2 Chronicles
Chapter 18
1 Jehoshaphat was very rich and honored, and he allied with Ahab.
2 After some years, he visited Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and his companions and convinced him to join him in going to Ramothgilead.
3 King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you come with me to fight at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied, “I am with you as you are, my people are as your people, and we will join you in battle.”
4 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please ask for God’s guidance today.”
5 So the king of Israel brought together 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramothgilead, or should I hold back?” And they answered, “Go ahead, because God will give it into the king’s hands.”
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of God here we can ask?”
7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man we can ask God through. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, only bad. He is Micaiah, son of Imla.” Jehoshaphat replied, “The king should not say that.”
8 The king of Israel called one of his officers and said, “Go fast and bring Micaiah, son of Imla.”
9 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, sat on their thrones, dressed in royal robes, at the entrance of Samaria’s gate in an open area; and all the prophets were giving their prophecies in front of them.
10 Zedekiah, Chenaanah’s son, made iron horns and said, “God says, ‘With these, you will drive out Syria until they are destroyed.’”
11 All the prophets said the same thing: “Go to Ramothgilead and you will succeed because God will give it to the king.”
12 The messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are telling the king good news unanimously; so please make your words like theirs and speak good things.”
13 Micaiah said, “As God lives, I will speak only what my God says.”
14 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to fight at Ramothgilead or not?” And he answered, “Go, succeed, and you will conquer them.”
15 The king said to him, “How many times must I tell you to speak only the truth to me in God’s name?”
16 He said, “I saw all Israel spread out on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. God said, ‘These people have no leader; let them go back home in peace.’”
17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he would not predict good things for me, but only bad?”
18 He said again, “Listen to God’s message: I saw God sitting on His throne, with all the heavenly beings standing to His right and left.”
19 God asked, “Who will trick King Ahab of Israel into attacking Ramothgilead and dying there?” One suggested this way, and another that way.
20 A spirit came out and stood before God and said, “I will trick him.” And God asked, “How?”
21 He said, “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.” God said, “You will trick him, and you will succeed: go out and do it.”
22 Now, look, God has made your prophets lie, and God has said bad things will happen to you.
23 Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, came forward, hit Micaiah on the face, and asked, “How did God’s Spirit leave me to talk to you?”
24 Micaiah said, “Look, you will see on that day when you go into a room to hide.”
25 The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and take him back to Amon, the city governor, and to Joash, the king’s son.”
26 Tell them, “The king says, ‘Put this man in jail and give him only enough bread and water to make him suffer until I come back safely.’”
27 Micaiah said, “If you really come back safely, then God did not speak through me.” And he said, “Listen, everyone.”
28 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went to Ramoth-gilead.
29 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “I will change my look and go to battle, but you wear your royal clothes.” So the king of Israel changed his look, and they went to battle.
30 The king of Syria told his chariot commanders to not fight with anyone, whether they are unimportant or important, except for the king of Israel.
31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he was the king of Israel. So they surrounded him to attack. But Jehoshaphat yelled, and God helped him, making them leave him alone.
32 It happened that when the chariot commanders realized it was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.
33 A man randomly shot an arrow and hit the king of Israel in the gaps of his armor. So the king told his chariot driver, “Turn around and take me out of the battle; I’ve been hurt.”
34 The fight grew stronger that day, but the Israelite king stood in his chariot facing the Syrians till evening, and at sunset, he died.