2 Chronicles 18
An Alliance That Nearly Cost Him His Life
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Jehoshaphat Joins Ahab Against Ramoth
18:1Jehoshaphat still had abundant wealth and glory, and he formed a marriage alliance with Ahab’s house.
18:2At the end of some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and calves for him and the people with him, and was enticing him to go up with him to Ramoth in Galaaditis.
18:3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth in Galaaditis?” He answered him, “As I am, so are you; as your people, so my people will be with you for war.”
18:4Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please seek the Lord today.”
The Four Hundred Prophets
18:5The king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go to Ramoth-galaad for war, or shall I refrain?” They said, “Go up, and God will give it into the king’s hands.”
18:6Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not another prophet of the Lord here, so that we may inquire from him?”
18:7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom to seek the Lord, but I have hated him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me; all his days are for evil. He is Michaias son of Iemla.” Jehoshaphat said, “Let the king not speak so.”
18:8The king of Israel called one eunuch and said, “Quickly, Michaias son of Iemla!”
18:9The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were seated, each on his throne and dressed in robes, sitting in the broad space at the doorway of Samaria’s gate. All the prophets were prophesying before them.
18:10Sedekias son of Chanana made himself iron horns and said, “Thus says the Lord: With these you will gore Syria until it is finished.”
18:11All the prophets were prophesying in this way, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-galaad, and you will prosper; the Lord will give it into the king’s hands.”
Michaias Summoned
18:12The messenger who went to summon Michaias spoke to him: “Look, the prophets have spoken with one mouth favorably about the king. Please let your words be like those of one of them, and you shall speak favorably.”
18:13Michaias said, “As the Lord lives, whatever God says to me, that I will speak.”
18:14He came to the king, and the king said to him, “Michaias, shall I go to Ramoth-galaad for war, or shall I refrain?” He said, “Go up and prosper, and they will be given into your hands.”
18:15The king said to him, “How many times do I put you under oath that you speak to me nothing but truth in the Lord’s name?”
18:16He said, “I saw Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. The Lord said, ‘They have no leader; let each return to his house in peace.’”
18:17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he does not prophesy good concerning me, but only evil?”
The Lying Spirit Before the Lord
18:18He said, “Not so! Hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord seated on His throne, and all the host of heaven stood at His right and His left.
18:19The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab king of Israel, so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth-galaad?’ One said this, and another said that.
18:20The spirit came out and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord said, ‘By what means?’
18:21He said, ‘I will go out and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You will deceive him, and you will prevail. Go out and do so.’
18:22Now look: the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has spoken evil against you.”
18:23Sedekias son of Chanana approached and struck Michaias on the jaw. He said to him, “By which road did the Spirit of the Lord pass from me to speak to you?”
18:24Michaias said, “Look, you will see on that day when you enter a chamber from a chamber to hide yourself.”
Michaias Put in Prison
18:25The king of Israel said, “Take Michaias and return him to Emer the city’s ruler and to Joash, a ruler and the king’s son.
18:26You shall say, ‘Thus said the king: Put this man in the prison house, and let him eat bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace.’”
18:27Michaias said, “If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken in me. Hear, all you peoples!”
Ahab Struck at Ramoth-gilead
18:28The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-galaad.
18:29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will cover myself and enter the battle, but you put on my clothing.” The king of Israel covered himself and entered the battle.
18:30The king of Syria had commanded the chariot commanders who were with him, “Do not fight the small or the great, but only the king of Israel.”
18:31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He is the king of Israel!” They encircled him to fight, but Jehoshaphat cried out. The Lord saved him, and God turned them away from him.
18:32When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him.
18:33A man drew his bow with accurate aim and struck the king of Israel between the lung and the breastplate. He said to the charioteer, “Turn your hand and take me out of the battle, for I am hurt.”
18:34The battle turned into a rout that day. The king of Israel stood on the chariot facing Syria until evening, and he died as the sun was setting.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.