II Chronicles Chapter 18

II Chronicles Chapter 18
1 And Jehoshaphat had riches and honor
in abundance, but he was joined in
affinity with Ahab.
2 And after certain years he went down
to Ahab to Samaria: and Ahab slew
sheep and oxen for him in great number,
and for the people that he had with him,
and enticed him to go up unto Ramoth
Gilead.
3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto
Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go
with me to Ramoth Gilead? And he
answered him, I am as thou art, and my
people as thy people, and we will join
with thee in the war. 4 And Jehoshaphat
said unto the king of Israel, Ask counsel,
I pray thee, at the word of the Lord this
day.
5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered of
prophets four hundred men, and said
unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead
to battle, or shall I cease? And they said,
Go up: for God shall deliver it into the
king's hand. 6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is
there hear never a prophet more of the
Lord that we might inquire of him?
7 And the king of Israel said unto
Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by
whom we may ask counsel of the Lord,
but I hate him: for he doth not prophecy
good unto me, but alway evil: it is
Micaiah the son of Imla. Then
Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
8 And the king of Israel called an
eunuch, and said, Call quickly Micaiah
the son of Imla.
9 And the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat
king of Judah sat either of them on his
throne clothed in their apparel: they sat
even in the threshing floor at the entering
in of the gate of Samaria: and all the
prophets prophesied before them.
10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah
made him horns of iron, and said, Thus
saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push
the Aramites [Syrians] until thou hast
consumed them.
11 And all the prophets prophesied so,
saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and
prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into
the hand 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 accord: let thy word therefore,
I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and
speak thou good. 13 And Micaiah said,
As the Lord liveth, whatsoever my God
saith, that will I speak.
14 So he came to the king, and the king
said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to
Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I leave
off? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper,
and they shall be delivered into your
hand.
15 And the king said to him, How oft
shall I charge thee, that thou tell me
nothing but the truth in the name of the
Lord?
16 Then he said, I saw all Israel
scattered in the mountains, as sheep that
have no shepherd: and the Lord said,
These have no master: let them return
every man to his house in peace.
17 And the king of Israel said to
Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he
would not prophecy good unto me, but
evil?
18 Again he said, Therefore hear ye the
word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sit
upon his throne, and all the host of
heaven standing at his right hand, and at
his left.
19 And the Lord said, Who shall
persuade Ahab king of Israel, that he
may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?
And one spake and said thus, and
another said that.
20 Then there came forth a spirit and
stood before the Lord, and said, I will
persuade him. And the Lord said unto
him, Wherein?
21 And he said, I will go out, and be a
false spirit in the mouth of all his
prophets. And he said, Thou shalt
persuade, and shalt also prevail: go forth
and do so.
22 Now therefore behold, the Lord hath
put a false spirit in the mouth of these thy
prophets, and the Lord hath determined
evil against thee.
23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah
came near, and smote Micaiah upon the
cheek, and said, By what way went the
Spirit of the Lord from me, to speak with
thee?
24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt
see that day when thou shalt go from
chamber to chamber to hide thee.
25 And the king of Israel said, Take ye
Micaiah, and carry him to Amon the
governor of the city, and to Joash the
king's son,
26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this
man in the prison house, and feed him
with bread of affliction and with water
of affliction until I return in peace. 27
And Micaiah said, If thou return in
peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me.
And he said, Hear, all ye people.
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat
the king of Judah went up to Ramoth
Gilead.
29 And the king of Israel said unto
Jehoshaphat, I will change myself, and
enter into the battle: but put thou on thine
apparel. So the king of Israel changed
himself, and they went into the battle.
30 And the king of Aram [Syria] had
commanded the captains of the chariots
that were with him, saying, Fight you not
with small nor great, but against the king
of Israel only.
31 And when the captains of the chariots
saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king
of Israel: and they compassed about him
to fight. But Jehoshaphat cried, and the
Lord helped him and moved them to
depart from him. 32 For when the
captains of the chariots saw that he was
not the king of Israel, they turned back
from him.
33 Then a certain man drew a bow
mightily, and smote the king of Israel
between the joints of his brigandine:
Therefore he said to his chariot man,
Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the
host: for I am hurt.
34 And the battle increased that day: and
the king of Israel stood still in his
chariot against the Aramites [Syrians]
until even, and died at the time of the sun
going down.