2 Chronicles 18

1 And Iehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, but he was ioyned in affinitie with Ahab.

Now Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and highly honored, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.

2 And after certaine yeeres he went downe to Ahab to Samaria: and Ahab slew sheepe and oxen for him in great nomber, and for the people that he had with him, and entised him to goe vp vnto Ramoth Gilead.

Some years later he went to pay Ahab a visit in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people who accompanied him, and encouraged him to attack Ramoth-gilead.

3 And Ahab King of Israel saide vnto Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, Wilt thou goe with mee to Ramoth Gilead? And hee answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people, and wee will ioyne with thee in the warre.

Ahab, king of Israel, asked Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, “Would you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied, “You and I are as one, and my men and your men are as one. We will join forces with you in this war.”

4 And Iehoshaphat sayde vnto the King of Israel, Aske counsel, I pray thee, at the worde of the Lord this day.

Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “But first though, please find out what the Lord says.”

5 Therefore the King of Israel gathered of Prophets foure hundreth men, and sayde vnto them, Shall we goe to Ramoth Gilead to battel, or shall I cease? And they sayd, Go vp: for God shall deliuer it into the Kings hand.

So the king of Israel brought out the prophets—four hundred of them—and he asked them, “Should we go up and attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?” “Yes, go ahead,” they replied, “for God will hand it over to the king.”

6 But Iehoshaphat sayde, Is there heere neuer a Prophet more of the Lord that wee might inquire of him?

But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn't there another prophet of the Lord here that we can ask?”

7 And the King of Israel sayd vnto Iehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whome wee may aske counsell of the Lord, but I hate him: for he doeth not prophesie good vnto me, but alway euil: it is Michaiah the sonne of Imla. Then Iehoshaphat said, Let not the King say so.

“Yes, there's another man who could consult the Lord,” the king of Israel replied, “but I don't like him because he never prophesies anything good for me—it's always bad! His name is Micaiah, son of Imlah.” “You shouldn't talk like that,” said Jehoshaphat.

8 And the King of Israel called an eunuche, and said, Call quickly Michaiah the sonne of Imla.

The king of Israel called over one of his officials and told him, “Bring me Micaiah, son of Imlah, right away.”

9 And the King of Israel, and Iehoshaphat King of Iudah sate either of them on his throne clothed in their apparel: they sate euen in the threshing floore at the entring in of the gate of Samaria: and all the Prophets prophesied before them.

Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor beside the gate of Samaria, with all of the prophets prophesying in front of them.

10 And Zidkiah ye sonne of Chenaanah made him hornes of yron, and sayde, Thus sayth the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Aramites vntill thou hast consumed them.

One of them, Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, had made himself iron horns. He announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these horns you will gore the Arameans until they're dead!”

11 And all the Prophets prophesied so, saying, Go vp to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the King.

All the prophets were prophesying the same thing, saying, “Go ahead, attack Ramoth-gilead; you will be successful, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

12 And the messenger that went to call Michaiah, spake to him, saying, Beholde, the wordes of the Prophets declare good to the King with one accord: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speake thou good.

The messenger who went to call Micaiah told him, “Look, all the prophets are unanimous in prophesying positively to the king. So please make sure to speak positively like them.”

13 And Michaiah saide, As the Lord liueth, whatsoeuer my God saith, that will I speake.

But Micaiah replied, “As the Lord lives, I can only say what my God tells me.”

14 So he came to the King, and the King said vnto him, Michaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battel, or shall I leaue off? And he said, Goe yee vp, and prosper, and they shalbe deliuered into your hand.

When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Should we go up and attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I not?” “Yes, go ahead and be victorious,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be handed over to the king.”

15 And the King sayd to him, Howe oft shall I charge thee, that thou tell mee nothing but the trueth in the Name of the Lord?

But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me only the truth in the name of the Lord?”

16 Then he said, I saw al Israel scattered in the mountaines, as sheepe that haue no shepheard: and the Lord sayd, These haue no Master: let them returne euery man to his house in peace.

So Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These people have no master; let each of them go home in peace.’”

17 And the King of Israel sayde to Iehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he would not prophesie good vnto me, but euill?

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn't I tell you he never prophesies anything good for me, only bad?”

18 Againe hee saide, Therefore heare ye the worde of the Lord: I sawe the Lord sit vpon his throne, and all the hoste of heauen standing at his right hand, and at his left.

Micaiah went on to say, “So listen to what the Lord says. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, surrounded by the whole army of heaven standing to his right and to his left.

19 And the Lord sayd, Who shall perswade Ahab King of Israel, that he may go vp, and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one spake and said thus, and another said that.

The Lord asked, ‘Who will trick Ahab, king of Israel, into attacking Ramoth-gilead so he will be killed there?’ One said this, another said that, and another said something else.

20 Then there came forth a spirit and stoode before the Lord, and said, I will perswade him. And the Lord said vnto him, Wherein?

Finally a spirit came and approached the Lord and said, ‘I will trick him.’ ‘How are you going to do that?’ the Lord asked.

21 And he saide, I will goe out, and bee a false spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets. And hee said, Thou shalt perswade, and shalt also preuaile: goe forth and do so.

‘I will go and be a lying spirit and make all his prophets tell lies,’ the spirit replied. ‘That will work,’ the Lord responded. ‘Go and do it.’

22 Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a false spirit in the mouth of these thy Prophets, and the Lord hath determined euill against thee.

As you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced your death sentence.”

23 Then Zidkiah the sonne of Chenaanah came neere, and smote Michaiah vpon the cheeke, and sayde, By what way went the Spirit of the Lord from me, to speake with thee?

Then Zedekiah, son of Chenaanah, went and slapped Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the Lord go when he left me to speak to you?”

24 And Michaiah saide, Behold, thou shalt see that day when thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber to hide thee.

“You'll soon find out when you try and find some secret place to hide!” Micaiah replied.

25 And the King of Israel sayde, Take ye Michaiah, and cary him to Amon the gouernour of the citie, and to Ioash the Kings sonne,

The king of Israel ordered, “Place Micaiah under arrest and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to my son Joash.

26 And say, Thus saith the King, Put this man in the prison house, and feede him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction vntil I returne in peace.

Tell them these are the king's instructions: ‘Put this man in jail. Give him only bread and water until my safe return.’”

27 And Michaiah said, If thou returne in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he saide, Heare, all ye people.

“If you do in fact return safely then the Lord has not spoken through me,” Micaiah declared. “Pay attention everyone to all I've said!”

28 So the King of Israel and Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah went vp to Ramoth Gilead.

The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, went to attack Ramoth-gilead.

29 And the King of Israel said vnto Iehoshaphat, I will change my selfe, and enter into the battel: but put thou on thine apparel. So the King of Israel changed himselfe, and they went into the battel.

The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, “When I go into battle I will be in disguise, but you should wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

30 And the King of Aram had commanded the captaines of the charets that were with him, saying, Fight you not with small, nor great, but against the King of Israel onely.

The king of Aram had already given these orders to his chariot commanders: “Head straight for the king of Israel alone. Don't fight with anyone else, whoever they are.”

31 And when the captaines of the charets saw Iehoshaphat, they sayde, It is the King of Israel: and they compassed about him to fight. But Iehoshaphat cryed, and the Lord helped him and moued them to depart from him.

So when the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “There's the king of Israel!” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat called out for help, and the Lord did help him. God redirected them away from him,

32 For when the captaines of the charets saw that hee was not the King of Israel, they turned backe from him.

for when the chariot commanders realized that he wasn't the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.

33 Then a certaine man drewe a bowe mightily, and smote the King of Israel betweene the ioyntes of his brigandine: Therefore he saide to his charetman, Turne thine hand, and carie mee out of the host: for I am hurt.

However, an enemy archer shot an arrow at random, hitting the king of Israel between the joints of his armor by his breastplate. The king told his charioteer, “Turn around and get me out of the fight, because I've been wounded!”

34 And the battel increased that day: and the King of Israel stood still in his charet against the Aramites vntil euen, and dyed at the time of the sunne going downe.

The battle lasted all day. The king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot to face the Arameans until the evening. But he died at sunset.