Micaiah

5But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "Please ask the LORD first what he says."

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

NoteKings asked God by asking a prophet to speak for him. A prophet was someone who told people what God said.

6So the king of Israel called his prophets together, about four hundred men. Prophets were people who told others what God said. He asked them, "Should I go fight at Ramoth-gilead, or should I stay home?" They said, "Go. The Lord will hand the town to the king."

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

NoteThese four hundred prophets lived and worked at the king's palace. They usually told him what he wanted to hear.

7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here too? We could ask him."

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

NoteJehoshaphat wanted a prophet who spoke only for the LORD, and for no other god.

8The king of Israel said, "There is one more man, Micaiah son of Imlah. We can ask the LORD through him. But I hate him. He never says good things about me, only bad." Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not talk like that."

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

9So the king of Israel called one of his officers. He said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah here quickly."

Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat sat on their thrones in their royal robes. They were in an open place by the gate of the city of Samaria. All the prophets were giving their messages in front of them.

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

NoteSamaria was the capital city, where Israel's king lived. The open place by the city gate was where kings met people and made big choices.

11Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made horns out of iron, like a bull's horns. He said, "The LORD says this: with these you will push the Syrians until they are all gone."

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

NoteProphets sometimes acted out a message so people could see it. Iron horns stood for a strong bull knocking enemies down.

12All the other prophets said the same thing. "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and win. The LORD will hand it to the king."

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

13The messenger who went to get Micaiah spoke to him. "Listen. All the prophets are saying good things to the king. Please say what they say. Say something good."

And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.

14But Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what the LORD tells me."

And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

Note"As the LORD liveth" was a very strong promise. It meant, "I am telling you the truth."

15So he came to the king. The king asked, "Micaiah, should we go fight at Ramoth-gilead, or should we stay home?" Micaiah answered, "Go and win. The LORD will hand it to the king."

So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

16The king said to him, "How many times must I make you promise? Tell me only the truth in the name of the LORD."

And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?

NoteThe king made Micaiah swear in God's name. That meant God himself was listening to the promise.

17So 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 leader. Let each man go home in peace.'"

And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

NoteSheep without a shepherd wander off and get lost. Here it means soldiers with no king to lead them home.

18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "See? I told you. He never says anything good about me, only bad."

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19Micaiah said, "Then listen to the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne. All the armies of heaven stood beside him, on his right and his left.

And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

NoteThe "host of heaven" means the angels who serve God. They are pictured standing around his throne like helpers around a king.

20The LORD said, 'Who will talk Ahab into going up to Ramoth-gilead, so he falls there?' One spoke up one way, and another spoke up another way.

And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

21Then a spirit came out and stood in front of the LORD. The spirit said, 'I will talk him into it.'

And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.

22The LORD asked, 'How will you do it?' The spirit said, 'I will go out and make all his prophets speak lies.' The LORD said, 'You will talk him into it. It will work. Go and do it.'

And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

23So now the LORD has put lies in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. And the LORD has said that trouble is coming to you."

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

24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah walked up and hit Micaiah on the cheek. He said, "Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go? Did he leave me to speak to you?"

But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

NoteHitting someone on the cheek was a way to shame him. It was a way of saying, "You are lying."

25Micaiah said, "You will see it on the day you run and hide in a back room."

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

NoteAn inner room was a small room deep inside a house. People hid there when enemies came.

26The king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah back to Amon, the ruler of the city. Take him to Joash, the king's son.

And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;

NoteAmon ran the city of Samaria for the king. He and Joash took care of prisoners.

27Tell them the king says this: Put this man in prison. Give him nothing but bread and water until I come home safely."

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 come in peace.

NoteOnly bread and water was prison food, and very little of it. It was meant to make the prisoner miserable.

28Micaiah said, "If you ever come home safely, then the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he said, "Listen to this, all you people!"

And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

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

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

NoteWhen you see LORD in big letters, it stands for God's own special name. People long ago said that name with great care.

5So the king of Israel called together four hundred prophets. 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."

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.

NoteThese four hundred prophets worked for King Ahab. Ahab paid them and fed them. A prophet was a man who told people God's messages.

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

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

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."

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.

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

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

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.

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.

NoteA throne is the special chair a king sits on. The open floor was a wide, flat, hard place outside the gate. Farmers used it to beat the grain out of their wheat. It was the biggest open space in town, so crowds could gather there.

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."

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.

NoteSyria was a country just north of Israel. The two lands often fought each other. Zedekiah made iron horns like a bull's horns. A bull pushes and shoves with its horns. He held them up to show what he thought the army would do.

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

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.

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."

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.

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

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

Note"As surely as the LORD lives" was a way of making a very strong promise. It meant: I am telling the truth, no matter what.

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."

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.

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

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?

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.'"

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.

NoteA shepherd is a person who takes care of sheep. Sheep with no shepherd wander off and get lost. People back then often called a king the shepherd of his people. So Micaiah was saying the king would be gone.

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

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

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.

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.

NoteThe armies of heaven means God's helpers, whom we call angels. Micaiah saw them standing around God the way helpers stand around a king.

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.

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.

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?'

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

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.'

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.

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."

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.

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?"

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?

NoteHitting someone on the face was a way of shaming him in front of everyone. Zedekiah was very angry that Micaiah said his message was false.

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

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

NoteA back room is a small room deep inside a house, with no window to the street. It was the last place someone would look for you.

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.

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;

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

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.

NotePrison food meant only plain bread and water, and not very much of it. It was meant to make the prisoner miserable.

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!"

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