New King James Version

Christian Standard Bible

1Now three years passed without war between Syria and Israel.

1There was a lull of three years without war between Aram and Israel.

2Then it came to pass, in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel.

2However, in the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.

3And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”

3The king of Israel had said to his servants, "Don't you know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we're doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?"

4So he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

4So he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."

5Also Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire for the word of the LORD today.”

5But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "First, please ask what the LORD's will is."

6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?” So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

6So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, "Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?" They replied, "March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king."

7And Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of Him?”

7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD here anymore? Let's ask him."

8So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man who can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." "The king shouldn't say that!" Jehoshaphat replied.

9Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”

9So the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!"

10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

10Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.

11Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ”

11Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.'"

12And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

12And all the prophets were prophesying the same: "March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will hand it over to the king."

13Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

13The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, "Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably."

14And Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak.”

14But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, I will say whatever the LORD says to me."

15Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king!”

15So he went to the king, and the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?" Micaiah told him, "March up and succeed. The LORD will hand it over to the king."

16So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

16But 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?"

17Then 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 house in peace.’ ”

17So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, "They have no master; let everyone return home in peace."

18And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

18So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?"

19Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left.

19Then Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and the whole heavenly army was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand.

20And the LORD said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner.

20And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' So one was saying this and another was saying that.

21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’

21"Then a spirit came forward, stood in the LORD's presence, and said, 'I will entice him.'

22The LORD said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the LORD said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’

22"The LORD asked him, 'How?' "He said, 'I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' "Then he said, 'You will certainly entice him and prevail. Go and do that.'

23Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against you.”

23"You see, the LORD has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you."

24Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?”

24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, "Did the Spirit of the LORD leave me to speak to you?"

25And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide!”

25Micaiah replied, "You will soon see when you go to hide in an inner chamber on that day."

26So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son;

26Then the king of Israel ordered, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's son,

27and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”

27and say, 'This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison and feed him only a little bread and water until I come back safely.'"

28But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”

28But Micaiah said, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he said, "Listen, all you people!"

29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

29Then the king of Israel and Judah's King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.

30And 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 went into battle.

30But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

31Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”

31Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel."

32So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.

32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

33And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

33When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”

34But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, "Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!"

35The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot.

35The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening, and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.

36Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”

36Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring: Each man to his own city, and each man to his own land!

37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria.

37So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.

38Then someone washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood while the harlots bathed, according to the word of the LORD which He had spoken.

38Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the LORD that he had spoken.

39Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, the ivory house which 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, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

40So Ahab rested with his fathers. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

40Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.

41Jehoshaphat the son of Asa had become king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

41Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel's King Ahab.

42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, 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; he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

43And he walked in all the ways of his father Asa. He did not turn aside from them, doing what was right in the eyes of the LORD. Nevertheless the high places were not taken away, for the people offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

43He walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them but did what was right in the LORD's sight. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

44Also Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

44Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

45Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, the might that he showed, and how he made war, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

45The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings.

46And the rest of the perverted persons, who remained in the days of his father Asa, he banished from the land.

46He eradicated from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa.

47There was then no king in Edom, only a deputy of the king.

47There was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.

48Jehoshaphat made merchant ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they never sailed, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion Geber.

48Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

49Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

49At that time, Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go with your servants in the ships," but Jehoshaphat was not willing.

50And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

50Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram became king in his place.

51Ahaziah the son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two years over Israel.

51Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat, and he reigned over Israel two years.

52He did 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 had made Israel sin;

52He did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He walked in the ways of his father, in the ways of his mother, and in the ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.

53for he served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

53He served Baal and bowed in worship to him. He angered the LORD God of Israel just as his father had done.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.