1 Kings 22 Parallel Bible Translations

1 Kings 22 ▼
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1 There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. For three years Syria and Israel continued without war. For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.
2 In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit the king of Israel. But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel.
3 The 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.| And 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?” The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?”
4 Then 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.| And 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.” So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
5 Then Jehoshaphat added, |First seek an oracle from the LORD.| And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the LORD.” But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the LORD.”
6 So 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.| Then 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.” So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” “Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, |Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?| But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the LORD of whom we may inquire?” But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?”
8 The 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.| And 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.” The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.
9 The king of Israel summoned an official and said, |Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.| Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
10 Now 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. Now 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. Dressed in their royal robes, 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.
11 Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, |This is what the LORD says, 'With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.'| And 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.’” Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”
12 All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, |Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king.| And 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.” All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.”
13 Now 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.| And 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.” The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”
14 But Micaiah said, |As certainly as the LORD lives, I will say what the LORD tells me to say.| But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I will speak.” But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.”
15 When 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.| And 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.” When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?” “Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.”
16 The 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?| But 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?” The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?”
17 Micaiah 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.'| And 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.’” Then Micaiah answered, “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 go home in peace.’”
18 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, |Didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?| And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
19 Micaiah 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. And 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; Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left.
20 The LORD said, 'Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?' One said this and another that. and 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. And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ “One suggested this, and another that.
21 Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the LORD. He said, 'I will deceive him.' The LORD asked him, 'How?' Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22 He 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.' And 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.’ “’By what means?’ the LORD asked. “’I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said. “’You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
23 So 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.| Now therefore behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you.” “So now the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you.”
24 Zedekiah 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?| Then 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?” Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from the LORD go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.
25 Micaiah replied, |Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.| And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”
26 Then the king of Israel said, |Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king's son. And 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, The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son
27 Say, 'This is what the king says, |Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I safely return.|'| and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.”’” and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’”
28 Micaiah said, |If you really do safely return, then the LORD has not spoken through me.| Then he added, |Take note, all you people.| And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!” Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
29 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
30 The 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. And 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. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31 Now 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.| Now 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.” Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, |He must be the king of Israel.| So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. And 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. When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “Surely this is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out,
33 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him.
34 Now 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.| But 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.” But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.”
35 While 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. And 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. All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.
36 As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, |Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.| And about sunset a cry went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!” As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: “Every man to his town. Every man to his land!”
37 So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there.
38 They 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. And 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. They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared.
39 The 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. Now 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? As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
40 Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king. So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. Ahab rested with his ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.
41 In the fourth year of King Ahab's reign over Israel, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat 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. Jehoshaphat 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. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
43 He 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. He 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. In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
44 Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel. Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
45 The 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. Now 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? As for the other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, the things he achieved and his military exploits, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?
46 He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa. And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa. He rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes who remained there even after the reign of his father Asa.
47 There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. There was then no king in Edom; a provincial governor ruled.
48 Jehoshaphat 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. Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. Now Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail—they were wrecked at Ezion Geber.
49 Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, |Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,| but Jehoshaphat refused. Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with yours,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king. And 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. Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king.
51 In 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. Ahaziah 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. Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned over Israel two years.
52 He 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. He 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. He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, because he followed the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.
53 He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the LORD God of Israel just as his father had done. He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done. He served and worshiped Baal and aroused the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.
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