^18:1Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, ^18:2and after several years¹ went down to visit² Ahab in Samaria.³ Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him.⁴ He persuaded him to join in an attack⁵ against Ramoth Gilead. ^18:3King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.”⁶^18:4Then Jehoshaphat added,⁷ “First seek an oracle from the Lord.”⁸^18:5So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?”⁹ They said, “Attack! God¹⁰ will hand it over to the king.” ^18:6But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” ^18:7The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will.¹¹ But I despise¹² him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always¹³ disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.¹⁴ Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things!” ^18:8The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

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Footnotes

1 Heb “at the end of years.”
2 The word “visit” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
3 For location see ; ; ; ; .
4 Heb “and Ahab slaughtered for him sheep and cattle in abundance, and for the people who were with him.”
5 Heb “to go up.”
6 Heb “Like me, like you; and like your people, my people; and with you in battle.”
7 Heb “and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel.”
8 Heb “the word of the Lord.” Jehoshaphat is requesting a prophetic oracle revealing the Lord’s will in the matter and their prospects for success. For examples of such oracles, see 2 Sam 5:19, 23–24.
9 Heb “Should we go against Ramoth Gilead for war or should I refrain?”
10 Though Jehoshaphat had requested an oracle from “the Lord” (יְהוָה, yéhvah, “Yahweh”), the Israelite prophets stop short of actually using this name and substitute the title הָאֱלֹהִים (ha’elohim, “the God”). This ambiguity may explain in part Jehoshaphat’s hesitancy and caution (vv. 7–8). He seems to doubt that the 400 are genuine prophets of the Lord.
11 Heb “to seek the Lord from him.”
12 Or “hate.”
13 Heb “all his days.”
14 The words “his name is” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.