Micaiah Brings Word from God

12Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets are [c]unanimously favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them, and speak favorably.” 13But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, I will speak it.”

14When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” He said, “Go up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you!” 15Then the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you will tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” 16So he said,

“I saw all Israel

Scattered on the mountains,

Like sheep that have no shepherd.

And the LORD said,

‘These people have no master.

Each of them is to return to his house in peace.’” 17Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything good regarding me, but only bad?”

18And Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the [d]angels of heaven standing on His right and on His left. 19And the LORD said, ‘Who will [e]entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one spirit said this, while another said that. 20Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will [f]entice him.’ And the LORD said to him, ‘How?’ 21He said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You shall [g]entice him, and you will also prevail. Go out and do so.’ 22Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, for the LORD has declared disaster against you.”

23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah approached and struck Micaiah on the cheek; and he said, “[h]How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?” 24And Micaiah said, “Behold, you are going to see how on that day when you go from one inner room to [i]another trying to hide yourself.” 25Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son; 26and say, ‘This is what the king says: “Put this man in prison, and feed him enough bread and water to survive until I [j]return safely.”’” 27But Micaiah said, “If you actually return [k]safely, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “[l]Listen, all you people!”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead. 29And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. 30Now the king of Aram had commanded the commanders of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with the small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” 31So when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He is the king of Israel!” And they turned aside to fight against him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him. 32When the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 33Now one man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel [m]in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn [n]around and take me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded.” 34The battle raged on that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot in front of the Arameans until the evening; and at sunset he died.