Achab believing his false prophets, rather than Micheas, is slain in Ramoth Galaad. Ochozias succeeds him. Good king Josaphat dies, and his son Joram succeeds him.

¹ Then three years passed without war between Syria and Israel.

² But in the third year, Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, descended to the king of Israel.

³ And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Are you ignorant that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and that we have neglected to take it from the hand of the king of Syria?”

⁴ And so he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you come to the battle with me at Ramoth Gilead?”

⁵ And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel: “As I am, so also are you. My people and your people are one. And my horsemen are your horsemen.” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I beg you to inquire today of the word of the Lord.”

⁶ Therefore, the king of Israel gathered together the prophets, about four hundred men, and he said to them, “Should I go to Ramoth Gilead to make war, or should I be at peace?” They responded, “Ascend, and the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”

⁷ Then Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here a particular prophet of the Lord, so that we may inquire by him?”

⁸ And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “One man remains, by whom we may be able to inquire of the Lord: Micaiah, the son of Imlah. But I hate him. For he does not prophecy good to me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “You should not speak in this way, O king.”

⁹ Therefore, the king of Israel called a certain eunuch, and he said to him, “Hurry to bring here Micaiah, the son of Imlah.”

¹⁰ Now the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were each sitting upon his own throne, clothed in the habit of royal vestments, in a courtyard beside the entrance of the gate of Samaria. And all the prophets were prophesying in their sight.

¹¹ Also, Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, made for himself horns of iron, and he said, “Thus says the Lord: With these, you shall threaten Syria, until you destroy it.”

¹² And all the prophets were prophesying similarly, saying: “Ascend to Ramoth Gilead, and go forth to success. For the Lord will deliver it into the hands of the king.”

¹³ Then truly, the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah spoke to him, saying: “Behold, the words of the prophets, as if with one mouth, are predicting good to the king. Therefore, let your word be like theirs, and speak what is good.”

¹⁴ But Micaiah said to him, “As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord will have said to me, this shall I speak.”

¹⁵ And so he went to the king. And the king said to him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth Gilead to do battle, or should we cease?” And he responded to him, “Ascend, and go forth to success, and the Lord will deliver it into the hands of the king.”¹

1. 22:15Go up, etc: This was spoken ironically, and by way of jesting at the flattering speeches of the false prophets: and so the king understood it, as appears by his adjuring Micheas, in the following verse, to tell him the truth in the name of the Lord.(Challoner)

¹⁶ But the king said to him, “I require you under oath, again and again, that you not say to me anything except what is true, in the name of the Lord.”

¹⁷ And he said: “I saw all of Israel scattered among the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said: ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his own house in peace.’ ”

¹⁸ Therefore, the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “Did I not tell you that he prophesies nothing good to me, but always evil?”

¹⁹ Yet truly, continuing, he said: “Because of his, listen to the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne. And the entire army of heaven was standing beside him, to the right and to the left.

²⁰ And the Lord said, ‘Who will mislead Ahab, the king of Israel, so that he may ascend and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ And one spoke words in this manner, and another spoke otherwise.¹

1. 22:20The Lord said, etc: God stands not in need of any counsellor; nor are we to suppose that things pass in heaven in the manner here described: but this representation was made to the prophet, to be delivered by him in a manner adapted to the common ways and notions of men.(Challoner)

²¹ But then a spirit went out and stood before the Lord. And he said, ‘I will mislead him.’ And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?’

²² And he said, ‘I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said: ‘You will deceive him, and you will prevail. Go forth, and do so.’¹

1. 22:22Go forth, and do so: This was not a command, but a permission: for God never ordains lies; though he often permits the lying spirit to deceive those who love not the truth. 2 Thess. 2.10. And in this sense it is said in the following verse, The Lord has given a lying spirit in the mouth of all thy prophets.(Challoner)

²³ So now, behold: the Lord has given a lying spirit into the mouth of all your prophets who are here. And the Lord has spoken evil against you.”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, drew near and struck Micaiah on the jaw, and he said, “So then, has the Spirit of the Lord left me, and spoken to you?”

²⁵ And Micaiah said, “You shall see in the day when you will enter into a room within a room, so that you may conceal yourself.”¹

1. 22:25Go into a chamber, etc: This happened when he heard the king was slain, and justly apprehended that he should be punished for his false prophecy.(Challoner)

²⁶ And the king of Israel said: “Take Micaiah, and let him dwell with Amon, the ruler of the city, and with Joash, the son of Amalech.

²⁷ And tell them: ‘Thus says the king: Put this man in prison, and sustain him with the bread of affliction, and with the water of distress, until I return in peace.’ ”

²⁸ And Micaiah said, “If you will have returned in peace, the Lord has not spoken through me.” And he said, “May all the people hear it.”

²⁹ And so, the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, ascended to Ramoth Gilead.

³⁰ Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: “Take up your armor, and enter the battle. And be clothed in your own garments.” But the king of Israel changed his clothing, and he entered the war.

³¹ Now the king of Syria had instructed the thirty-two commanders of the chariots, saying, “You shall not fight against anyone, small or great, except against the king of Israel alone.”

³² Therefore, when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they suspected that he was the king of Israel. And making a violent assault, they fought against him. And Jehoshaphat cried out.

³³ And the commanders of the chariots understood that he was not the king of Israel, and so they turned away from him.

³⁴ But a certain man bent his bow, aiming the arrow without certitude, and by chance he struck the king of Israel, between the lungs and the stomach. Then he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn your hand, and carry me away from the army, for I have been grievously wounded.”

³⁵ Then the battle was undertaken throughout that day. And the king of Israel was standing on his chariot opposite the Syrians, and he died in the evening. For the blood was flowing from the wound into the joints of the chariot.

³⁶ And a herald proclaimed throughout the entire army, before the setting of the sun, saying: “Let each one return to his own city, and to his own land.”

³⁷ Then the king died, and he was carried into Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria.

³⁸ And they washed his chariot in the pool of Samaria. And the dogs licked up his blood. And they washed the reins, in accord with the word of the Lord which he had spoken.

³⁹ But the rest of the words of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he constructed, were these not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?

⁴⁰ And so, Ahab slept with his fathers. And Ahaziah, his son, reigned in his place.