VIN(i)
2 And in the third year, Josaphat, king of Juda, came down to the king of Israel.
3 and the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know Ramoth-Gilead belongs to us, and we are doing nothing about taking it from the hand of the king of Aram?"
4 He said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."
5 Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire for the word of the LORD today."
6 And the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king`s hand.
7 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we may inquire of him?
8 Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man to inquire from the LORD, but I despise him, for he never prophesies anything good concerning me, but only bad: Micaiah the son of Imlah." Then Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say so."
9 And the king of Israel called a eunuch and said, Bring Micaiah son of Imlah here quickly.
10 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were each sitting on his throne, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
11 Chenaanah's son Zedekiah made iron horns for himself and told them, "This is what the LORD says, 'With these horns you shall gore the Arameans until they are eliminated!'"
12 And all the prophets were prophesying so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper. For the LORD shall give it into the king's hand.
13 Then the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "Please now, the words of the prophet are unanimously favorable to the king. Please let your words be as one word with them, and speak favorably."
14 And Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD liveth, what the LORD putteth in my mouth, that will I speak."
15 When he came to the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-Gilead to the battle, or shall we refrain?" He said to him, "Go up and triumph, and the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."
16 And 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 Micaiah answered: "I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd." the LORD said: "These men have no leader. Let them go home in peace."
18 Then the king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you that he wouldn't prophesy anything good about me, but only evil?"
19 Micaiah said, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One said one thing; and another said another.
21 A spirit came out and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.'
22 The LORD said to him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You will entice him, and will also prevail. Go out and do so.'
23 And now, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and the LORD has spoken evil concerning you.
24 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah came near and slapped Micaiah on the cheek and said, "When did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak with you?"
25 Micaiah replied, "You'll see how when the day comes that you run away to hide yourself in a closet!"
26 The king of Israel said: "Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon, the ruler of the town, and to Joash, the king's son.
27 and say: Thus saith the king: Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with scant bread and with scant water, until I come in peace.'
28 Micaiah said, "If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me." He said, "Listen, all you people."
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
30 The king of Israel suggested to Jehoshaphat, "I'll go into battle in disguise, but you keep your royal uniform on." So the king of Israel disguised himself and they both went into the battle.
31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty-two commanders of the chariots, saying, Do not fight with small nor great, but with the king of Israel.
32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "Surely he is the king of Israel," and they turned to fight against him, so Jehoshaphat called out.
33 When the chariot commanders saw that their target was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
34 But a man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints and the armor; wherefore he said unto his chariot-driver. Turn about, and carry me out of the camp; for I am wounded.
35 The fight grew more violent as the day went on. The king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians (Aramaeans). The floor of the chariot was covered with the blood from his wound. By evening he died.
36 Then the shout passed through the camp about sunset, saying, "Each man to his city and each to his land!"
37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38 And while they washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria, the dogs licked up his blood, and harlots washed him according to the word of the LORD which he spake.
39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
41 Jehoshaphat the son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.
42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he was king for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
43 Like his father Asa before him, he did what was right in the sight of the LORD. However the places of worship were not destroyed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
44 And Jehoshaphat was at peace with the king of Israel.
45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
46 He also eliminated the male cult prostitutes who still remained from the time of his father Asa.
47 There was no king in Edom. A deputy ruled.
48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they didn't go; for the ships wrecked at Ezion Geber.
49 Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with your servants. And Jehoshaphat did not want it.
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 instead of him.