1. And they continued three years without war between Syria and
Israel.
2. And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the
king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3. And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that
Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not
out of the hand of the king of Syria?
4. And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle
to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel,
I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy
horses.
5. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I
pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
6. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together,
about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go
against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they
said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of
the king.
7. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the
LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
8. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet
one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of
the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good
concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the
king say so.
9. Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten
hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat
each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void
place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the
prophets prophesied before them.
11. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron:
and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push
the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to
Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it
into the king's hand.
13. And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto
him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare
good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray
thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which
is good.
14. And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith
unto me, that will I speak.
15. So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah,
shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we
forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD
shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
16. And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure
thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the
name of the LORD?
17. And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as
sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These
have no master: let them return every man to his house in
peace.
18. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell
thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19. And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw
the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven
standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go
up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner,
and another said on that manner.
21. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD,
and said, I will persuade him.
22. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will
go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all
his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persude him, and
prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in
the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath
spoken evil concerning thee.
24. But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote
Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of
the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
25. And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when
thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26. And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him
back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the
king's son;
27. And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison,
and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of
affliction, until I come in peace.
28. And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD
hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every
one of you.
29. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went
up to Ramothgilead.
30. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will
disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on
thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and
went into the battle.
31. But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains
that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with
small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of
Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and
Jehoshaphat cried out.
33. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots
perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they
turned back from pursuing him.
34. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the
king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore
he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and
carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed
up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and
the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the
chariot.
36. And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the
going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and
every man to his own country.
37. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they
buried the king in Samaria.
38. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the
dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour;
according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
39. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and
the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he
built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Israel?
40. So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned
in his stead.
