1 Kings 22 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Micaiah prophesies against Ahab

1 For three years there wasn’t any war between Aram and Israel. 2 In the third year Jehoshaphat went down to see Ahab, the king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. 3 The king of Israel had spoken to his officials. He had said, ‘Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us? And we aren’t even doing anything to take it back from the king of Aram.’ 4 So Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, ‘Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?’ Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, ‘Yes. I’ll go with you. My men will go with you. My horses will also go with you.’ 5 Jehoshaphat continued, ‘First ask the LORD for advice.’ 6 So the king of Israel brought about 400 prophets together. He asked them, ‘Should I go to war against Ramoth Gilead? Or should I stay here?’ ‘Go’, they answered. ‘The Lord will hand it over to you.’ 7 But Jehoshaphat asked, ‘Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here? If there is, ask him what we should do.’ 8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat. He said, ‘There is still one other man we can go to. We can ask the LORD for advice through him. But I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me. He only prophesies bad things. His name is Micaiah. He’s the son of Imlah.’ ‘You shouldn’t say bad things about him,’ Jehoshaphat replied. 9 So the king of Israel called for one of his officials. He told him, ‘Bring Micaiah, the son of Imlah, right away.’ 10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were wearing their royal robes. They were sitting on their thrones at the threshing-floor. It was near the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 Zedekiah was the son of Kenaanah. Zedekiah had made horns out of iron. They looked like animal horns. He announced, ‘The LORD says, “With these horns you will drive back the men of Aram until they are destroyed.” ’ 12 All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. ‘Attack Ramoth Gilead,’ they said. ‘Win the battle over it. The LORD will hand it over to you.’ 13 A messenger went to get Micaiah. He said to him, ‘Look. The other prophets agree. All of them are saying the king will have success. So agree with them. Say the same thing they do.’ 14 But Micaiah said, ‘You can be sure that the LORD lives. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I can only tell the king what the LORD tells me to say.’ 15 When Micaiah arrived, the king spoke to him. He asked, ‘Should we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?’ ‘Attack’, he answered. ‘You will win. The LORD will hand Ramoth Gilead over to you.’ 16 The king said to him, ‘I’ve made you promise to tell the truth many times before. So don’t tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD.’ 17 Then Micaiah answered, ‘I saw all the Israelites scattered on the hills. They were like sheep that didn’t have a shepherd. The LORD said, “These people do not have a master. Let each of them go home in peace.” ’ 18 The king of Israel spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, ‘Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies anything good about me? He only prophesies bad things.’ 19 Micaiah continued, ‘Listen to the LORD’s message. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne. All the angels of heaven were standing around him. Some were standing at his right side. The others were standing at his left side. 20 The LORD said, “Who will get Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead? I want him to die there.” ‘One angel suggested one thing. Another suggested something else. 21 Finally, a spirit came forward and stood in front of the LORD. The spirit said, “I’ll get Ahab to do it.” 22 ‘ “How?” the LORD asked. ‘The spirit said, “I’ll go out and put lies in the mouths of all his prophets.” ‘ “You will have success in getting Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead,” said the LORD. “Go and do it.” 23 ‘So the LORD has put lies in the mouths of all your prophets. He has said that great harm will come to you.’ 24 Then Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. Zedekiah asked Micaiah, ‘Do you think the spirit sent by the LORD left me? Do you think that spirit went to speak to you?’ 25 Micaiah replied, ‘You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inside room to save your life.’ 26 Then the king of Israel gave an order. He said, ‘Take Micaiah away. Send him back to Amon. Amon is the ruler of the city of Samaria. And send him back to Joash. Joash is a member of the royal court. 27 Tell him, “The king says, ‘Put this fellow in prison. Don’t give him anything but bread and water until I return safely.’ ” ’ 28 Micaiah announced, ‘Do you really think you will return safely? If you do, the LORD hasn’t spoken through me.’ He continued, ‘All of you people, remember what I’ve said!’

Ahab is killed at Ramoth Gilead

29 So the king of Israel went up to Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went there too. 30 The king of Israel spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, ‘I’ll go into battle wearing different clothes. Then people won’t recognise me. But you wear your royal robes.’ So the king of Israel put on different clothes. Then he went into battle. 31 The king of Aram had given an order to his 32 chariot commanders. He had said, ‘Fight only against the king of Israel. Don’t fight against anyone else.’ 32 The chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat. They thought, ‘That has to be the king of Israel.’ So they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 Then the commanders saw he wasn’t the king of Israel after all. So they stopped chasing him. 34 But someone shot an arrow without taking aim. The arrow hit the king of Israel between the parts of his armour. The king told his chariot driver, ‘Turn the chariot around. Get me out of this battle. I’ve been wounded.’ 35 All day long the battle continued. The king kept himself standing up by leaning against the inside of his chariot. He kept his face towards the men of Aram. The blood from his wound ran down onto the floor of the chariot. That evening he died. 36 As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army. ‘Every man must go to his own town!’ they said. ‘Every man must go to his own land!’ 37 So the king died. He was brought to Samaria. They buried him there. 38 They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria. It was where the prostitutes took baths. The dogs licked up Ahab’s blood. It happened exactly as the LORD had said it would. 39 The other events of Ahab’s rule are written down. Everything he did is written down. That includes the palace he built and decorated with ivory. It also includes the cities he built up and put high walls around. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel. 40 Ahab joined the members of his family who had already died. Ahab’s son Ahaziah became the next king after him.

Jehoshaphat king of Judah

41 Jehoshaphat began to rule over Judah. It was in the fourth year that Ahab was king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa. 42 Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah. She was the daughter of Shilhi. 43 Jehoshaphat followed all the ways of his father Asa. He didn’t wander away from them. He did what was right in the sight of the LORD. But the high places weren’t removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at them. 44 Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel. 45 The other events of Jehoshaphat’s rule are written down. The brave things he did in battle and everything else he accomplished are written down. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Judah. 46 Jehoshaphat got rid of the rest of the male prostitutes who were at the temples. They had remained in the land even after the rule of his father Asa. 47 At that time Edom didn’t have a king. An area governor was in charge. 48 Jehoshaphat built many ships that he used to carry goods to be traded. The ships were supposed to go to Ophir for gold. But they never had a chance to sail. They were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 49 At that time Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, ‘Let my men sail with yours.’ But Jehoshaphat refused. 50 Jehoshaphat joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the city of King David. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became the next king after him.

Ahaziah king of Israel

51 Ahaziah became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 17th year that Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Ahaziah ruled over Israel for two years. He was the son of Ahab. 52 Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. He lived the way his father and mother had lived. He lived the way Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had lived. Jeroboam had caused Israel to sin. 53 Ahaziah served and worshipped the god named Baal. He made the LORD, the God of Israel, very angry. That’s exactly what Ahaziah’s father had done.

English Standard Version

Ahab and the False Prophets

1 For three years Syria and Israel continued without war. 2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. (1Ki 15:24; 2Ch 18:2) 3 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?” (De 4:43; Jos 21:38; 2Ki 8:28; 2Ki 9:1; 2Ki 9:14; 2Ch 22:5)

De 4:43Jos 21:382Ki 8:282Ki 9:12Ki 9:142Ch 22:5

4 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.” (2Ki 3:7) 5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the Lord.” 6 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.” (1Ki 18:19) 7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here another prophet of the Lord of whom we may inquire?” (2Ki 3:11) 8 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.” 9 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.” 10 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. (Ru 4:1) 11 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.’” (De 33:17; Zec 1:18) 12 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.”

Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab

13 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.” 14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” (Nu 22:18; Nu 24:13; 1Ki 17:1) 15 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.” 16 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?” 17 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.’” (Nu 27:17; Mt 9:36) 18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” (1Ki 22:8) 19 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; (De 33:2; Job 1:6; Job 2:1; Ps 103:21; Isa 6:1; Da 7:9; Da 7:10; Heb 12:22; Re 4:2)

De 33:2Job 1:6Job 2:1Ps 103:21Isa 6:1Da 7:9Da 7:10Heb 12:22Re 4:2

20 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. 21 Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22 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.’ (Jud 9:23; Eze 14:9; 2Th 2:11) 23 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.” 24 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?” (La 3:30; Mic 5:1; Mt 5:39; Ac 23:2)

La 3:30Mic 5:1Mt 5:39Ac 23:2

25 And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” (1Ki 20:30) 26 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, 27 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.”’” (Jud 8:9; 2Ch 16:10) 28 And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!” (Nu 16:29; De 18:22; Mic 1:2)

Ahab Killed in Battle

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 30 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. (2Ch 35:22) 31 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.” (1Ki 20:1; 1Ki 20:16; 1Ki 20:24) 32 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. 33 And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 34 But 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.” (2Ch 35:23) 35 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. 36 And about sunset a cry went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!” 37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. 38 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. (1Ki 21:19) 39 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? (Am 3:15) 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. (1Ki 22:51; 2Ch 20:31) 42 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. 43 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. (1Ki 15:14; 2Ki 12:3; 2Ch 17:3) 44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. (2Ch 18:1; 2Ch 20:35) 45 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? (2Ch 20:34) 46 And from the land he exterminated the remnant of the male cult prostitutes who remained in the days of his father Asa. (1Ki 14:24; 1Ki 15:12) 47 There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. (2Sa 8:14; 2Ki 3:9; 2Ki 8:20) 48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. (1Ki 9:26; 1Ki 9:28; 1Ki 10:22) 49 Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. 50 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. (2Ch 21:1)

Ahaziah Reigns in Israel

51 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. (1Ki 22:40) 52 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. (1Ki 15:26) 53 He served Baal and worshiped him and provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, to anger in every way that his father had done. (1Ki 16:30; 1Ki 16:31)