New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 Jehoshaphat enjoyed great riches and high esteem, and he made an alliance with Ahab of Israel by having his son marry Ahab’s daughter.
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But even though Jehoshaphat was very rich and much honored, he made a marriage alliance with Ahab of Israel.
2 A few years later he went to Samaria to visit Ahab, who prepared a great banquet for him and his officials. They butchered great numbers of sheep, goats, and cattle for the feast. Then Ahab enticed Jehoshaphat to join forces with him to recover Ramoth-gilead.
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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 “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah. Jehoshaphat replied, “Why, of course! You and I are as one, and my troops are your troops. We will certainly join you in battle.”
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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 added, “But first let’s find out what the LORD says.”
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Then Jehoshaphat said, "But before you do anything, ask God for guidance."
5 So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, 400 of them, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?” They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! God will give the king victory.”
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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 asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the LORD here? We should ask him the same question.”
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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 replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the LORD for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.”
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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 called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
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So the king of Israel ordered one of his men, "Quickly, get Micaiah son of Imlah."
9 King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
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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 One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the LORD says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!”
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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 other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the LORD will give the king victory!”
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All the prophets chimed in, "Yes! Go for Ramoth Gilead! An easy victory! God's gift to the king!"
12 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”
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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 replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what my God says.”
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But Micaiah said, "As sure as God lives, what God says, I'll say."
14 When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?” Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for you will have victory over them!”
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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 But the king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the LORD ?”
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"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 Then Micaiah told him, “In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.’”
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"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 “Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.”
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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 Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left.
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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 the LORD said, ‘Who can entice King Ahab of Israel to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’ “There were many suggestions,
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And God said, "How can we seduce Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead?" Some said this, and some said that.
20 and finally a spirit approached the LORD and said, ‘I can do it!’ “‘How will you do this?’ the LORD asked.
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Then a bold angel stepped out, stood before God, and said, "I'll seduce him." "And how will you do it?" said God.
21 “And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’ “‘You will succeed,’ said the LORD . ‘Go ahead and do it.’
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"Easy," said the angel, "I'll get all the prophets to lie." "That should do it," said God; "On your way - seduce him!"
22 “So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets. For the LORD has pronounced your doom.”
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"And that's what has happened. God filled the mouths of your puppet prophets with seductive lies. God has pronounced your doom."
23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Spirit of the LORD leave me to speak to you?” he demanded.
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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 And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”
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Micaiah said, "You'll know soon enough; you'll know it when you're frantically and futilely looking for a place to hide."
25 “Arrest him!” the king of Israel ordered. “Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash.
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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 Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’”
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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 But Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that the LORD has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!”
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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 King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead.
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So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went ahead and attacked Ramoth Gilead.
29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.
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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 issued these orders to his chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel! Don’t bother with anyone else.”
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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 So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But Jehoshaphat called out, and the LORD saved him. God helped him by turning the attackers away from him.
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When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "There he is! The king of Israel!" and took after him. Jehoshaphat yelled out,
32 As soon as the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.
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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 An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the driver of the chariot. “I’m badly wounded!”
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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 The battle raged all that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans. In the evening, just as the sun was setting, he died.
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All day the fighting continued, hot and heavy. Propped up in his chariot, the king watched from the sidelines. He died that evening.