1 Kings 22
22
The Prophet Micaiah Warns Ahab
(2 Chr 18.2–27)
1There was peace between Israel and Syria for the next two years, 2but in the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to see King Ahab of Israel.
3Ahab asked his officials, “Why is it that we have not done anything to get back Ramoth in Gilead from the king of Syria? It belongs to us!” 4And Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?”
“I am ready when you are,” Jehoshaphat answered, “and so are my soldiers and my cavalry. 5But first let's consult the LORD.”
6So Ahab called in the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?”
“Attack it,” they answered. “The Lord will give you victory.”
7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn't there another prophet through whom we can consult the LORD?”
8Ahab answered, “There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad.”
“You shouldn't say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
9Then Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and fetch Micaiah at once.
10The two kings, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing place just outside the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.’ ” 12All the other prophets said the same thing. “March against Ramoth and you will win,” they said. “The LORD will give you victory.”
13Meanwhile, the official who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, “All the other prophets have prophesied success for the king, and you had better do the same.”
14But Micaiah answered, “By the living LORD I promise that I will say what he tells me to!”
15When he appeared before King Ahab, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should King Jehoshaphat and I go and attack Ramoth, or not?”
“Attack!” Micaiah answered. “Of course you'll win. The LORD will give you victory.”
16But Ahab replied, “When you speak to me in the name of the LORD, tell the truth! How many times do I have to tell you that?”
17 #
Num 27.17; Mt 9.36; Mk 6.34 Micaiah answered, “I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These men have no leader; let them go home in peace.’ ”
18Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good for me? It's always something bad!”
19 #
Is 6.1; Job 1.6 Micaiah went on: “Now listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne in heaven, with all his angels standing beside him. 20The LORD asked, ‘Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and be killed at Ramoth?’ Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else, 21until a spirit stepped forward, approached the LORD, and said, ‘I will deceive him.’ 22‘How?’ the LORD asked. The spirit replied, ‘I will go and make all Ahab's prophets tell lies.’ The LORD said, ‘Go and deceive him. You will succeed.’ ”
23And Micaiah concluded: “This is what has happened. The LORD has made these prophets of yours lie to you. But he himself has decreed that you will meet with disaster!”
24Then the prophet Zedekiah went up to Micaiah, slapped his face, and asked, “Since when did the LORD's spirit leave me and speak to you?”
25“You will find out when you go into some back room to hide,” Micaiah replied.
26Then King Ahab ordered one of his officers, “Arrest Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash. 27Tell them to throw him in prison and to put him on bread and water until I return safely.”
28“If you return safely,” Micaiah exclaimed, “then the LORD has not spoken through me!” And he added, “Listen, everyone, to what I have said!”
The Death of Ahab
(2 Chr 18.28–34)
29Then King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to attack the city of Ramoth in Gilead. 30Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself, but you wear your royal garments.” So the king of Israel went into battle in disguise.
31The king of Syria had ordered his 32 chariot commanders to attack no one else except the king of Israel. 32So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. But when he cried out, 33they realized that he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped their attack. 34By chance, however, a Syrian soldier shot an arrow which struck King Ahab between the joints of his armour. “I'm wounded!” he cried out to his chariot driver. “Turn round and pull out of the battle!”
35While the battle raged on, King Ahab remained propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. The blood from his wound ran down and covered the bottom of the chariot, and at evening he died. 36Near sunset the order went out through the Israelite ranks: “Every man go back to his own country and city!”
37So died King Ahab. His body was taken to Samaria and buried. 38His chariot was cleaned up at the pool of Samaria, where dogs licked up his blood and prostitutes washed themselves, as the LORD had said would happen.
39Everything else that King Ahab did, including an account of his palace decorated with ivory and all the cities he built, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 40At his death his son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
King Jehoshaphat of Judah
(2 Chr 20.31—21.1)
41In the fourth year of the reign of King Ahab of Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah 42at the age of 35, and he ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 43Like his father Asa before him, he did what was right in the sight of the LORD; but the places of worship were not destroyed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. 44Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45Everything else that Jehoshaphat did, all his bravery and his battles, are recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah. 46He got rid of all the male and female prostitutes serving at the pagan altars who were still left from the days of his father Asa.
47The land of Edom had no king; it was ruled by a deputy appointed by the king of Judah.
48King Jehoshaphat built ocean-going ships to sail to the land of Ophir for gold; but they were wrecked at Eziongeber and never sailed. 49Then King Ahaziah of Israel offered to let his men sail with Jehoshaphat's men, but Jehoshaphat refused the offer.
50Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City, and his son Jehoram succeeded him as king.
King Ahaziah of Israel
51In the seventeenth year of the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for two years. 52He sinned against the LORD, following the wicked example of his father Ahab, his mother Jezebel, and King Jeroboam, who had led Israel into sin. 53He worshipped and served Baal, and like his father before him, he aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel.
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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
I Kings 22
22
Micaiah Warns Ahab
1Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. 2Then it came to pass, in the third year, that #1 Kin. 15:24; 2 Chr. 18:2Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel.
3And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that #Deut. 4:43; Josh. 21:38; 1 Kin. 4:13Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” 4So he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, #2 Kin. 3:7“I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, #2 Kin. 3:11“Please inquire for the word of the Lord today.”
6Then the king of Israel #1 Kin. 18:19gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?”
So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
7And #2 Kin. 3:11Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of Him?”
8So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”
And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”
9Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”
10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made #Zech. 1:18–21horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall #Deut. 33:17gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ” 12And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.”
13Then 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. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”
14And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, #Num. 22:38; 24:13whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”
15Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?”
And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king!”
16So 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 the Lord?”
17Then he said, “I saw all Israel #Num. 27:17; 1 Kin. 22:34–36; 2 Chr. 18:16; Matt. 9:36; Mark 6:34scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ”
18And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
19Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: #Is. 6:1; Ezek. 1:26–28; Dan. 7:9I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, #Job 1:6; 2:1; Ps. 103:20; Dan. 7:10; Zech. 1:10; (Matt. 18:10; Heb. 1:7, 14)and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. 20And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. 21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ 22The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, #Judg. 9:23; 1 Sam. 16:14; 18:10; 19:9; Job 12:16; (Ezek. 14:9; 2 Thess. 2:11)‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 23#(Ezek. 14:9)Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”
24Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and #Jer. 20:2struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, #2 Chr. 18:23“Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak to you?”
25And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an #1 Kin. 20:30inner chamber to hide!”
26So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; 27and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in #2 Chr. 16:10; 18:25–27prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”
28But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, #Num. 16:29; Deut. 18:20–22the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”
Ahab Dies in Battle
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 30And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle; but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel #2 Chr. 35:22disguised himself and went into battle.
31Now the #1 Kin. 20:1king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two #1 Kin. 20:24; 2 Chr. 18:30captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” 32So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat #2 Chr. 18:31cried out. 33And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. 34Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the 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.”
35The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot. 36Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”
37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. 38Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according #1 Kin. 21:19to the word of the Lord which He had spoken.
39Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, #Ps. 45:8; Amos 3:15the ivory house which he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 40So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then #2 Kin. 1:2, 18Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah
41#2 Chr. 20:31Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. 43And #2 Chr. 17:3; 20:32, 33he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Nevertheless #1 Kin. 14:23; 15:14; 2 Kin. 12:3the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. 44Also #2 Chr. 19:2Jehoshaphat made #2 Chr. 18:1peace with the king of Israel.
45Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written #2 Chr. 20:34in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46#Gen. 19:5; Deut. 23:17; 1 Kin. 14:24; 15:12; 2 Kin. 23:7; Jude 7And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land. 47#2 Sam. 8:14; 2 Kin. 3:9; 8:20There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.
48#2 Chr. 20:35–37Jehoshaphat #1 Kin. 10:22made merchant ships to go to #1 Kin. 9:28Ophir for gold; #2 Chr. 20:37but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at #1 Kin. 9:26Ezion Geber. 49Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.
50And #2 Chr. 21:1Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.
Ahaziah Reigns in Israel
51#1 Kin. 22:40Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel. 52He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and #1 Kin. 15:26; 21:25walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; 53for #Judg. 2:11he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the Lord God of Israel to anger, #1 Kin. 16:30–32according to all that his father had done.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.