1 Kings 22
22
Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab
1For three years there wasn’t any war between Aram and Israel. 2In the third year Jehoshaphat went down to see Ahab, the king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. 3The king of Israel had spoken to his officials. He had said, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us? And we aren’t even doing anything to take it back from the king of Aram.”
4So Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Yes. I’ll go with you. My men will go with you. My horses will also go with you.” 5Jehoshaphat continued, “First ask the Lord for advice.”
6So the king of Israel brought about 400 prophets together. He asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth Gilead? Or should I stay here?”
“Go,” they answered. “The Lord will hand it over to you.”
7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here? If there is, ask him what we should do.”
8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat. He said, “There is still one other man we can go to. We can ask the Lord for advice through him. But I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me. He only prophesies bad things. His name is Micaiah. He’s the son of Imlah.”
“You shouldn’t say bad things about him,” Jehoshaphat replied.
9So the king of Israel called for one of his officials. He told him, “Bring Micaiah, the son of Imlah, right away.”
10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were wearing their royal robes. They were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor. It was near the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11Zedekiah was the son of Kenaanah. Zedekiah had made horns out of iron. They looked like animal horns. He announced, “The Lord says, ‘With these horns you will drive back the men of Aram until they are destroyed.’ ”
12All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead,” they said. “Win the battle over it. The Lord will hand it over to you.”
13A messenger went to get Micaiah. He said to him, “Look. The other prophets agree. All of them are saying the king will have success. So agree with them. Say the same thing they do.”
14But Micaiah said, “You can be sure that the Lord lives. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I can only tell the king what the Lord tells me to say.”
15When Micaiah arrived, the king spoke to him. He asked, “Should we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?”
“Attack,” he answered. “You will win. The Lord will hand Ramoth Gilead over to you.”
16The king said to him, “I’ve made you promise to tell the truth many times before. So don’t tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord.”
17Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all the Israelites scattered on the hills. They were like sheep that didn’t have a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These people do not have a master. Let each of them go home in peace.’ ”
18The king of Israel spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies anything good about me? He only prophesies bad things.”
19Micaiah continued, “Listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne. All the angels of heaven were standing around him. Some were standing at his right side. The others were standing at his left side. 20The Lord said, ‘Who will get Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead? I want him to die there.’
“One angel suggested one thing. Another suggested something else. 21Finally, a spirit came forward and stood in front of the Lord. The spirit said, ‘I’ll get Ahab to do it.’
22“ ‘How?’ the Lord asked.
“The spirit said, ‘I’ll go out and put lies in the mouths of all his prophets.’
“ ‘You will have success in getting Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
23“So the Lord has put lies in the mouths of all your prophets. He has said that great harm will come to you.”
24Then Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. Zedekiah asked Micaiah, “Do you think the spirit sent by the Lord left me? Do you think that spirit went to speak to you?”
25Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inside room to save your life.”
26Then the king of Israel gave an order. He said, “Take Micaiah away. Send him back to Amon. Amon is the ruler of the city of Samaria. And send him back to Joash. Joash is a member of the royal court. 27Tell him, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in prison. Don’t give him anything but bread and water until I return safely.” ’ ”
28Micaiah announced, “Do you really think you will return safely? If you do, the Lord hasn’t spoken through me.” He continued, “All of you people, remember what I’ve said!”
Ahab Is Killed at Ramoth Gilead
29So the king of Israel went up to Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went there too. 30The king of Israel spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, “I’ll go into battle wearing different clothes. Then people won’t recognize me. But you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel put on different clothes. Then he went into battle.
31The king of Aram had given an order to his 32 chariot commanders. He had said, “Fight only against the king of Israel. Don’t fight against anyone else.” 32The chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat. They thought, “That has to be the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out. 33Then the commanders saw he wasn’t the king of Israel after all. So they stopped chasing him.
34But someone shot an arrow without taking aim. The arrow hit the king of Israel between the parts of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Turn the chariot around. Get me out of this battle. I’ve been wounded.” 35All day long the battle continued. The king kept himself standing up by leaning against the inside of his chariot. He kept his face toward the men of Aram. The blood from his wound ran down onto the floor of the chariot. That evening he died. 36As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army. “Every man must go to his own town!” they said. “Every man must go to his own land!”
37So the king died. He was brought to Samaria. They buried him there. 38They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria. It was where the prostitutes took baths. The dogs licked up Ahab’s blood. It happened exactly as the Lord had said it would.
39The other events of Ahab’s rule are written down. Everything he did is written down. That includes the palace he built and decorated with ivory. It also includes the cities he built up and put high walls around. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel. 40Ahab joined the members of his family who had already died. Ahab’s son Ahaziah became the next king after him.
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
41Jehoshaphat began to rule over Judah. It was in the fourth year that Ahab was king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa. 42Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah. She was the daughter of Shilhi. 43Jehoshaphat followed all the ways of his father Asa. He didn’t wander away from them. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord. But the high places weren’t removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at them. 44Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
45The other events of Jehoshaphat’s rule are written down. The brave things he did in battle and everything else he accomplished are written down. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Judah. 46Jehoshaphat got rid of the rest of the male prostitutes who were at the temples. They had remained in the land even after the rule of his father Asa. 47At that time Edom didn’t have a king. An area governor was in charge.
48Jehoshaphat built many ships that he used to carry goods to be traded. The ships were supposed to go to Ophir for gold. But they never had a chance to sail. They were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 49At that time Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, “Let my men sail with yours.” But Jehoshaphat refused.
50Jehoshaphat joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the city of King David. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became the next king after him.
Ahaziah King of Israel
51Ahaziah became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 17th year that Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Ahaziah ruled over Israel for two years. He was the son of Ahab. 52Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He lived the way his father and mother had lived. He lived the way Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had lived. Jeroboam had caused Israel to sin. 53Ahaziah served and worshiped the god named Baal. He made the Lord, the God of Israel, very angry. That’s exactly what Ahaziah’s father had done.
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1 Kings 22: NIrV
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1 Kings 22
22
Jehoshaphat and Ahab
1For three years there was no war between Aram and the Israelites. 2In the third year, Judah’s King Jehoshaphat visited Israel’s king. 3Israel’s king said to his servants, “You know, don’t you, that Ramoth-gilead is ours? But we aren’t doing anything to take it back from the king of Aram.” 4He said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me into battle at Ramoth-gilead?”
Jehoshaphat said to Israel’s king, “I am with you, and my troops and my horses are united with yours. 5But,” Jehoshaphat said to Israel’s king, “first let’s see what the LORD has to say.”
6So Israel’s king gathered about four hundred prophets, and he asked them, “Should I go to war with Ramoth-gilead or not?”
“Attack!” the prophets answered. “The LORD will hand it over to the king.”
7But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there any other prophet of the Lord whom we could ask?”
8“There is one other man who could ask the LORD for us,” Israel’s king told Jehoshaphat, “but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, only bad. His name is Micaiah, Imlah’s son.”
“The king shouldn’t speak like that!” Jehoshaphat said.
9So Israel’s king called an officer and ordered, “Bring Micaiah, Imlah’s son, right away.”
10Now Israel’s king and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat were sitting on their thrones, dressed in their royal robes at the threshing floor beside the entrance to the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11Zedekiah, Chenaanah’s son, made iron horns for himself and said, “This is what the LORD says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans until there’s nothing left of them!”
12All the other prophets agreed: “Attack Ramoth-gilead and win! The LORD will hand it over to the king!”
13Meanwhile, the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen, the prophets all agree that the king will succeed. You should say the same thing they say and prophesy success.”
14But Micaiah answered, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what the LORD tells me to say.”
15When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war with Ramoth-gilead or not?”
“Attack and win!” Micaiah answered. “The LORD will hand it over to the king!”
16But the king said, “How many times must I demand that you tell me the truth when you speak in the name of the LORD?”
17Then Micaiah replied, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd! And then the LORD said: They have no master. Let them return safely to their own homes.”
18Then Israel’s king said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you? He never prophesies anything good about me, only bad.”
19Then Micaiah said, “Listen now to the LORD’s word: I saw the LORD enthroned with all the heavenly forces stationed beside him, at his right and at his left. 20The LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab so that he attacks Ramoth-gilead and dies there?’ There were many suggestions 21until one particular spirit approached the LORD and said, ‘I’ll persuade him.’ ‘How?’ the LORD asked. 22‘I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets,’ he said. The LORD agreed, ‘You will succeed in persuading him! Go ahead!’ 23So now, since the LORD has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of every one of these prophets of yours, it is the LORD who has pronounced disaster against you!”
24Zedekiah, Chenaanah’s son, approached Micaiah and slapped him on the cheek. “Just how did the LORD’s spirit leave me to speak to you?” he asked.
25Micaiah answered, “You will find out on the day you try to hide in an inner room.”
26“Arrest him,” ordered Israel’s king, “and turn him over to Amon the city official and to Joash the king’s son. 27Tell them, ‘The king says: Put this man in prison and feed him minimum rations of bread and water until I return safely.’”
28“If you ever return safely,” Micaiah replied, “then the LORD wasn’t speaking through me.” Then he added, “Pay attention, every last one of you!”
29So Israel’s king and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat attacked Ramoth-gilead. 30Israel’s king said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself when we go into battle,#22.30 LXX, Tg; MT Disguise yourself and go but you should wear your royal attire.” When Israel’s king had disguised himself, they entered the battle.
31Meanwhile, Aram’s king had commanded his thirty-two chariot officers, “Don’t bother with anyone big or small. Fight only with Israel’s king.”
32As soon as the chariot officers saw Jehoshaphat, they assumed that he must be Israel’s king, so they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out for help. 33When the chariot officers realized that he wasn’t Israel’s king, they stopped chasing him. 34But someone randomly shot an arrow that struck Israel’s king between the joints in his armor.#22.34 Heb uncertain
“Turn around and get me out of the battle,” the king told his chariot driver. “I’ve been hit!”
35While the battle raged all that day, the king stood propped up in the chariot facing the Arameans. But that evening he died after his blood had poured from his wound into the chariot. 36When the sun set, a shout spread throughout the camp: “Retreat to your towns! Retreat to your land!” 37Once the king had died, people came from Samaria and buried the king there. 38They cleaned the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up the king’s blood and the prostitutes bathed in it, just as the LORD had spoken.
Ahab’s last days
39The rest of Ahab’s deeds and all that he did—including the ivory palace he built and all the towns he constructed—aren’t they written in the official records of Israel’s kings? 40Ahab lay down with his ancestors. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
Jehoshaphat rules Judah
41Jehoshaphat, Asa’s son, became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab. 42Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king, and he ruled for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah; she was Shilhi’s daughter. 43Jehoshapat walked in all the ways of his father Asa, not deviating from it. He did the right things in the LORD’s eyes, with the exception that he didn’t remove the shrines. The people continued to sacrifice and offer incense at them. 44Jehoshaphat made peace with Israel’s king. 45The rest of Jehoshaphat’s deeds, the great acts he did, and how he fought in battle, aren’t they written in the official records of Judah’s kings? 46Additionally, Jehoshaphat purged the land of the consecrated workers#22.46 Traditionally cultic prostitutes who remained from the days of Asa.
47Now Edom had no king; only a deputy was ruler. 48Jehoshaphat built Tarshish-styled ships to go to Ophir for gold. But the fleet didn’t go because it was wrecked at Ezion-geber. 49Then Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors go with your sailors on the ships.” But Jehoshaphat didn’t agree to this. 50Jehoshaphat died and was buried with his ancestors in his ancestor David’s City. His son Jehoram succeeded him as king.
Ahaziah rules Israel
51In the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphat, Ahaziah, Ahab’s son, became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled over Israel for two years. 52He did evil in the LORD’s eyes. He walked in his father’s ways and his mother’s ways—that is, in the ways of Jeroboam, Nebat’s son, who had caused Israel to sin. 53Ahaziah served Baal and worshipped him. He angered the LORD, Israel’s God, by doing all the same things his father had done.
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