1 Kings 22:8-40
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 22
8And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy anything good regarding me, but only bad. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah.' But Jehoshaphat said, 'May the king not say so.' 9Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, 'Bring Micaiah son of Imlah quickly.' 10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, 'This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed!’?' 12All the prophets were prophesying this as well, saying, 'Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.'
13Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, 'Behold now, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.'
14But Micaiah said, 'As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, I shall speak it.'
15When he came to the king, the king said to him, 'Micaiah, should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?' And he said, 'Go up and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king!'
16Then the king said to him, 'How many times must I make you swear that you will tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?'
19And Micaiah said, 'Therefore, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the angels of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
20And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one spirit said this, while another said that.
21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22And the Lord said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You shall entice him, and you will also prevail. Go and do so.’
23Now then, behold, the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours; and the Lord has declared disaster against you.'
24Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah approached and struck Micaiah on the cheek; and he said, 'How did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?'
25And Micaiah said, 'Behold, you are going to see how on that day when you go from one inner room to another trying to hide yourself.'
26Then the king of Israel said, 'Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;
27and say, ‘This is what the king says: 'Put this man in prison, and feed him enough bread and water to survive until I return safely.'?’?'
28But Micaiah said, 'If you actually return safely, the Lord has not spoken by me.' And he said, 'Listen, all you people!'
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead.
30And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your robes.' So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.
31Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two commanders of his chariots, saying, 'Do not fight with the small or great, but only with the king of Israel.'
32So when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, 'Surely he is the king of Israel!' And they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33Then, when the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
34Now one man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, 'Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded.'
35The battle raged on that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot in front of the Arameans, and he died at evening, and the blood from the wound ran into the bottom of the chariot.
36Then the word passed throughout the army close to sunset, saying, '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.
38They washed out the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood ( it was there that the prostitutes bathed themselves) in accordance with the word of the Lord which He had spoken.
39Now as for the rest of the acts of Ahab and everything that he did, and the ivory house which he built and all the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
40So Ahab lay down with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.
King James Version
Chapter 22
8And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so. 9Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.
10And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the Lord, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.
12And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hand.
13And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.
14And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.
15So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
16And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the Lord?
17And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
18And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.
22And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
24But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?
25And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
26And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
27And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
28And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
30And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
32And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
35And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
36And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.
38And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the Lord which he spake.
Christian Standard Bible
10Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.
11Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’"
12And all the prophets were prophesying the same: "March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king."
19Then Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and the whole heavenly army was standing by him at his right hand and at his left hand.
20And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ So one was saying this and another was saying that.
26Then the king of Israel ordered, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,
27and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison and feed him only a little bread and water until I come back safely.’"
29Then the king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.
33When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
34But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, "Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!"
35The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening, and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.
New Living Translation
10King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
11One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, 'This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!'
14But Micaiah replied, 'As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.'
20And the Lord said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’ 'There were many suggestions,
21and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’
26Arrest him!' the king of Israel ordered. 'Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash.
27Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’'
29So King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead.
30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, 'As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.' So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.
31Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: 'Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!'
32So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. 'There is the king of Israel!' they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat called out,
33the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him.
35The battle raged all that day, and the king remained propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot, and as evening arrived he died.
36Just as the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: 'We’re done for! Run for your lives!'
English Standard Version
Chapter 22
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. 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.’" 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."
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."
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.’"
18And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?"
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;
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.’
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?"
25And Micaiah said, "Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself."
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."’"
28And Micaiah said, "If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me." And he said, "Hear, all you peoples!"
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.
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."
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 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."
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.
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?
40So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
New International Version
10Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.
11Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, "This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ "
20And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’ "One suggested this, and another that.
21Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
26The king of Israel then ordered, "Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son
27and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’ "
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel."
32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "Surely this is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out,
33the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him.
34But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, "Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded."
35All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.
36As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: "Every man to his town. Every man to his land!"
New King James Version
10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
11Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ”
12And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.”
19Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left.
20And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner.
21Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’
22The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’
23Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”
26So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him 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 with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”
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 put on your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.”
32So it was, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel!” Therefore they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.
33And it happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.
34Now a certain man drew a bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am wounded.”
35The battle increased that day; and the king was propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out from the wound onto the floor of the chariot.
36Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”
