2 Chronicles 18

Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab

1Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab. 2After some years he went down to Ahab at Samaria. Ahab slaughtered sheep and cattle in abundance for him and for the people who were with him and persuaded him to go up against Ramoth-Gilead. 3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-Gilead?” He said to him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.”

Jehoshaphat Asks for the Word of the LORD

4Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire today for the word of the LORD.” 5So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Will we go against Ramoth-Gilead for battle, or will I refrain?” They said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king.” 6Yet Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, so that we may inquire through him?” 7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through 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 Imlah.” Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

Micaiah Is Summoned

8Then the king of Israel called one court official and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.” 9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, clothed in their robes, sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the LORD: With these you will gore Aram until you have finished them.” 11All the prophets prophesied likewise, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and succeed, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.”

Micaiah Speaks the True Vision

12The messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Look, the words of the prophets are with one mouth good toward the king. Please let your word be like one of theirs and speak good.” 13Yet Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.” 14He came to the king, and the king said to him, “Micaiah, will we go to Ramoth-Gilead for battle, or will I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, and they will be given into your hand.” 15The king said to him, “How many times must I put you under oath that you speak to me nothing but truth in the name of the LORD?” 16Then he said:

“I saw all Israel
scattered upon the mountains
like sheep without a shepherd.
And the LORD said,
‘These have no master.
Let each return to his house in peace.’” 17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

The Heavenly Council

18Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of the heavens standing on his right and on his left. 19The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead?’ One said this, and another said that. 20Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ The LORD said to him, ‘By what?’ 21He said, ‘I will go out and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You will entice him and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 22And now, look, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has spoken disaster concerning you.”

Micaiah Is Imprisoned

23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah drew near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “By what way did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak with you?” 24Micaiah said, “Look, you will see on that day when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.” 25The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 26and say, ‘Thus says the king: Put this one in prison and feed him bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace.’” 27Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”

Ahab Dies at Ramoth-Gilead

28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead. 29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and enter the battle, but you wear your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they entered the battle. 30Now the king of Aram had commanded the commanders of his chariots, saying, “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.” 31And it happened when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat that they said, “This is the king of Israel.” So they surrounded him to fight. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; God drew them away from him. 32When the commanders of the chariots saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 33But a man drew his bow in innocence and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. He said to the chariot driver, “Turn your hand and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 34The battle increased that day, and the king of Israel was propped up in the chariot facing Aram until evening. He died at the time of sunset.