1Fredsaftalen mellem Aram og Israel holdt i to år.2Men i det tredje år—på et tidspunkt, hvor kong Joshafat af Juda var på besøg hos kong Ahab i Israel—3lod Ahab i sine embedsmænds påhør en bemærkning falde om, at aramæerne stadig holdt byen Ramot-Gilead besat. „Ærligt talt,” tilføjede han, „det er for galt, at vi endnu ikke har gjort noget for at befri byen.”4Derefter vendte han sig mod Joshafat og spurgte ham ligeud: „Vil du hjælpe mig med at befri Ramot-Gilead?” „Selvfølgelig!” svarede Joshafat. „Vi er jo forbundsfæller, du og jeg. Mine folk vil kæmpe sammen med dine, og mine heste står til din rådighed.”5Men så tilføjede han: „Vi bør dog først spørge Herren til råds.”6Derpå tilkaldte kong Ahab sine 400 profeter og spurgte dem: „Skal jeg gå til angreb på Ramot-Gilead eller ej?” „Du skal gå til angreb,” svarede de. „Herren vil give dig sejr!”7Men kong Joshafat var ikke tilfreds. „Er der ikke en af Herrens profeter, vi kan spørge til råds?” spurgte han.8„Jo, en enkelt,” svarede Ahab, „men jeg bryder mig ikke om ham, for han profeterer altid ulykke for mig, aldrig noget godt. Manden hedder Mika, søn af Jimla.” „Sådan bør du ikke tale!” indvendte Joshafat.9Kong Ahab gav derefter ordre til, at Mika straks skulle hentes.10I mellemtiden fortsatte Ahabs profeter med at profetere for de to konger, der sad klædt i deres kongekåber på hver sin trone på tærskepladsen nær ved byporten.11En af profeterne ved navn Zidkija, søn af Kena’ana, lavede nogle horn af jern og erklærede: „Herren siger: Du skal stange den aramæiske hær sønder og sammen med disse horn og udrydde den totalt!”12De andre profeter sagde det samme: „Gå kun til angreb på Ramot-Gilead, for Herren vil give dig sejr!”13Kongens tjener, som var blevet sendt for at hente Mika, fortalte ham, hvad de andre profeter havde sagt, og opfordrede ham til at sige det samme.14Men Mika svarede: „Så sandt Herren lever: Jeg kan ikke sige andet, end det Herren fortæller mig!”15Da Mika ankom, spurgte kong Ahab: „Mika, skal vi angribe Ramot-Gilead eller ej?” „Ja, tag endelig af sted!” svarede Mika. „Lykken er med dig. Herren vil give dig sejr!”16„Hør nu her,” sagde Ahab. „Hvor mange gange skal jeg få dig til at sværge på, at du kun siger sandheden, når du taler i Herrens navn?”17Så sagde Mika: „Jeg så Israels folk spredt ud over bjergene som får, der ingen hyrde har. Og Herren sagde: Kongen er død! Send folket hjem!”18Kongen vendte sig beklagende til Joshafat. „Sagde jeg det ikke nok! Aldrig profeterer han noget godt. Evigt og altid kun dårlige budskaber.”19„Så hør dog Herrens ord!” afbrød Mika. „Jeg så Herren sidde på sin trone, og en hær af engle var samlet omkring ham.20Så sagde Herren: ‚Hvem vil lokke Ahab i fælden, så han dør i Ramot-Gilead?’ Og efter at adskillige planer var blevet foreslået,21trådte en af ånderne frem og sagde: ‚Det vil jeg gøre!’22‚Men hvordan?’ spurgte Herren. Ånden svarede: ‚Jeg vil være en løgneånd i alle hans profeters mund!’ ‚Du kan klare opgaven,’ sagde Herren. ‚Gå bare i gang!’ ”23Mika fortsatte: „Kong Ahab, kan du ikke gennemskue dine profeter? Herren har jo fyldt dem alle med en løgnens ånd, og i virkeligheden har han planer om at få ram på dig.”24Ved de ord gik profeten Zidkija hen til Mika og gav ham en lussing. „Vil du måske påstå, at Herrens Ånd kun taler gennem dig og ikke gennem mig?” snerrede han.25Mika svarede: „Svaret på det spørgsmål får du, den dag du rædselsslagen prøver at gemme dig i et baglokale i et hus.”26Efter det ordskifte gav kong Ahab ordre til at arrestere Mika. „Før ham til Amon, byens borgmester, og til min søn Joash,” sagde han.27„Giv dem besked om at kaste ham i fængsel og sætte ham på vand og brød, til jeg kommer uskadt tilbage fra slaget.”28„Hvis du kommer tilbage, har Herren ikke talt gennem mig!” sagde Mika. „Har I hørt det alle sammen?”
Kong Ahabs død
29Derefter førte kong Ahab af Israel og kong Joshafat af Juda deres hære mod Ramot-Gilead,30men Ahab sagde til Joshafat: „Før jeg kaster mig ud i kampen, vil jeg forklæde mig som en menig soldat. Men behold du bare din kongelige rustning på.” Så forklædte kong Ahab sig og slaget begyndte.31Den aramæiske konge havde imidlertid givet sine 32 vognstyrere ordre til at være på udkig efter kong Ahab og koncentrere sig om at fælde ham.32-33Da de fik øje på kong Joshafat, tænkte de: „Dér er han!” og vendte om for at få fat i ham. Men da Joshafat råbte[1] om hjælp, forstod de, at han ikke var Israels konge, og trak sig tilbage. (2.Krøn 18,31)34Men en af bueskytterne skød en tilfældig pil af sted, og pilen borede sig ind mellem remmene i kong Ahabs brynje. „Lad os komme væk fra fronten!” stønnede Ahab til sin vognstyrer. „Jeg er alvorligt såret.”35Kampen trak i langdrag, og blev mere og mere intens. Kong Ahab holdt øje med kampen på afstand, men kunne dårligt holde sig oprejst i vognen. Blodet flød fra hans sår og ned i vognens bund, og hen under aften døde han.36-37Ved solnedgang gik det som en løbeild gennem kolonnerne: „Det er forbi—kongen er død! Lad os vende hjem!” Ahabs lig blev ført til Samaria, hvor begravelsen foregik.38Da man vaskede hans vogn ren ved Samarias dam, løb blodet ud i vandet, som hundene drak af, og de prostituerede vaskede sig med. Således gik det ord i opfyldelse, som Herren havde talt.39Alt, hvad Ahab ellers foretog sig, for eksempel at han byggede sig et palads udsmykket med elfenben og befæstede en række byer, er nedskrevet i Israels kongers krønikebog.40Da Ahab var død, blev hans søn Ahazja konge i Israel.
Kong Joshafat af Juda
41Joshafat, søn af Asa, blev konge over Judas land i kong Ahabs fjerde regeringsår.42Han var 35 år, da han kom til magten, og han regerede i Jerusalem i 25 år. Hans mor hed Azuba og var datter af Shilhi.43Han fulgte sin fars eksempel og adlød Herren i alle forhold,44men det lykkedes ham ikke at udrydde offerstederne på højene rundt omkring i landet, og derfor blev folket ved med at bringe deres ofre på disse altre i stedet for i Jerusalem.45Han indgik forbund med kong Ahab af Israel, så der var fred mellem de to lande.46Hvad der ellers er at fortælle om kong Joshafat, hans heltebedrifter og krige, er nedskrevet i Judas kongers krønikebog.47Selv om hans far, Asa, havde landsforvist de mandlige og kvindelige prostituerede, som holdt til ved offerhøjene, var der stadig enkelte tilbage. Dem fik Joshafat fjernet.48På den tid var der ingen konge i Edom, så han tog også magten der.49Joshafat byggede nogle store Tarshish-skibe,[2] der skulle fragte guld fra Ofir, men de forliste straks efter afrejsen fra Etzjon-Geber.50Ahazja, kong Ahabs søn og efterfølger, tilbød at lade sine sømænd overtage ledelsen, men det afslog Joshafat.51Da kong Joshafat døde, blev han begravet i familiegravstedet i Davidsbyen, og hans søn Joram efterfulgte ham som konge.
Kong Ahazja af Israel
52Ahazja, Ahabs søn, blev konge i Israel i kong Joshafat af Judas 17. regeringsår, og han regerede i to år med residens i Samaria.53Ahazja gjorde, hvad der var ondt i Herrens øjne, for han fulgte sin fars og mors eksempel. De fulgte alle i Jeroboams fodspor, den mand, som lokkede Israels folk til synd ved at indføre afgudsdyrkelsen.54Ahazja tilbad også Ba’al, som hans far havde gjort, og det vakte Herrens, Israels Guds, vrede.
1For three years Syria and Israel continued without war.2But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. (1.Kong 15,24; 2.Krøn 18,2)3And 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?” (5.Mos 4,43; Josva 21,38; 2.Kong 8,28; 2.Kong 9,1; 2.Kong 9,14; 2.Krøn 22,5)4And 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.” (2.Kong 3,7)5And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.”6Then 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.” (1.Kong 18,19)7But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” (2.Kong 3,11)8And 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.”9Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.”10Now 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. (Ruth 4,1)11And 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.’” (5.Mos 33,17; Zak 1,18)12And 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.”
Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab
13And 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.”14But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” (4.Mos 22,18; 4.Mos 24,13; 1.Kong 17,1)15And 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.”16But 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?”17And 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.’” (4.Mos 27,17; Matt 9,36)18And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” (1.Kong 22,8)19And 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; (5.Mos 33,2; Job 1,6; Job 2,1; Salm 103,21; Es 6,1; Dan 7,9; Dan 7,10; Heb 12,22; Åb 4,2)20and 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.21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’22And 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.’ (Dom 9,23; Ez 14,9; 2.Thess 2,11)23Now therefore behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the Lord has declared disaster for you.”24Then 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?” (Klag 3,30; Mika 5,1; Matt 5,39; Ap G 23,2)25And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” (1.Kong 20,30)26And 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,27and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.”’” (Dom 8,9; 2.Krøn 16,10)28And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!” (4.Mos 16,29; 5.Mos 18,22; Mika 1,2)
Ahab Killed in Battle
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.30And 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. (2.Krøn 35,22)31Now 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.” (1.Kong 20,1; 1.Kong 20,16; 1.Kong 20,24)32And 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.33And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.34But a certain man drew his bow at random[1] 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.” (2.Krøn 35,23)35And 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.36And about sunset a cry went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria.38And 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. (1.Kong 21,19)39Now 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? (Amos 3,15)40So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah
41Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. (1.Kong 22,51; 2.Krøn 20,31)42Jehoshaphat 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.43He 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. (1.Kong 15,14; 2.Kong 12,3; 2.Krøn 17,3)44Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. (2.Krøn 18,1; 2.Krøn 20,35)45Now 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? (2.Krøn 20,34)46And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa. (1.Kong 14,24; 1.Kong 15,12)47There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. (2.Sam 8,14; 2.Kong 3,9; 2.Kong 8,20)48Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. (1.Kong 9,26; 1.Kong 9,28; 1.Kong 10,22)49Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing.50And 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. (2.Krøn 21,1)
Ahaziah Reigns in Israel
51Ahaziah 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. (1.Kong 22,40)52He 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. (1.Kong 15,26)53He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done. (1.Kong 16,30; 1.Kong 16,31)