Chapter 16

Asa Wars against Baasha

1 In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign aBaasha king of Israel came up against Judah and 1fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.

2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the Lord and the king’s house, and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying,

3 “Let there be a treaty between 1you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.”

4 So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they 1conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim and all athe 2store cities of Naphtali.

5 When Baasha heard of it, he ceased 1fortifying Ramah and stopped his work.

6 Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he 1fortified Geba and Mizpah.

Asa Imprisons the Prophet

7 At that time aHanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, “bBecause you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the Lord your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand.

8 “Were not athe Ethiopians and the Lubim ban immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet cbecause you relied on the Lord, He delivered them into your hand.

9 “For athe eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those bwhose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars.”

10 Then Asa was angry with the seer and put him in 1prison, for he was enraged at him for this. And Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.

11 aNow, the acts of Asa from first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

12 In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa became diseased in his feet. His disease was severe, yet even in his disease he adid not seek the Lord, but the physicians.

13 So Asa slept with his fathers, 1having died in the forty-first year of his reign.

14 They buried him in his own tomb which he had cut out for himself in the city of David, and they laid him in the resting place which he had filled awith spices of various kinds blended by the perfumers’ art; and bthey made a very great fire for him.

Chapter 17

Jehoshaphat Succeeds Asa

1 aJehoshaphat his son then became king in his place, and made his position over Israel firm.

2 He placed troops in all athe fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim bwhich Asa his father had captured.

His Good Reign

3 The Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he 1followed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals,

4 but sought the God of his father, 1followed His commandments, aand did not act as Israel did.

5 So the Lord established the kingdom in his 1control, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and ahe had great riches and honor.

6 1He took great pride in the ways of the Lord and again aremoved the high places and the Asherim from Judah.

7 Then in the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah, ato teach in the cities of Judah;

8 and with them athe Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah, the Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, the priests.

9 They taught in Judah, having athe book of the law of the Lord with them; and they went throughout all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

10 Now athe dread of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands which were around Judah, so that they did not make war against Jehoshaphat.

11 Some of the Philistines abrought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat; the Arabians also brought him flocks, 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.

12 So Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater, and he built fortresses and store cities in Judah.

13 He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and warriors, valiant men, in Jerusalem.

14 This was their muster according to their fathers’ households: of Judah, commanders of thousands, Adnah was the commander, and with him 300,000 valiant warriors;

15 and next to him was Johanan the commander, and with him 280,000;

16 and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, awho volunteered for the Lord, and with him 200,000 valiant warriors;

17 and of Benjamin, Eliada a valiant warrior, and with him 200,000 armed with bow and shield;

18 and next to him Jehozabad, and with him 180,000 equipped for war.

19 These are they who served the king, apart from athose whom the king put in the fortified cities through all Judah.

Chapter 18

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

1 Now aJehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab.

2 aSome years later he went down to visit Ahab at Samaria. And Ahab slaughtered many sheep and oxen for him and the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.

3 Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And he said to him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people, and we will be with you in the battle.”

4 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire 1first for the word of the Lord.”

5 Then the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.”

6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here that we may inquire of him?”

7 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me but always evil. He is Micaiah, son of Imla.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

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.”

Micaiah Brings Word from God

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?”

16 So he said,

“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.”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

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.