2 Chronicles 18

1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab.

1Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, but he made a marriage alliance with King Ahab of Israel.

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 were with him, and moved him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

2Some years later, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for Jehoshaphat and his officials, and he persuaded Jehoshaphat to join him in attacking Ramoth-gilead.

3And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? 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?' He replied, 'I am with you, and my people are as your people; we will join you in the war.'

4And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray thee, for the word of Jehovah.

4But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, 'First, please ask for a message from the LORD.'

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

5So the king of Israel gathered four hundred prophets together and asked them, 'Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I stop?' They answered, 'Go, because God will hand it over to the king.'

6But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we may inquire of him?

6But Jehoshaphat asked, 'Isn’t there another prophet of the LORD here whom we can ask?'

7And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah: but I hate him; for he never prophesieth good concerning 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 told Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imla.' Jehoshaphat replied, 'The king should not say such things.'

8Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

8Then the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, 'Bring Micaiah son of Imla quickly.'

9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

9The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, wearing their royal robes. They were at the threshing floor near the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.

10And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron and said, Thus saith Jehovah, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed.

10Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and said, 'This is what the LORD says: With these you will gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.'

11And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.

11All the other prophets were saying the same thing: 'Go up to Ramoth-gilead and be successful, for the LORD will hand it over 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 mouth: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

12The messenger who went to get Micaiah told him, 'Look, all the other prophets are predicting success for the king with one voice. Make sure your words agree with theirs and speak favorably.'

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

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

14And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand.

14When he arrived, the king asked him, 'Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I stop?' He answered, 'Go and be successful; they will be handed over to you.'

15And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of Jehovah?

15The king said to him, 'How many times must I make you promise to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?'

16And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Jehovah said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.

16Then Micaiah said, 'I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, "These people have no master. Let everyone go home in peace."'

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

17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good for me, only bad?'

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

18Micaiah continued, 'Therefore, hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with the entire army of heaven standing on his right and on his left.

19And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

19The LORD asked, "Who will trick Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth-gilead so he will die there?" One suggested this, and another suggested that.

20And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith?

20Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, "I will trick him." The LORD asked, "How?"

21And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.

21The spirit answered, "I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets." The LORD said, "You will succeed in tricking him. Go and do it."

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

22So now, look, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you.'

23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak unto thee?

23Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up and slapped Micaiah on the cheek. He asked, '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 replied, 'You will find out on the day you go into an inner room to hide.'

25And the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;

25The king of Israel then ordered, 'Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the governor of the city and 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 to put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely."'

27And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you.

27Micaiah said, 'If you ever return safely, then the LORD has not spoken through me.' Then he added, 'Listen, all you people!'

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

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 go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle.

29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'I will disguise myself as I go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.' So the king of Israel disguised himself and they went into battle.

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

30Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, 'Do not fight with anyone, great or small, except 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 turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, 'This is the king of Israel.' So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.

32And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

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

33And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: wherefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded.

33But an archer shot an arrow at random and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, 'Turn around and take me out of the battle because I am badly wounded.'

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 going down of the sun he died.

34The battle raged all that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Syrians until evening. He died at sunset.