Parallel Bible results for "2 chronicles 18"

2 Chronicles 18

The Message Bible MSG

1 But even though Jehoshaphat was very rich and much honored, he made a marriage alliance with Ahab of Israel.

2 Some time later he paid a visit to Ahab at Samaria. Ahab celebrated his visit with a feast - a huge barbecue with all the lamb and beef you could eat. But Ahab had a hidden agenda; he wanted Jehoshaphat's support in attacking Ramoth Gilead.

3 Then Ahab brought it into the open: "Will you join me in attacking Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat said, "You bet. I'm with you all the way; you can count on me and my troops."

4 Then Jehoshaphat said, "But before you do anything, ask God for guidance."

5 The king of Israel got the prophets together - all 400 of them - and put the question to them: "Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or should I hold back?" "Go for it," they said. "God will hand it over to the king."

6 But Jehoshaphat dragged his feet, "Is there another prophet of God around here we can consult? Let's get a second opinion."

7 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "As a matter of fact, there is another. But I hate him. He never preaches anything good to me, only doom, doom, doom - Micaiah son of Imlah." "The king shouldn't talk about a prophet like that!" said Jehoshaphat.

8 So the king of Israel ordered one of his men, "Quickly, get Micaiah son of Imlah."

9 Meanwhile, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat were seated on their thrones, dressed in their royal robes, resplendent in front of the Samaria city gates. All the prophets were staging a prophecy-performance for their benefit.

10 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had even made a set of iron horns, and brandishing them, called out, "God's word! With these horns you'll gore Aram until there's nothing left of them!"

11 All the prophets chimed in, "Yes! Go for Ramoth Gilead! An easy victory! God's gift to the king!"

12 The messenger who went to get Micaiah told him, "The prophets have all said Yes to the king. Make it unanimous - vote Yes!"

13 But Micaiah said, "As sure as God lives, what God says, I'll say."

14 With Micaiah before him, the king asked him, "So, Micaiah - do we attack Ramoth Gilead? Or do we hold back?" "Go ahead," he said, "an easy victory! God's gift to the king."

15 "Not so fast," said the king. "How many times have I made you promise under oath to tell me the truth and nothing but the truth?"

16 "All right," said Micaiah, "since you insist . . . I saw all of Israel scattered over the hills, sheep with no shepherd. Then God spoke, 'These poor people have no one to tell them what to do. Let them go home and do the best they can for themselves.'"

17 The king of Israel turned to Jehoshaphat, "See! What did I tell you? He never has a good word for me from God, only doom."

18 Micaiah kept on, "I'm not done yet; listen to God's word: I saw God enthroned, and all the Angel Armies of heaven standing at attention, ranged on his right and his left.

19 And God said, "How can we seduce Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead?" Some said this, and some said that.

20 Then a bold angel stepped out, stood before God, and said, "I'll seduce him." "And how will you do it?" said God.

21 "Easy," said the angel, "I'll get all the prophets to lie." "That should do it," said God; "On your way - seduce him!"

22 "And that's what has happened. God filled the mouths of your puppet prophets with seductive lies. God has pronounced your doom."

23 Just then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah came up and slapped Micaiah in the face, saying, "Since when did the Spirit of God leave me and take up with you?"

24 Micaiah said, "You'll know soon enough; you'll know it when you're frantically and futilely looking for a place to hide."

25 The king of Israel had heard enough: "Get Micaiah out of here! Turn him over to Amon the city magistrate and to Joash the king's son

26 with this message: 'King's orders! Lock him up in jail; keep him on bread and water until I'm back in one piece.'"

27 Micaiah said, If you ever get back in one piece, I'm no prophet of God. He added, When it happens, O people, remember where you heard it!

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went ahead and attacked Ramoth Gilead.

29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Wear my kingly robe; I'm going into battle disguised." So the king of Israel entered the battle in disguise.

30 Meanwhile, the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders (there were thirty-two of them), "Don't bother with anyone whether small or great; go after the king of Israel and him only."

31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "There he is! The king of Israel!" and took after him. Jehoshaphat yelled out,

32 and the chariot commanders realized they had the wrong man - it wasn't the king of Israel after all. God intervened and they let him go.

33 Just then someone, without aiming, shot an arrow into the crowd and hit the king of Israel in the chink of his armor. The king told his charioteer, "Turn back! Get me out of here - I'm wounded."

34 All day the fighting continued, hot and heavy. Propped up in his chariot, the king watched from the sidelines. He died that evening.

English Standard Version ESV

1 Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor, and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab.

2 After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. And Ahab killed an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead.

3 Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead? ” He answered him, “I am as you are, my people as your people. We will be with you in the war. ”

4 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord. ”

5 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain? ” And they said, “Go up, for God will give it into the hand of the king. ”

6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire? ”

7 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. ” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so. ”

8 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah. ”

9 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes. And they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed. ’”

11 And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph. The Lord will give it into the hand of the king. ”

12 And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably. ”

13 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what my God says, that I will speak. ”

14 And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain? ” And he answered, “Go up and triumph; they will be given into your hand. ”

15 But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord? ”

16 And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace. ’”

17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil? ”

18 And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

19 And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab the king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? ’ And one said one thing, and another said another.

20 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him. ’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means? ’

21 And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. ’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so. ’

22 Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets. The Lord has declared disaster concerning you. ”

23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you? ”

24 And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself. ”

25 And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,

26 and say, ‘Thus says the king, Put this fellow in prison and feed him with meager rations of bread and water until I return in peace. ’”

27 And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. ” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples! ”

28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

29 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes. ” And the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel. ”

31 As soon as the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is the king of Israel. ” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; God drew them away from him.

32 For as soon as the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

33 But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded. ”

34 And the battle continued that day, and the king of Israel was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening. Then at sunset he died.