|
Chapter 18 |
| 1 |
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and joined affinity with
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. |
| 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. |
| 4 | And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of
Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day. |
| 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. |
| 6
| But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides,
that we might enquire of him? |
| 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. |
| 8
| And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch
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 robes, and they sat in a void place at the
entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before
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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 13 | And Micaiah said, As the LORD
liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak. |
|
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. |
| 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? |
|
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. |
| 17 | And the king of Israel said to
Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but
evil? |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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? |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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? |
|
24 | And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day
when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. |
| 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; |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 28 |
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to
Ramothgilead. |
| 29 | And the
king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and I will go to
the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself;
and they went to the battle. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
