| NET Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, | 1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. |
| 2and after several years went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. He persuaded him to join in an attack against Ramoth Gilead. | 2And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead. |
| 3King Ahab of Israel 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 is at your disposal and will support you in battle." | 3Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.” |
| 4Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the LORD." | 4But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.” |
| 5So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, "Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" They said, "Attack! God will hand it over to the king." | 5So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and God will deliver it into the hand of the king.” |
| 6But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?" | 6But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?” |
| 7The 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 always disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such things!" | 7The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied. |
| 8The king of Israel summoned an officer and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah." | 8So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.” |
| 9Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their royal robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. | 9Dressed in royal attire, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. |
| 10Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the LORD says, 'With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed!'" | 10Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’ ” |
| 11All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king!" | 11And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.” |
| 12Now 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!" | 12Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.” |
| 13But Micaiah said, "As certainly as the LORD lives, I will say what my God tells me to say!" | 13But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.” |
| 14Micaiah came before the king and the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" He answered him, "Attack! You will succeed; they will be handed over to you." | 14When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.” |
| 15The 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?" | 15But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?” |
| 16Micaiah replied, "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.'" | 16So Micaiah declared: “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master; let each one return home in peace.’ ” |
| 17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?" | 17Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?” |
| 18Micaiah 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. | 18Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right and on His left. |
| 19The LORD said, 'Who will deceive King Ahab of Israel, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?' One said this and another that. | 19And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that. |
| 20Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the LORD. He said, 'I will deceive him.' The LORD asked him, 'How?' | 20Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD. |
| 21He 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.' | 21And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’ |
| 22So 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." | 22So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.” |
| 23Zedekiah 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?" | 23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?” |
| 24Micaiah replied, "Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide." | 24Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.” |
| 25Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king's son. | 25And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, |
| 26Say, 'This is what the king says: "Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I return safely."'" | 26and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’ ” |
| 27Micaiah said, "If you really do return safely, then the LORD has not spoken through me!" Then he added, "Take note, all you people." | 27But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!” |
| 28The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. | 28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. |
| 29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and then enter the battle; but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself and they entered the battle. | 29And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. |
| 30Now the king of Syria had ordered his chariot commanders, "Do not fight common soldiers or high ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel!" | 30Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” |
| 31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The LORD helped him; God lured them away from him. | 31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him. |
| 32When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. | 32And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. |
| 33Now 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, for I am wounded." | 33However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!” |
| 34While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening as the sun was setting. | 34The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died. |
|
