2 Chronicles 18

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

1Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, was very rich. People gave him great honor. He joined his family to King Ahab's family by marriage.

2And 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.

2Some years later he went to see Ahab in Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and cattle for a big meal. It was for Jehoshaphat and all the men with him. Then Ahab urged him to go fight for the town of Ramoth-gilead.

3And 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.

3Ahab, king of Israel, asked Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, "Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered, "I am like you, and my people are like your people. We will fight in this war with you."

4And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

4But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "Please ask the LORD first what he says."

5Therefore 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.

5So the king of Israel called together four hundred prophets. Prophets were men who said they told people God's messages. He asked them, "Should we go fight at Ramoth-gilead, or should we stay home?" They said, "Go. God will hand the town to the king."

6But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

6But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not one more prophet of the LORD here? We could ask him too."

7And 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.

7The king of Israel said, "There is one more man who can ask the LORD. His name is Micaiah son of Imla. But I hate him. He never tells me good news, only bad." Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not talk that way."

8And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

8So the king of Israel called one of his officers. He said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imla here quickly."

9And 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.

9The two kings sat on their thrones in their royal robes. They sat on an open floor near the gate of Samaria. All the prophets stood in front of them, telling their messages.

NoteThe KJV says the kings sat in "a void place." That means an open, cleared space by the city gate, where grain was beaten out.

10And 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.

10Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made horns out of iron. He said, "The LORD says: with these horns you will push Syria until they are all gone."

11And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

11All the other prophets said the same thing. "Go to Ramoth-gilead and win. The LORD will hand the town to the king."

12And 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.

12The messenger who went to get Micaiah spoke to him. "Listen. Every one of the prophets is telling the king good news. Please say what they say. Say something good."

13And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

13But Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD lives, I will say what my God tells me."

14And 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.

14When Micaiah came, the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go fight at Ramoth-gilead, or should we stay home?" Micaiah said, "Go and win. They will be handed over to you."

15And 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?

15The king said to him, "How many times must I make you promise? Tell me only the truth in the name of the LORD."

16Then 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.

16Then Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel spread out on the hills. They were like sheep with no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These people have no master. Let each man go home in peace.'"

17And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I told you so. He never tells me good news, only bad."

18Again 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.

18Micaiah kept speaking. "So hear what the LORD says. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne. All the armies of heaven stood at his right side and his left.

19And 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.

19The LORD said, 'Who will talk Ahab king of Israel into going up to Ramoth-gilead, so he dies there?' One said one thing, and another said something else.

20Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

20Then a spirit came and stood in front of the LORD. The spirit said, 'I will talk him into it.' The LORD asked, 'How will you do it?'

21And 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.

21The spirit said, 'I will go out and make all his prophets speak lies.' The LORD said, 'You will talk him into it, and it will work. Go and do it.'

22Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.

22So look. The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The LORD has said that trouble is coming to you."

23Then 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?

23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah walked up and hit Micaiah on the face. He said, "Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when he left me to speak to you?"

24And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

24Micaiah said, "You will find that out on the day you hide in a back room."

25Then 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;

25Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah back to Amon, the ruler of the city. Take him also to Joash, the king's son.

26And 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.

26Tell them the king says this: put this man in prison. Give him only bread and water until I come home safely."

Note"Bread of affliction and water of affliction" means plain bread and water, the small amount given to a prisoner.

27And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

27Micaiah said, "If you ever do come home safely, the LORD did not speak through me." Then he said, "All you people, listen to this!"

28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

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

29And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will dress so no one knows me. But you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel hid who he was, and they went into the battle.

30Now 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.

30The king of Syria had given an order to his chariot leaders. "Do not fight anyone, big or small. Fight only the king of Israel."

31And 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.

31When the chariot leaders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "That is the king of Israel!" So they circled around him to fight him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God made them turn away from him.

32For 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.

32When the chariot leaders saw he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.

33And 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.

33A man shot an arrow without aiming at anyone. It hit the king of Israel where two pieces of his armor joined. So Ahab told his chariot driver, "Turn around. Get me out of the battle. I am badly hurt."

Note"At a venture" means the man was not aiming at anyone. He shot his arrow into the crowd of fighters.

34And 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.

34The fighting grew worse all that day. The king of Israel held himself up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. As the sun went down, he died.