| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1For three years Syria and Israel continued without war. | 1There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. |
| 2But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. | 2In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit the king of Israel. |
| 3And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?” | 3The king of Israel said to his servants, "Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria." |
| 4And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” | 4Then he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal." |
| 5And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the LORD.” | 5Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the LORD." |
| 6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” | 6So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, "Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" They said, "Attack! The sovereign one will hand it over to the king." |
| 7But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the LORD of whom we may inquire?” | 7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?" |
| 8And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” | 8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom we can seek the LORD's will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such things." |
| 9Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” | 9The king of Israel summoned an official and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah." |
| 10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. | 10Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. |
| 11And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.’” | 11Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the LORD says, 'With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.'" |
| 12And all the prophets prophesied so and said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” | 12All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king." |
| 13And the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Behold, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king. Let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” | 13Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success." |
| 14But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I will speak.” | 14But Micaiah said, "As certainly as the LORD lives, I will say what the LORD tells me to say." |
| 15And when he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” | 15When he came before the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" He answered him, "Attack! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king." |
| 16But the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” | 16The king said to him, "How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the LORD to tell me only the truth?" |
| 17And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master; let each return to his home in peace.’” | 17Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the LORD said, 'They have no master. They should go home in peace.'" |
| 18And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” | 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?" |
| 19And Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left; | 19Micaiah said, "That being the case, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. |
| 20and the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said one thing, and another said another. | 20The LORD said, 'Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?' One said this and another that. |
| 21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ | 21Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the LORD. He said, 'I will deceive him.' The LORD asked him, 'How?' |
| 22And the LORD said to him, ‘By what means?’ And he said, ‘I will go out, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do so.’ | 22He replied, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' The LORD said, 'Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.' |
| 23Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you.” | 23So now, look, the LORD has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the LORD has decreed disaster for you." |
| 24Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you?” | 24Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, "Which way did the LORD's spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?" |
| 25And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” | 25Micaiah replied, "Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide." |
| 26And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, | 26Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king's son. |
| 27and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.”’” | 27Say, 'This is what the king says, "Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I safely return."'" |
| 28And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!” | 28Micaiah said, "If you really do safely return, then the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he added, "Take note, all you people." |
| 29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. | 29The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. |
| 30And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. | 30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and then enter into the battle; but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle. |
| 31Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, “Fight with neither small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.” | 31Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, "Do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel." |
| 32And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out. | 32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "He must be the king of Israel." So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. |
| 33And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. | 33When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. |
| 34But a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” | 34Now an archer shot an arrow at random, and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer, "Turn around and take me from the battle line, because I'm wounded." |
| 35And the battle continued that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, until at evening he died. And the blood of the wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot. | 35While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening; the blood from the wound ran down into the bottom of the chariot. |
| 36And about sunset a cry went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!” | 36As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, "Each one should return to his city and to his homeland." |
| 37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. | 37So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him. |
| 38And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the LORD that he had spoken. | 38They washed off the chariot at the pool of Samaria (this was where the prostitutes bathed); dogs licked his blood, just as the LORD had said would happen. |
| 39Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? | 39The rest of the events of Ahab's reign, including a record of his accomplishments and how he built a luxurious palace and various cities, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. |
| 40So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. | 40Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king. |
| 41Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. | 41In the fourth year of King Ahab's reign over Israel, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. |
| 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. | 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. |
| 43He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD. Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. | 43He followed in his father Asa's footsteps and was careful to do what the LORD approved. However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. |
| 44Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. | 44Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel. |
| 45Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? | 45The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. |
| 46And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa. | 46He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa. |
| 47There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. | 47There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. |
| 48Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. | 48Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber. |
| 49Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. | 49Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my sailors join yours in the fleet," but Jehoshaphat refused. |
| 50And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoram his son reigned in his place. | 50Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king. |
| 51Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. | 51In the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat's reign over Judah, Ahab's son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years over Israel. |
| 52He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. | 52He did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed in the footsteps of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin. |
| 53He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done. | 53He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the LORD God of Israel just as his father had done. |
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