2 Chronicles 18

New King James Version

Micaiah Warns Ahab^(A)

18 Jehoshaphat^(B)had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he^(C)allied himself with^(D)Ahab.^2 (E)After some years he went down tovisitAhab in Samaria; and Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go upwith himto Ramoth Gilead.³ So Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with meagainstRamoth Gilead?”

And he answered him, “Iamas youare,and my people as your people;we will bewith you in the war.”

⁴ Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel,^(F)“Please inquire for the word of theLordtoday.”

⁵ Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

⁶ But Jehoshaphat said, “Is therenot still a prophet of theLordhere, that we may inquire of^(G)Him?”^[a]

⁷ So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There isstill one man by whom we may inquire of theLord; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. HeisMicaiah the son of Imla.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

⁸ Then the king of Israel called oneof hisofficers and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imla quickly!”

⁹ The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, clothed intheirrobes, sat each on his throne; and they sat at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.¹⁰ Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made^(H)horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says theLord: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ”

¹¹ And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for theLordwill deliveritinto the king’s hand.”

¹² Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Therefore please let your word be likethe word ofone of them, and speak encouragement.”

¹³ And Micaiah said, “AstheLordlives,^(I)whatever my God says, that I will speak.”

¹⁴ Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

And he said, “Go and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand!”

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

¹⁶ Then he said, “I saw all Israel^(J)scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no^(K)shepherd. And theLordsaid, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ”

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

¹⁸ ThenMicaiahsaid, “Therefore hear the word of theLord: I saw theLordsitting on His^(L)throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right hand and His left.¹⁹ And theLordsaid, ‘Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner.²⁰ Then a^(M)spirit came forward and stood before theLord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ TheLordsaid to him, ‘In what way?’²¹ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ AndtheLordsaid, ‘You shall persuadehimand also prevail; go out and do so.’²² Therefore look!^(N)TheLordhas put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and theLordhas declared disaster against you.”

²³ Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and^(O)struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from theLordgo from me to speak to you?”

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

²⁵ Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son;²⁶ and say, ‘Thus says the king:^(P)“Put thisfellowin prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I return in peace.” ’ ”

²⁷ But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, theLordhas not spoken by^(Q)me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

Ahab Dies in Battle^(R)

²⁸ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.²⁹ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will^(S)disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

³⁰ Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots whowerewith him, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”

³¹ So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Itisthe king of Israel!” Therefore they surrounded him to attack; but Jehoshaphat^(T)cried out, and theLordhelped him, and God diverted them from him.³² For so it was, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.³³ Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the^[b]joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”³⁴ The battle increased that day, and the king of Israel proppedhimselfup inhischariot facing the Syrians until evening; and about the time of sunset he died.