Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab
1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab. 2 After some years, he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and cattle for him in abundance and for the people who were with him and influenced him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. 3 Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth Gilead?”
He answered him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people. We will be with you in war.”
4 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the Lord.” 5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, 400 men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?”
They said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of him?”
7 The 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 disaster. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.”
Jehoshaphat said, “Do not let the king say such a thing.”
8 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.”
9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “The Lord says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’ ”
11 All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab
12 The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “The words of the prophets declare good to the king in one accord. Let your word therefore please be like one of theirs and speak good.”
13 Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I will say what my God says.”
14 When he had come 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 prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand.”
15 The king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
16 Micaiah declared, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that have no shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’ ”
17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but disaster?”
18 Micaiah 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 hand and on his left. 19 The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One spoke saying in this way and another saying in that way. 20 A spirit came out, stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
The Lord said to him, ‘How?’
21 He said, ‘I will go and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’
He said, ‘You will entice him and will prevail also. Go and do so.’
22 Now therefore, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, and the Lord has spoken destruction concerning you.”
23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?”
24 Micaiah said, “You shall see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”
25 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, ‘The king says: Put this man in the prison and feed him with the bread of affliction and with the water of affliction, until I return in peace.’ ”
27 Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, you people, all of you!”
Ahab’s Defeat and Death
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle. 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”
31 When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned around to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and the Lord moved them to depart from him. 32 When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 33 A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, “Turn your hand and take me away from the army, for I am severely wounded.” 34 The battle increased that day. However the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening, and at about sunset, he died.