2 Chronicles, 18

1. Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

1. Jehoshaphat, then, enjoyed great wealth and honor and allied himself by marriage to Ahab.

2. And after [certain] years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that [he had] with him, and persuaded him to go up [with him] to Ramothgilead.

2. After some years he went to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered for him and for his retinue great numbers of sheep and oxen; then urged him to attack Ramoth-gilead.

3. And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I [am] as thou [art], and my people as thy people; and [we will be] with thee in the war.

3. And he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you come with me to Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, "I am with you, my men are yours, and we will fight together."

4. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

4. Jehoshaphat, however, said to the king of Israel, "First, please consult the word of Yahweh."

5. Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver [it] into the king's hand.

5. So the king of Israel called the prophets who were four hundred men, and asked them, "Should we march to attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" They replied, "Go, because Yahweh will deliver it into your power."

6. But Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

6. But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no other prophet of Yahweh here for us to consult?"

7. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet one man, by whom we may enquire 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.

7. The king of Israel answered, "There is one more man through whom we can consult Yahweh, but I hate him because he never tells me good things but only discouraging words. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such things."

8. And the king of Israel called for one [of his] officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

8. Accordingly the king of Israel summoned one of his officials and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah immediately."

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.

9. The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were both sitting on their thrones in royal garments; they sat at the threshing-floor outside the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets raving in front of 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.

10. Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made himself iron horns and said, "Yahweh says this: You will gore the Arameans till you make an end of them."

11. And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

11. And all the prophets prophesied the same saying, "March to Ramoth-gilead, for you will succeed. Yahweh will deliver it into the power 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.

12. In the meantime the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "All the prophets as one man are foretelling victory to the king. Try to speak like one of them and foretell success."

13. And Micaiah said, [As] the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

13. But Micaiah answered, "As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I utter!"

14. And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

14. When he came to the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" He answered, "Go and you will succeed. They will be delivered into your power."

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?

15. But the king said, "How often must I beg you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?"

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.

16. Then Micaiah said, "I have seen all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. And Yahweh said, 'These have no master, let each one go home 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?

17. At this the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he never foretells me good things, but only what is discouraging?"

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.

18. Micaiah went on. "Listen to the word of Yahweh. I have seen Yahweh seated on his throne; all the array of heaven stood to his right and to his left.

19. And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

19. Yahweh said, 'Who will trick Ahab king of Israel so that he goes and falls at Ramoth-gilead?' At which some answered one way, and some another.

20. Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

20. Then a spirit stepped forward, approached Yahweh and said, 'I will trick him.' Yahweh asked, 'How?'

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 entice [him], and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do [even] so.

21. He replied, 'I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' Yahweh said, 'You shall trick him and succeed. Go and do it.'

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.

22. So Yahweh has put a lying spirit into the mouths of your prophets here because he himself wants you to meet with disaster!"

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?

23. Then Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah came up and slapped Michaiah's face, and he asked, "When did the spirit of Yahweh leave me, to talk to you?"

24. And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

24. Micaiah replied, "This is what you will find out the day you flee from house to house to hide."

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;

25. The king of Israel said, "Seize Micaiah and hand him over to Amon, governor of the city, and to Prince Joash,

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.

26. and say: This is the king's order: Put this man in prison and feed him on nothing but bread and water until I come back safe and sound."

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.

27. Micaiah said, "If you come back safe and sound, Yahweh has not spoken through me."

28. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

28. The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went to attack the city of Ramoth in 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.

29. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself as we go into battle, but I want you to wear your royal clothes." The king of Aram had given his chariot commanders the following order: "Do not attack anyone of whatever rank, except the king of Israel." When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he was the king of Israel. And they wheeled to the attack. But Jehoshaphat gave a shout and Yahweh came to his help, God rescued him and turned the attack away from him. The chariot commanders realized that he was not the king of Israel and called off their pursuit. By chance, however, one of the soldiers shot an arrow which struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. The king said to his charioteer, "Turn around and get me out of the battle; I have been hurt." But the battle grew fiercer so that they held the king upright in his chariot facing the Aramaeans until evening, and at sunset he died.

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.

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31. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It [is] the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.

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32. For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

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33. And a [certain] man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

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34. And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed [himself] up in [his] chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

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