Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab
1
For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.
2
But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel.
3
The king of Iseael had said to his officials, "Don't you know that Ramoth Gliead
belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?"
4
So he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?"
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, " I am as your are,
my peole as your people, my horses as your horses."
5
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the LORD."
6
So the king of Israel brought together the prophets - about four hundred men -
and asked them, "Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?"
"Go," they answered, "for the Lord will give it into the king's hand."
7
But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD here
whom we can inquire of?"
8
The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom
we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies
anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah."
"The king should not say that," Jehoshaphat replied.
9
So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said,
"Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once."
10
Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphats king of Judah
were sitting on their thrones at the threshin floor by the entrance of the gate
of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
11
Now Zedekiah son of Kennah had made iron horns and he declared,
"This is what the LORD says: 'With these you will gore the Arameans
until they are destroyed.' "
12
All the other prophets were prophesying the samething. "Attack Ramoth Gilead
and be victorious," they said, "for the LORD will give it into the king's hand."
13
The messenger who had gone to Micaiah said to him,
"Look, as one man the other prophets are predicting success for the king.
Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably."
14
But Micaiah said,
"As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me."
15
When he arrived, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to war against
Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?" "Attack and be victorious," he answered,
"For the LORD will give it into the king's hand."
16
The king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear
to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"
17
Then Micaiah answered, "I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep
without a shepherd, and the LORD said, 'These people have no master.
Let each one go home in peace.' "
18
The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,
"Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?"
19
Macaiah continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD:
saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the host of heaven
standing around him on his right and on his left.
20
And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead
and going to his death there?' "One suggested this, and another that.
21
Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.'
22
" 'By what means?' the LORD asked, " 'I will go out and be a lying spirit
in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said.
" 'You will succeed in enticing him, said the LORD. "Go and do it.'
23
"So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets
of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you."
24
Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face.
"Which way the spirit from the LORD go when he went from me
to speak to you?" he asked.
25
Micaiah replied, "You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room."
26
The king of Israel then ordered, "Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon
the ruler of the city and to Joash the king's son
27
and say, 'This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison
and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.' "
28
Micaiah declared, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me."
Then he added, "Mark my words, all you people!"
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead
29
So the king of Israel land Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
30
The king of Israel said to Jehoshapht, "I will enter the battle in disguise,
but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself
and went into battle.
31"
Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders,
"Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.
32
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought,
"Surely this is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him,
but when Jehoshaphat cried out,
33
the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel
and stopped pursuing him.
34
But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between
the secions of his armor. The king told his chariot driver,
"Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I've been wounded."
35
All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot
facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto
the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.
36
As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army:
"Every man to his town; everyone to his land!"
37
So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there.
38
They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed),
and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared.
39
As for the other events of Ahab's reign, including all he did, the palace he built
and inlaid with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book
of the annals of the kings of Israel?
40
Ahab rested with his fathers. And Ahaziah his son succeded him as king.
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
41
Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab
king of Israel.
42
Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned
in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
43
In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them;
he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however,
were not removed, and the people conitnued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
44
Jehoshaphat was also at peace wit the king of Israel.
45
As for the other events of Jehoshaphat's reign,
the things he achieved and his miliatry exploits,
are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
46
He rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes
who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa.
47
There was then no king in Edom; a deputy ruled.
48
Now Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir for gold,
but they never set sail - they were wrecked at Ezion Geber.
49
At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat,
"Let my men sail with your men," but Jehoshaphat refused.
50
Then Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them
in the city of David his father. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him.
Ahaziah King of Israel
51
Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth
year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.
52
He did evil in the eyes of theLORD, because he walked in the ways of his father
and mother and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.
53
He served and worshiped Baal and provoked the LORD,
the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.
3 helps:
1. Five rulers share the same name
(Jeroboam, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Ahaziah and Jehoram=Joram)
2. The royal houses of Judah and Israel intermarry
(Ahab’s daughter Athaliah marries Jehoram of Judah).
3. Josiah’s 4 descendants reign during the final days of Judah.
