1 Kings, 22

1. And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

1. There was no war between Aram and Israel for three years.

2. And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

2. But in the third year, Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel.

3. And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead [is] ours, and we [be] still, [and] take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

3. The king of Israel then talked to his officers, "Have you forgotten that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? Yet we do nothing to take it back from the Arameans."

4. And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I [am] as thou [art], my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

4. So he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you come with me to conquer Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, "I am with you, my people are with your people, and my horses with yours."

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

5. Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, said to the king of Israel, "Let us consult Yahweh before setting out for war."

6. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

6. So the king of Israel gathered all the prophets, numbering about four hundred men, and asked them, "Shall I go to conquer Ramoth-gilead, or shall I hold back?" They replied, "Go, for Yahweh will deliver the city into your hands."

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

7. Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no other prophet of Yahweh around here whom we might ask?"

8. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

8. The king of Israel answered, "There is still one through whom we may ask for Yahweh's counsel; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good about me but only evil. It is Micaiah, son of Imlah." Then Jehoshaphat said, "Don't speak in this manner."

9. Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten [hither] Micaiah the son of Imlah.

9. So the king of Israel called an official and told him, "Bring quickly Micaiah, son of Imlah."

10. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

10. Meantime, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, were seated on their thrones, fully robed. They were both at the threshing floor by the entrance gate of Samaria where the prophets continued to prophesy before them.

11. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

11. There was Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah who made for himself horns from iron and said, "Thus says Yahweh: 'With these horns you shall strike the Arameans until they are destroyed."

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

12. All the prophets said the same, "Go to Ramoth-gilead and triumph. Yahweh will deliver it into the hands of the king."

13. And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets [declare] good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak [that which is] good.

13. The official who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look here, all the prophets agree to foretell a happy end to the king. You too agree to speak favorably."

14. And Micaiah said, [As] the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

14. But Micaiah replied, "As Yahweh lives, I will speak what Yahweh tells me to."

15. So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver [it] into the hand of the king.

15. When he had come, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to conquer Ramoth-gilead or shall we hold back?" Then Micaiah answered, "Go and triumph! Yahweh will give the city into the hands of the king!"

16. And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but [that which is] true in the name of the LORD?

16. But the king said to him, "How many times shall I ask you to speak seriously to me and tell me the truth in the name of Yahweh?"

17. And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

17. Then Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. Then Yahweh said: These have no master; so let each return to his home in peace."

18. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

18. So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good about me, but only evil?"

19. And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

19. Micaiah replied, "Listen again to this word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne with the entire host of Heaven standing beside him on his right and on his left.

20. And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

20. Then Yahweh asked: 'Who will deceive the king of Israel that he may go and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' One said one thing and another, another thing.

21. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.

21. Then a spirit came forward and stood before Yahweh, saying: 'I will deceive him.'

22. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade [him], and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

22. Yahweh then asked him, 'What will you do?' To this he replied: 'I will go and make myself a lying spirit on the lips of all his prophets.' Then Yahweh said, 'You shall succeed. Go and do just that.'

23. Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

23. You must know that Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours because he willed to bring evil on you."

24. But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

24. Then Zedekiah, son of Chena-anah, approached Micaiah, struck him, and said, "Has the Spirit of Yahweh left me to speak to you?"

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

25. Micaiah replied, "You shall discover for yourself on the day you flee from house to house to hide."

26. And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

26. Then the king of Israel ordered, "Seize Micaiah and take him back to Amon, governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's son.

27. 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 come in peace.

27. Give them this order: 'Throw this man in prison and feed him with scant fare of bread and water until I come in peace."

28. And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

28. Then Micaiah said, "If you return in peace, then Yahweh has not spoken through me."

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

29. So the king of Israel went up to Ramoth-gilead together with the king of Judah.

30. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

30. The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself before the battle, but you wear your robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself before the battle.

31. But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

31. Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, "Attack no one, big or small, but only the king of Israel."

32. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it [is] the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

32. When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "That surely is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him. But when Jehoshaphat shouted his cry of war,

33. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it [was] not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

33. the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel and they no longer pursued him.

34. And a [certain] man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

34. In the meantime one of the Arameans drew his bow, without knowing at whom he aimed, and hit the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. The king then ordered the driver of his chariot, "Turn around and carry me out of the battle for I am wounded."

35. And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

35. The battle raged fiercely on that day. Meanwhile, the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Arameans, until the evening when he died. The blood from his wound flowed down into the bottom of the chariot.

36. And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.

36. At about sunset, a cry went through the camp, "Everyone to his city, and everyone to his country!

37. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

37. The king has died!" The king was brought to Samaria and was buried there.

38. And [one] washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

38. But they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria. So the dogs licked up his blood, while the harlots bathed in it in accordance with the word spoken by Yahweh.

39. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

39. The rest of the acts of Ahab, his deeds, the ivory house he built, and the cities he restored are all written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.

40. So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

40. So Ahab rested with his fathers and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.

41. And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

41. Jehoshaphat, son of Asa, began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel.

42. Jehoshaphat [was] thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

42. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi.

43. And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing [that which was] right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; [for] the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

43. He conducted himself like his father Asa, and did what pleased Yahweh without hesitation. Yet, he did not remove the high places where the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense.

44. And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

44. Jehoshaphat had peace with the king of Israel.

45. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

45. The rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, his bravery and his war exploits are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah.

46. And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.

46. He also removed from the land the remaining male cult prostitutes, completing the work of his father Asa.

47. [There was] then no king in Edom: a deputy [was] king.

47. There was no king in Edom but a governor ruled over it.

48. Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.

48. Jehoshaphat had Tarshish ships go to Ophir for gold, but the venture failed when the ships were wrecked at Eziongeber.

49. Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

49. Then Ahaziah, son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go in the ships with your servants." Jehoshaphat, however, refused.

50. And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

50. When Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, he was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David and his son Jehoram reigned in his place.

51. Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

51.

52. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin:

52.

53. For he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

53.