1 Kings 22:1-22 ▼

1 And they dwelt three years without war between Aram and between Israel.

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

3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Have you⁺ not known that Ramoth-gilead is unto us, and we are keeping silent from taking it out of the hand of the king of Aram?”

4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Like me like you, like my people like your people, like my horses like your horses.”

5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Seek, please, today for the word of YHWH.”

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

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

8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man to seek YHWH by him. I hate him, because he does not prophesy concerning me good, but rather evil: Micaiah son of Imlah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things.”

9 And the king of Israel called to one eunuch and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.”

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, by the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. And all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself horns of iron, and he said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘With these you shall gore Aram until they are consumed.’”

12 And all the prophets prophesied thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, and YHWH will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

13 And the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, please, the words of the prophets with one accord are good unto the king. Let be, please, your word like the word of one of them, and speak good.”

14 And Micaiah said, “As YHWH lives, surely that which YHWH says to me, that I will speak.”

15 And he came to the king. And the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to war, or shall we refrain?” And he answered to him, “Go up and prosper, for YHWH will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

16 And the king said to him, “Up to how many times shall I make you swear that you speak nothing to me but the truth in the name of YHWH?”

17 And he said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like the sheep that have no shepherd. And YHWH said, ‘These have no master; let them return, a man to his house in peace.’”

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

19 And he said, “Therefore hear the word of YHWH. I saw YHWH sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing beside him on His right and on His left.

20 And YHWH said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And thus spoke this one, and thus spoke this one.

21 And a spirit came forward and stood before the face of YHWH and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ And YHWH said to him, ‘By what?’

22 And he said, ‘I will go and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘Entice him and also you will prevail. Go and do so.’