1 Kings
Chapter 22
1 They had peace for three years without fighting between Syria and Israel.
2 In the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to see the king of Israel.
3 The king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead belongs to us, yet we do nothing to take it back from the king of Syria?”
4 He said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you join me in the fight at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am with you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
5 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please ask for God’s guidance today.”
6 The king of Israel brought together about four hundred prophets and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramothgilead or not?” They replied, “Go, for God will give it to the king.”
7 Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of God here we can ask?”
8 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah son of Imlah, who can ask God for us. But I hate him because he never predicts anything good about me, only bad.” Jehoshaphat replied, “The king shouldn’t say that.”
9 The king of Israel called an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah, Imlah’s son, here.”
10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were sitting on their thrones, dressed in their robes, at an open area by the gate of Samaria, while all the prophets spoke their prophecies in front of them.
11 Zedekiah, Chenaanah’s son, made iron horns and said, “God says, ‘With these, you will push the Syrians until they are defeated.’”
12 All the prophets said the same thing: “Go to Ramothgilead and you will succeed, because God will give it to the king.”
13 The messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are telling the king good news with one voice. Please make your words like theirs and say something good.”
14 Micaiah said, “As God lives, whatever God tells me, I will say.”
15 He went to the king. The king asked him, “Micaiah, should we fight against Ramothgilead or not?” He replied, “Go and succeed, because God will give it to the king.”
16 The king said to him, “How many times must I order you to tell me only the truth by God’s name?”
17 He said, “I saw all Israel spread out on the hills, like sheep without a shepherd. And God said, ‘These people have no leader; let them each go back to their own home in peace.’”
18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I say he would not predict anything good about me, but only bad?”
19 He said, “Listen to God’s message: I saw God sitting on his throne with all the heavenly beings standing around him on his right and on his left.”
20 God asked, “Who will convince Ahab to attack Ramothgilead and die there?” One suggested this way, and another suggested that way.
21 A spirit came out, stood before God, and said, “I will convince him.”
22 God asked him, “How?” He replied, “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.” God said, “You will persuade him and succeed. Go out and do it.”
23 Now, look, God has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets, and God has said bad things about you.
24 But Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, came forward, hit Micaiah on the face, and said, “How did God’s Spirit leave me to talk to you?”
25 Micaiah said, “Look, you will see on that day, when you go into a room to hide.”
26 The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and take him back to Amon, the city’s governor, and to Joash, the king’s son.”
27 Say, “The king orders, put this man in jail and give him only poor bread and water until I return safely.”
28 Micaiah said, “If you come back safely, God has not spoken through me.” And he said, “Listen, everyone.”
29 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to Ramoth-gilead.
30 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “I will hide who I am and go into the fight; but you wear your royal clothes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and joined the battle.
31 The king of Syria ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, saying, “Do not fight with anyone, important or not, except the king of Israel.”
32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This must be the king of Israel.” So they went to attack him, and Jehoshaphat shouted for help.
33 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.
34 A man randomly shot an arrow and hit the king of Israel in the armor gaps. So he told his chariot driver, “Turn around and take me out of the battle; I’m hurt.”
35 The fight grew fiercer that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and he died in the evening; blood flowed from his injury into the middle of the chariot.
36 A message went through the camp as the sun was setting, saying, “Everyone go to your own city and your own country.”
37 The king died and was taken to Samaria; they buried him there.
38 Someone washed the chariot at the Samaria pool, and dogs licked up his blood. They also washed his armor, just as God had said.
39 The other things Ahab did, what he built, including the ivory house and cities, are they not recorded in the book of the history of Israel’s kings?
40 So Ahab died as his ancestors did; and his son Ahaziah became king after him.
41 Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab’s rule over Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king; he ruled for 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah, and her father was Shilhi.
43 He followed the example of his father Asa and did not turn away from it, doing what was right in God’s eyes. However, the high places were not removed; the people still offered and burned incense there.
44 Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 The other things Jehoshaphat did, his power, and his battles are written in the history book of Judah’s kings, aren’t they?
46 He removed the remaining people of sinful practices left from his father Asa’s time from the land.
47 At that time, Edom had no king; a deputy ruled instead.
48 Jehoshaphat built ships to sail to Ophir for gold, but they never went because the ships were wrecked at Eziongeber.
49 Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men go with your men on the ships.” But Jehoshaphat did not agree.
50 Jehoshaphat died like his ancestors and was buried with them in David’s city. Jehoram, his son, became king after him.
51 Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s rule in Judah, and he ruled over Israel for two years.
52 He did wrong in God’s eyes, following the path of his father, his mother, and Jeroboam, Nebat’s son, who led Israel into sin.
53 He worshiped Baal and made him offerings, and angered God, just as his father had done.