2 Chronicles 16–20

16 *In the asix and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa bBaasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. 2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-hadad king of Syria, that dwelt at †Damascus, saying, 3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me. 4 And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of †his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and cAbel-maim, and all dthe store cities of Naphtali. 5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease. 6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

7 And at that time eHanani fthe seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, gBecause thou hast hrelied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the Lord thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not ijthe Ethiopians and jthe Lubims †a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the Lord, khe delivered them into thine hand. 9 For lthe eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, ||to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose mheart is perfect toward him. Herein nthou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth othou shalt have wars. 10 Then Asa was wroth with fthe seer, and put him in pa prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa †oppressed some of the people the same time.

11 And, behold, qthe acts of Asa, rfirst and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. 12 *And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign qwas diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians. 13 sAnd Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. 14 And sthey buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had †made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled twith sweet odours and udivers kinds of spices prepared by xthe apothecaries’ art: and they made ya very great burning for him.

17 And aJehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 And he placed forces in all bthe fenced cities of Judah, and set cgarrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, dwhich Asa his father had taken. 3 And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways ||of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; 4 But esought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after fthe doings of Israel. 5 Therefore the Lord stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah †brought to Jehoshaphat gpresents; and hhe had riches and honour in abundance. 6 *And his heart ||was lifted up in the ways of the Lord: moreover he took away ithe high places and jgroves out of Judah. 7 *Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. 8 And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, kLevites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, kpriests. 9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

10 And lthe fear of the Lord †fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Also some of the mPhilistines nbrought Jehoshaphat gpresents, and tribute silver; and the mArabians brought him flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats. 12 And Jehoshaphat owaxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah ||castles, and pcities of store. 13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem. 14 And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand. 15 And †next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand. 16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, qwho willingly offered himself unto the Lord; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour. 17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him rarmed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand. 18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand sready prepared for the war. 19 These waited on the king, beside those whom tthe king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.

18 *Now Jehoshaphat ahad riches and honour in abundance, and bjoined affinity with Ahab. 2 And †after certain years che went down to Ahab to dSamaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and epersuaded him to go up with him to fRamoth-gilead. 3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war. 4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day. 5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand. 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord †besides, that we might inquire of him? 7 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 8 And the king of Israel called for one of his ||officers, and said, †Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. 9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a ||void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until †they be consumed. 11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, 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 speak thou good. 13 And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. 14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand. 15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord? 16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace. 17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, ||but evil? 18 Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left. 19 And the Lord said, Who shall gentice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner. 20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will gentice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? 21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt gentice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so. 22 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee. 23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee? 24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go ||into an inner chamber to hide thyself. 25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 26 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 return in peace. 27 And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle. 30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel. 31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots …