So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”

5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”

6 So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”

8 The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.

9 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

10 Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.

11 Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”

12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

13 Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

14 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”

15 When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

16 But 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?”

17 So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’”

18 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”

19 Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.

20 And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.

21 Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.

22 And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’

23 So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”

24 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”

25 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”

26 And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,

27 and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”

28 But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”

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

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

31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”

32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely this is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”

35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.

36 As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: “Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!”

37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.

38 And the chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria where the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up Ahab’s blood, according to the word that the LORD had spoken.

39 As for the rest of the acts of Ahab, along with all his accomplishments and the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

40 And Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.

41 In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

43 And Jehoshaphat walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them, but did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

45 As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

46 He banished from the land the male shrine prostitutes who remained from the days of his father Asa.

47 And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.

48 Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

49 At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused.

50 And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And his son Jehoram reigned in his place.

51 In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria two years.

52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.

53 Ahaziah served and worshiped Baal, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.

1 ¶ And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead [is] ours, and we [be] still, [and] take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I [am] as thou [art], my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

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

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

7 And Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: 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 said, Hasten [hither] Micaiah the son of Imlah.

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that was gone 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 [that which is] good.

14 And Micaiah said, [As] the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

15 ¶ So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but [that which is] true in the name of the LORD?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.

22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade [him], and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

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

24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

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

26 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 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 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

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

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

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

34 And a [certain] man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

35 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 midst of the chariot.

36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

38 And [one] washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, 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 fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

41 ¶ And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 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 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing [that which was] right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; [for] the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.

47 [There was] then no king in Edom: a deputy [was] king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.

49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

50 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 the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, 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, who made Israel to sin:

53 For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

1 And three years passed, and there was no war between the Syrians and Israel.

2 And in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants: Know ye not that Ramoth is ours in Gilead; and we sit still, and take them not at the hand of the king of Syria?

4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth in Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, I will be as thou art, and my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Ask ye this day the word of the LORD.

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets of four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go to Ramoth in Gilead to battle, or shall I leave it? And they said: Go up, and the LORD deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 And Jehoshaphat said: Is there no more prophet of the LORD here, that we should inquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet a man, Micah the son of Jemla, of whom the LORD may be inquired of. But I am grieved for him: for he knoweth me no good, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, The king speaketh not so.

9 And the king of Israel called unto a chamberlain, and said, Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Jemla.

10 And the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, sat every man in his seat, clothed with garments, in the place before the door of the gate of Samaria: and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Cnaenah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Herewith shalt thou thrust the Syrians, until thou have cleared them up.

12 And all the prophets prophesied thus, saying: Go up to Ramoth in Gilead, and be blessed: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

13 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah said unto him, Behold, the words of the prophets are all good for the king: now therefore let thy word also be as the word of them, and speak good.

14 And Micah said, As the LORD liveth, I will speak what the LORD shall say unto me.

15 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Shall we go up to Ramoth in Gilead to fight, or shall we leave it? And he said unto him, Yea, go up, and prosper: for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said unto him again, I charge thee that thou tell me no other thing but the truth in the name of the LORD.

17 And he said: I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains like sheep having no shepherd. And the LORD said, Have these no master? Return every one of them in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he knew me no good thing, but only evil?

19 And he said, Hear now therefore the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab to go up, and fall at Ramoth in Gilead? And one said this, and another said that.

21 And a spirit came out, and stood before the LORD, and said: I will persuade him. And the LORD said unto him, With what?

22 And he said: I will go out, and be a false spirit in all his prophets' mouths. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and shalt deliver it: go out, and do so.

23 Now, behold, the LORD hath put a false spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets; and the LORD hath spoken evil of thee.

24 And Zedekiah the son of Cnaenah came near, and smote Micaiah on the beacons, and said, How? Is the Spirit of the LORD departed from me, that he should speak unto thee?

25 And Micah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt pass from chamber to chamber, that thou shalt hide thyself.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and let him dwell with Amon the mayor, and with Joash the king's son,

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

28 And Micah said, If thou return in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And said, Hearken, all ye people.

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth in Gilead.

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Disguise thyself, and come into the battle with thy garments on. And the king of Israel disguised himself also, and went into the battle.

31 And the king of Syria commanded the captains of his chariots, which were thirty and two, saying: Ye shall not fight against small nor great, but against the king of Israel only.

32 And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they thought that he was the king of Israel, and fell upon him with strife: but Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 And when the captains of the chariots saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from him behind.

34 And a man drew his bow about, and shot the king of Israel between the armour and the hengel. And he said unto his charioteer, Turn thine hand, and bring me out of the host; for I am sore.

35 And the battle increased that day, and the king stood in the chariot against the Syrians, and died in the evening. And the blood flowed from the wounds into the midst of the chariot.

36 And they proclaimed in the army, when the sun was down, saying, Go every man to his city, and to his country.

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried him in Samaria.

38 And when they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, the dogs licked up the blood thereof (and the harlots washed it), according to the word of the LORD which he spake.

39 And the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

40 So Ahab passed away with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa reigned over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

42 And he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Asuba, a daughter of Zilhi.

43 And he walked in all the way of his father Asa, and departed not from it: and he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD.

44 But he removed not the high places; and the people sacrificed and burned incense in the high places.

45 And had peace with the king of Israel.

46 And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might, and what he did, and how he fought, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah.

47 And he took out of the land the rest of the whoredoms that remained in the days of Asa his father.

48 And there was no king in Edom.

49 And Jehoshaphat had made ships for the sea, to go into Ophir to fetch gold. But they went not: for they were broken in Ezeon-giver.

50 And Ahaziah the son of Ahab said unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

51 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.