2 Chronicles 18:8–19:3
Ahab’s False Prophets Assure Victory
8 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “1Bring quickly Micaiah, Imla’s son.”
9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting aat the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
10 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’ ”
11 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”
12 Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably.”
13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, awhat my God says, that I will speak.”
14 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, for they will be given into your hand.”
15 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
“I saw all Israel
Scattered on the mountains,
aLike sheep which have no shepherd;
And the Lord said,
‘These have no master.
Let each of them return to his house in peace.’ ”
17 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
18 Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. aI saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left.
19 “The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that.
20 “Then a aspirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’
21 “He said, ‘I will go and be aa deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and prevail also. Go and do so.’
22 “Now therefore, behold, athe Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of these your prophets, for the Lord has proclaimed disaster against you.”
23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and astruck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “1How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?”
24 Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day when you enter an inner room to hide yourself.”
25 Then the king of Israel said, “aTake Micaiah and return him to Amon bthe governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son;
26 and say, ‘Thus says the king, “aPut this man in prison and feed him 1sparingly with bread and water until I return safely.” ’ ”
27 Micaiah said, “If you indeed return safely, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “aListen, all you people.”
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead.
29 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 disguised himself, and they went into battle.
30 Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone.”
31 So when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel,” and they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat acried out, and the Lord helped him, and God diverted them from him.
32 When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
33 A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel 1in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of the chariot, “Turn 2around and take me out of the 3fight, for I am severely wounded.”
34 The battle raged that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot in front of the Arameans until the evening; and at sunset he died.
1 Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem.
2 aJehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “bShould you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and 1cso bring wrath on yourself from the Lord?
3 “But 1athere is some good in you, for byou have removed the 2Asheroth from the land and you chave set your heart to seek God.”