2 Crônicas 18

¹ Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joinedFor Joram Jehoshaphat's son married Ahab's daughter.affinity with Ahab.

² And after [certain]That is, the third year, (1Ki_22:2).years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that [he had] with him, and persuaded him to go up [with him] toTo recover it out of the hands of the Syrians.Ramothgilead.

³ And Ahab King of Israel saide vnto Iehoshaphat King of Iudah, Wilt thou goe with mee to Ramoth Gilead? And hee answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people, and wee will ioyne with thee in the warre.

⁴ And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at theHear the advise of some prophet to know whether it is God's will.word of the LORD to day.

⁵ Therefore the king of Israel gathered together ofWho were the prophets of Baal, signifying that the wicked esteem none but liars and such as will bear with their inordinate affections.prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver [it] into the king's hand.

⁶ But Iehoshaphat sayde, Is there heere neuer a Prophet more of the Lorde that wee might inquire of him?

⁷ And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, [There is] yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but IYet the true ministers of God should not cease to do their duty, even though the wicked magistrates cannot abide them speaking the truth.hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same [is] Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king sayMeaning, that he should not refuse to hear any that was from God.so.

⁸ And the King of Israel called an eunuche, & said, Call quickly Michaiah the sonne of Imla.

⁹ And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in [their]That is, in their majesty and royal apparel.robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

¹⁰ And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made himRead (1Ki_22:11).horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

¹¹ And all the Prophets prophesied so, saying, Go vp to Ramoth Gilead, & prosper: for the Lord shall deliuer it into the hand of the King.

¹² And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with oneThinking, that since four hundred prophets had agreed in one thing, that he being but one man and in least estimation, did not dare to go against it.assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

¹³ And Michaiah saide, As the Lorde liueth, whatsoeuer my God saith, that will I speake.

¹⁴ And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said,He spoke this in derision of the false prophets as the king well knew.Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

¹⁵ And the King sayd to him, Howe oft shall I charge thee, that thou tell mee nothing but the trueth in the Name of the Lord?

¹⁶ Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said,He prophesied of how the people would be scattered and Ahab slain.These have no master; let them return [therefore] every man to his house in peace.

¹⁷ And the King of Israel sayde to Iehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he would not prophesie good vnto me, but euill?

¹⁸ Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all theMeaning his angels.host of heaven standing on his right hand and [on] his left.

¹⁹ And the Lorde sayd, Who shall perswade Ahab King of Israel, that he may go vp, and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one spake and said thus, and another said that.

²⁰ Then there came forth a spirit and stoode before the Lord, and said, I will perswade him; the Lord said vnto him, Wherein?

²¹ And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. AndThat is, the Lord.[the LORD] said, Thou shalt entice [him], and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do [even] so.

²² Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put aTo those who would not believe the truth, God sent a strong delusion, that they would believe lies, (2Th_2:10).lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.

²³ Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon theBy this cruelty his ambition and hypocrisy was discovered; thus the hypocrites boast of the Spirit which they do not have, and declare their malice against them on whom the true Spirit is.cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

²⁴ And Michaiah saide, Behold, thou shalt see that day when thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber to hide thee.

²⁵ And the King of Israel sayde, Take ye Michaiah, and cary him to Amon the gouernour of the citie, and to Ioash the Kings sonne,

²⁶ And say, Thus saith the king, Put this [fellow] in the prison, and feed him with bread ofKeep him in prison, and let him feel hunger and thirst.affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

²⁷ And Michaiah said, If thou returne in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me; he saide, Heare, all ye people.

²⁸ So the King of Israel and Iehoshaphat the King of Iudah went vp to Ramoth Gilead.

²⁹ And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I willThus the wicked think by their own subtilty to escape God's judgments which he threatens by his word.disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

³⁰ And the King of Aram had commaunded the captaines of the charets that were with him, saying, Fight you not with small, nor great, but against the King of Israel onely.

³¹ And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It [is] the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but JehoshaphatHe cried to the Lord by acknowledging his fault in going with this wicked king to war against the word of the Lord by his prophet and also by desiring mercy for the same.cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.

³² For when the captaines of the charets saw that hee was not the King of Israel, they turned backe from him.

³³ Then a certaine man drewe a bowe mightily, and smote the King of Israel betweene the ioyntes of his brigandine: Therefore he saide to his charetman, Turne thine hand, and carie mee out of the host: for I am hurt.

³⁴ And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of IsraelHe disguised his wound that his soldiers might fight more courageously.stayed [himself] up in [his] chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.