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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. |