2 Chronicles 18

1 Jehoshaphat became very wealthy and was greatly honored. But then he arranged for one of his family to marry someone from the family of King Ahab [of Israel].

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

2 Several years later, he went down [from Jerusalem] to Samaria to visit Ahab. Ahab welcomed him and the people who had come with him by slaughtering many sheep and cattle [for a feast].

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.

3 Then he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you [and your army] go with my army to attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region]?” Jehoshaphat replied, “My soldiers and I will go to the battle when you tell us to go.”

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.

4 Then he added, “But we should ask Yahweh first, to find out what he wants us to do.”

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

5 So the king of Israel gathered all his 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go to attack the people of Ramoth [city], or should we not do that?” They replied, “Yes, go [and attack them] because God will enable your army to defeat them.”

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.

6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here whom we can ask?”

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

7 The king of Israel replied, “There is still one man here, whom we can ask to find out what Yahweh wants, his name is Micaiah, the son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never says anything good about me. He always predicts [that] bad [things will happen to me].” Jehoshaphat replied, “King Ahab, you should not say that!”

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.

8 So the king of Israel told one of his officials to summon Micaiah immediately.

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

9 The king of Israel and the king of Judah were sitting there on their thrones, wearing their royal robes. They were at the place where people threshed grain, near the gate of Samaria [city]. All of [Ahab’s] prophets were standing in front of them, predicting what was going to happen.

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.

10 [One of them whose name was] Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made from iron something that resembled the horns of a bull. He proclaimed to Ahab, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘With horns [like these], your [army] will keep attacking the army of Syria [like a bull attacks another animal], until you completely destroy them.’”

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.

11 All the other prophets [of Ahab] agreed. They said, “Yes! If you attack Ramoth [city] in [the] Gilead [region], you will be successful, because Yahweh will enable you to defeat them.”

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.

12 The messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen to me! All the other prophets are unitedly predicting that the king will be successful [in the battle]. So be sure to agree with them and say that the king’s army will be successful!”

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.

13 But Micaiah said, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell the king only what Yahweh tells me to say.”

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

14 When Micaiah arrived, the king [of Israel] asked him, “Should we go to attack Ramoth, or not?” Micaiah replied, “Sure, go! Yahweh will enable your army to defeat them!”

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.

15 But King Ahab [realized that Micaiah was lying, so he] said to Micaiah, “I have told you many times that you must always tell only the truth when you say what Yahweh [has revealed to you]!”

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?

16 Then Micaiah replied, “[The truth is that in a vision] I saw all the troops of Israel scattered on the mountains. They seemed to be like sheep that did not have a shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘Their master has been killed. So tell them all to go home peacefully.’”

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.

17 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you that he never predicts that anything good will happen to me! He [always] predicts that bad things will happen to me.”

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

18 But Micaiah continued, saying, “Listen to what Yahweh showed to me! [In a vision] I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, with all the armies of heaven [standing around him], on his right side and on his left side.

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.

19 And Yahweh said, ‘Who can persuade Ahab, the king of Israel, to go to fight against the people of Ramoth, in order that he may be killed there?’ “Some suggested one thing, and others suggested something else.

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.

20 “Finally one spirit, [having received a message from Satan], came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’ “Yahweh asked him, ‘How will you do it?’

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

21 “The spirit replied, ‘I will go and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to tell lies.’ Yahweh said, ‘You will be successful; go and do it!’

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.

22 “So now [I tell you that] Yahweh has caused your prophets to lie to you. Yahweh has decided that something terrible will happen to you.”

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.

23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked over to Micaiah and slapped him on his face. He said, “Do you think that Yahweh’s Spirit left me in order to speak to you?”

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?

24 Micaiah replied, “You will find out for yourself [to which of us Yahweh’s Spirit has truly spoken] on the day when you go into a room of some house to hide [from the Syrian soldiers]!”

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

25 King Ahab commanded [his soldiers], “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash.

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,

26 Tell them that I have commanded that they should put this man in prison and give him only bread and water. Do not give him anything else to eat until I return safely [from the battle]!”

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.

27 Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, [it will be clear that] it was not Yahweh who told me what to say to you!” Then he said [to all those who were standing there], “Do not forget what I have said [to King Ahab]!”

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

28 So the king of Israel and the king of Judah [led their armies] to Ramoth, in [the] Gilead [region].

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

29 King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I will put on different clothes, [in order that no one will recognize that I am the king.] But you should wear your royal robe.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they both went into the battle.

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.

30 The King of Syria told his soldiers who were driving the chariots, “Attack only the king of Israel!”

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.

31 So when the soldiers who were driving the Syrian chariots saw Jehoshaphat [wearing the royal robes], they thought “He must be the king of Israel!”

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.

32 So they turned to attack him. But when Jehoshaphat cried out, Yahweh helped him, and they realized that he was not the king of Israel. And God caused them to stop pursuing him.

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

33 But one [Syrian] soldier shot an arrow at Ahab, without knowing that it was Ahab. The arrow struck Ahab between the places where the parts of his armor joined together. Ahab told the driver of his chariot, “Turn the chariot around and take me out of here! I have been [severely] wounded!”

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.

34 The battle continued all that day. Ahab was sitting propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrian soldiers. And late in the afternoon, when the sun was setting, he died.

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.