2 Chronicles 18
1NOW while Josaphat was still advancing in riches and great glory, he allied himself by marriage with the house of Achab,
2and after some years, went down to Samaria to Achab. And Achab sacrificed sheep and bullocks in abundance for him, and the people with him, and made court to him that he might go with him to Ramoth of Galaaditis.
3And when Achab king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Juda, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth of Galaaditis, he replied, I am as thou art. As is thy people, so is mine with thee for battle.
4Then Josaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire now I pray thee of the Lord.
5Thereupon the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver into the king’s hands.
6Then Josaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire by him?
7And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, There is still a man, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesieth good of me, but always evil—one Michaias, son of Jembla. And Josaphat said, Let not the king speak so.
8Then the king called a chamberlain, and said, Bring here quickly Michaias, son of Jembla.
9Now the king of Israel and Josaphat king of Juda, were seated each on his throne, arrayed in robes, and they sat in the open space at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them.
10And Sedekias, son of Chanaan, made for himself horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord: With these thou shalt push Syria until it be destroyed.
11And all the prophets prophesied in like manner, saying, Go up to Ramoth Galaad, and thou shalt prosper; for the Lord will deliver into the king’s hands.
12So the messenger who went to call Michaias spoke to him, saying, Behold all the prophets have, with one mouth, spoken good things of the king, let thy words, I pray thee, be as one of them, and speak good things.
13To whom Michaias replied, As the Lord liveth, whatever God shall say to me, that I will speak.
14And when he came to the king, the king said to him, Michaias, shall I go to Ramoth Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? To which he replied, Go up that thou mayst prosper, and they be delivered into your hands!
15Then the king said to him, How often must I adjure thee that thou speak nothing to me but truth, in the name of the Lord?
16Whereupon he said, I saw Israel scattered upon the mountains like sheep, which have no shepherd. And the Lord said, They have no leader, let them return every man to his house in peace.
17Then the king of Israel said to Josaphat, Did I not tell thee, that he would not prophesy good of me, but evil?
18And Michaias said, Is not this the case? Hear a word of the Lord: I saw the Lord seated on His throne, and all the host of heaven stood, some on His right and some on His left.
19And the Lord said, Who will deceive Achab, king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Galaad. And when one spoke in this manner and another in that,
20there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said, By what means?
21To which he replied, I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou wilt deceive and prevail; go and do so.
22Now therefore behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets. But the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.
23Then Sedekias, son of Chanaan, came near and smote Michaias on the cheek, and said to him, Which way went the spirit of the Lord from me to speak to thee?
24To which Michaias replied, Behold thou shalt see on that day, when thou shalt go from one inner chamber to another to hide thyself.
25Then the king of Israel said, Take Michaias and carry him back to Emer the governor of the city, and to Joas the chief, the king’s son,
26and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in prison, and let him be fed with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I return in peace.
27And Michaias said, If thou return in peace, the Lord hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear all people!
28Then the king of Israel and Josaphat king of Juda, went up to Ramoth Galaad,
29and the king of Israel said to Josaphat, Let me disguise myself and I will go into the battle, and put thou on my robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.
30Now the king of Syria had given a charge to the commanders of his chariots who were with him, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, but only with the king of Israel.
31So when the commanders of the chariots saw Josaphat, they said, This is the king of Israel, and wheeled about in order to attack him, whereupon Josaphat cried aloud, and the Lord saved him, and God caused them to turn back from him.
32And when the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel and turned from him,
33a man drew a bow at a venture and smote the king of Israel between the lungs and the breast; whereupon he said to his charioteer, turn thy hand and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.
34But as the battle was that day disastrous, he was kept in his chariot over against the Syrians till the evening, and at the setting of the sun he died.