1 Kings 22:1-22 ▼

1 So they lived for three years without war between Aram and Israel.

2 Now it happened in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 Then the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, but we are sitting still so as not to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?”

4 So 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.”

5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh.”

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

7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of Yahweh here that we may inquire of him?”

8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.”

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hasten to bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”

10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, clothed in their royal garments, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.’”

12 All the prophets were also prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, and Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king.”

13 Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets, as if from one mouth, are good towards the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.”

14 But Micaiah said, “As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I shall speak.”

15 Then he came to the king, and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he said to him, “Go up and succeed, and Yahweh will give it into the hand of the king.”

16 Then the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you will speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?”

17 So he said, “I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.’”

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

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

20 And Yahweh said, ‘Who will entice Ahab so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that.

21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before Yahweh and said, ‘I will entice him.’

22 And Yahweh said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You shall entice him and also prevail. Go out and do so.’