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Jehoshaphat and Ahab
For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.
For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.
Ahab and the False Prophets
And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel.
And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!”
And the king of Israel said to his servants, Do ye know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we keep quiet without taking it out of the hand of the king of Syria?
Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.”
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.”
And he said to Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.
Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the LORD says.”
And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, this day of the word of Jehovah.
So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?”
They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.”
They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.”
And the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king's hand.
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the LORD here? We should ask him the same question.”
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we might inquire of him?
The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the LORD for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”
Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah; but I hate him, for he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil: [it is] Micah the son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
Then the king of Israel called a chamberlain, and said, Fetch quickly Micah the son of Imlah.
Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab
King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, in the open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the LORD says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!”
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, Thus saith Jehovah: With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have exterminated them.
All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the LORD will give the king victory!”
And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will give it into the king's hand.
Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”
Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab
And the messenger that went to call Micah spoke to him saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak good.
And the messenger that went to call Micah spoke to him saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak good.
But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what the LORD tells me to say.”
And Micah said, As Jehovah liveth, even what Jehovah shall say to me, that will I speak.
When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?”
Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for the LORD will give the king victory!”
Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for the LORD will give the king victory!”
And he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micah, shall we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he said to him, Go up, and prosper; for Jehovah will give it into the hand of the king.
But the king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the LORD?”
And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but truth in the name of Jehovah?
And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And Jehovah said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
“Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.”
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil?
Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left.
And he said, Hear therefore the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left;
And the LORD said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’
“There were many suggestions,
“There were many suggestions,
and Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? And one said after this manner, and another said after that manner.
and finally a spirit approached the LORD and said, ‘I can do it!’
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him.
“‘How will you do this?’ the LORD asked.
“And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’
“‘You will succeed,’ said the LORD. ‘Go ahead and do it.’
“And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’
“‘You will succeed,’ said the LORD. ‘Go ahead and do it.’
And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice [him], and also succeed: go forth, and do so.
“So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the LORD has pronounced your doom.”
And now, behold, Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning thee.
Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Spirit of the LORD leave me to speak to you?” he demanded.
Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micah upon the cheek, and said, Where now went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak to thee?
And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”
And Micah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thyself.
“Arrest him!” the king of Israel ordered. “Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash.
And the king of Israel said, Take Micah and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’”
and thou shalt say, Thus says the king: Put this [man] in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
But Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that the LORD has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!”
And Micah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah has not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O peoples, all of you!
The Death of Ahab
So King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead.
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead.
And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead.
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!”
And the king of Syria commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots saying, Fight neither with small nor great, but with the king of Israel only.
So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat called out,
And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely that is the king of Israel; and they turned against him to fight; and Jehoshaphat cried out.
the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him.
And it came to pass that when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
And a man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the fastenings and the corslet. And he said to his charioteer, Turn thy hand, and drive me out of the camp; for I am wounded.
The battle raged all that day, and the king remained propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot, and as evening arrived he died.
And the battle increased that day; and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and he died at even; and the blood of the wound ran out into the hollow of the chariot.
Just as the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: “We’re done for! Run for your lives!”
And there went the cry throughout the host at the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!
So the king died, and his body was taken to Samaria and buried there.
And the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked his blood, where the harlots bathed: according to the word of Jehovah, which he had spoken.
The rest of the events in Ahab’s reign and everything he did, including the story of the ivory palace and the towns he built, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
And the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
So Ahab died, and his son Ahaziah became the next king.
And Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
Jehoshaphat Rules in Judah
Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to rule over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign in Israel.
Jehoshaphat's Good Reign in Judah
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
And he walked in all the way of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of Jehovah. Only, the high places were not removed: the people offered and burned incense still on the high places.
Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
And Jehoshaphat was at peace with the king of Israel.
The rest of the events in Jehoshaphat’s reign, the extent of his power, and the wars he waged are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might which he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
He banished from the land the rest of the male and female shrine prostitutes, who still continued their practices from the days of his father, Asa.
And the remainder of the sodomites, which were left in the days of his father Asa, he put away from out of the land.
(There was no king in Edom at that time, only a deputy.)
And there was no king in Edom: a deputy reigned.
Jehoshaphat made Tarshish-ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they went not, for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.
At one time Ahaziah son of Ahab had proposed to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with your men in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat refused the request.
Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab to Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.
When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king.
And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.
Ahaziah Rules in Israel
Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years.
Ahaziah's Evil Reign in Israel
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and he reigned two years over Israel.
Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and he reigned two years over Israel.
But he did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel to sin.
And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.