Chapter 18

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity¹⁰¹ with Ahab.

And after [certain] years he went down⁴ to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed⁴ sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that [he had] with him, and persuaded⁵⁵ him to go up² [with him] to Ramothgilead. ¹⁵⁶⁸

And Ahab king of Israel said⁴ unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go⁴ with me to Ramothgilead? ¹⁵⁶⁸ And he answered⁴ him, I [am] as thou [art], and my people as thy people; and [we will be] with thee in the war.

And Jehoshaphat said⁴ unto the king of Israel, Enquire,³ I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

Therefore the king of Israel gathered together⁴ of prophets four hundred men, and said⁴ unto them, Shall we go⁴ to Ramothgilead ¹⁵⁶⁸ to battle, or shall I forbear?⁴ And they said,⁴ Go up;³ for God will deliver⁴ [it] into the king's hand.

But Jehoshaphat said,⁴ [Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire⁴ of him?

And the king of Israel said⁴ unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet one man, by whom we may enquire² of the LORD: but I hate¹ him; for he never prophesied¹⁰² good unto me, but always ³¹¹⁷ evil: the same [is] Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said,⁴ Let not the king say⁴ so.

And the king of Israel called⁴ for one [of his] officers, and said,⁴ Fetch quickly¹⁶ Micaiah the son of Imla.

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat⁶ either of them on his throne, clothed³⁰ in [their] robes, and they sat⁶ in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied¹⁰² before them.

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made⁴ him horns of iron, and said,⁴ Thus saith¹ the LORD, With these thou shalt push¹⁷ Syria until they be consumed.¹⁵

And all the prophets prophesied¹² so, saying,² Go up³ to Ramothgilead, ¹⁵⁶⁸ and prosper:⁵⁴ for the LORD shall deliver¹ [it] into the hand of the king.

And the messenger that went¹ to call² Micaiah spake¹⁴ to him, saying,² Behold, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak¹⁴ thou good.

And Micaiah said,⁴ [As] the LORD liveth, even what my God saith,⁴ that will I speak.¹⁷

And when he was come⁴ to the king, the king said⁴ unto him, Micaiah, shall we go⁴ to Ramothgilead ¹⁵⁶⁸ to battle, or shall I forbear?⁴ And he said,⁴ Go ye up,³ and prosper,⁵⁴ and they shall be delivered¹¹ into your hand.

And the king said⁴ to him, How many times shall I adjure⁵⁶ thee that thou say¹⁷ nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

Then he said,⁴ I did see¹ all Israel scattered¹² upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd:⁶ and the LORD said,⁴ These have no master; let them return⁴ [therefore] every man to his house in peace.

And the king of Israel said⁴ to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell¹ thee [that] he would not prophesy¹⁰¹ good unto me, but evil?

Again he said,⁴ Therefore hear³ the word of the LORD; I saw¹ the LORD sitting⁶ upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing⁶ on his right hand and [on] his left.

And the LORD said,⁴ Who shall entice¹⁷ Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up⁴ and fall⁴ at Ramothgilead? ¹⁵⁶⁸ And one spake⁴ saying⁶ after this manner, and another saying⁶ after that manner.

Then there came out⁴ a spirit, and stood⁴ before the LORD, and said,⁴ I will entice¹⁷ him. And the LORD said⁴ unto him, Wherewith?

And he said,⁴ I will go out,⁴ and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And [the LORD] said,⁴ Thou shalt entice¹⁷ [him], and thou shalt also prevail:⁴ go out,³ and do³ [even] so.

Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put¹ a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken¹⁴ evil against thee.

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near,⁴ and smote⁵⁵ Micaiah upon the cheek, and said,⁴ Which way went¹ the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak¹⁵ unto thee?

And Micaiah said,⁴ Behold, thou shalt see⁶ on that day when thou shalt go⁴ into an inner chamber to hide⁹ thyself.

Then the king of Israel said,⁴ Take³ ye Micaiah, and carry him back⁵⁴ to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

And say,¹ Thus saith¹ the king, Put³ this [fellow] in the prison, ³⁶⁰⁸ and feed⁵⁴ him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return² in peace.

And Micaiah said,⁴ If thou certainly² return⁴ in peace, [then] hath not the LORD spoken¹⁴ by me. And he said,⁴ Hearken,³ all ye people.

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up⁴ to Ramothgilead. ¹⁵⁶⁸

And the king of Israel said⁴ unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise⁹⁹ myself, and will go² to the battle; but put thou on³ thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised¹⁰¹ himself; and they went⁴ to the battle.

Now the king of Syria had commanded¹⁴ the captains of the chariots that [were] with him, saying,² Fight¹¹ ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw² Jehoshaphat, that they said,¹ It [is] the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed⁴ about him to fight:⁹ but Jehoshaphat cried out,⁴ and the LORD helped¹ him; and God moved⁵⁵ them [to depart] from him.

For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived² that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again⁴ from pursuing him.

And a [certain] man drew¹ a bow at a venture, and smote⁵⁵ the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said⁴ to his chariot man, Turn³ thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out⁵² of the host; for I am wounded.⁹⁰

And the battle increased⁴ that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed⁵⁶ [himself] up in [his] chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down² he died.⁴