1 Kings 22

1 And they continued three years without war between Syria (Aram) and Yisrael.

2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Yehoshafat the king of Judah (Yehudah) came down to the king of Yisrael.

3 And the king of Yisrael said unto his servants, “Know you that Ramot in Gilad is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria (Aram)?”

4 And he said unto Yehoshafat, “Wilt you go with me to battle to Ramot-Gilad?” And Yehoshafat said to the king of Yisrael,” I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

5 And Yehoshafat said unto the king of Yisrael, “Enquire, please, at the word of יהוה today.”

6 Then the king of Yisrael gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, “Shall I go against Ramot-Gilad to battle, or shall I forbear?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord (Adonai) shall deliver it into the hand of the king.”

7 And Yehoshafat said, “Is there not here a prophet of יהוה besides, that we might enquire of him?”

8 And the king of Yisrael said unto Yehoshafat, “There is yet one man, Mikhayahu the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of יהוה; but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Yehoshafat said, “Let not the king say so.”

9 Then the king of Yisrael called an officer, and said, “Hasten hither Mikhayahu the son of Imlah.”

10 And the king of Yisrael and Yehoshafat the king of Judah (Yehudah) sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria (Shomeron); and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Tsidkiyahu the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron; and he said, “Thus saith יהוה: ‘With these shalt you push the Syrians (Arammim), until you have consumed them.’”

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramot-Gilad, and prosper; for יהוה shall deliver it into the king’s hand.”

13 And the messenger that was gone to call Mikhayahu spake unto him, saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth; let your word, please, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.”

14 And Mikhayahu said, “As יהוה liveth, what יהוה saith unto me, that will I speak.”

15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, “Mikhayahu, shall we go against Ramot-Gilad to battle, or shall we forbear?” And he answered him, “Go, and prosper; for יהוה shall deliver it into the hand of the king.”

16 And the king said unto him, “How many times shall I adjure you that you tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of יהוה?”

17 And he said, “I saw all Yisrael scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd; and יהוה said: ‘These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.’”

18 And the king of Yisrael said unto Yehoshafat, “Did I not tell you that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?”

19 And he said, “Hear you therefore the word of יהוה: I saw יהוה sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on his left.

20 And יהוה said, ‘Who shall persuade Achav, that he may go up and fall at Ramot-Gilad?’ And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before יהוה, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’

22 And יהוה said unto him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘You shalt persuade him, and prevail also; go forth, and do so.’

23 Now therefore, behold, יהוה hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and יהוה hath proclaimed disaster over you.”

24 But Tsidkiyahu the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Mikhayahu on the cheek, and said, “Which way went the Spirit of יהוה from me to speak unto you?”

25 And Mikhayahu said, “Behold, you shalt see in that day, when you shalt go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.”

26 And the king of Yisrael said, “Take Mikhayahu, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Yoash the king’s son;

27 And 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.”’”

28 And Mikhayahu said, “If you return at all in peace, יהוה hath not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hearken, O people, every one of you.”

29 So the king of Yisrael and Yehoshafat the king of Judah (Yehudah) went up to Ramot-Gilad.

30 And the king of Yisrael said unto Yehoshafat, “I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put you on your robes.” And the king of Yisrael disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria (Aram) commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, “Fight neither with small nor great, except only with the king of Yisrael.”

32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Yehoshafat, that they said, “Surely it is the king of Yisrael.” And they turned aside to fight against him; and Yehoshafat cried out.

33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Yisrael, that they turned back from pursuing him.

34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Yisrael between the joints of the harness; wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, “Turn your hand, and carry me out of the camp; for I am wounded.”

35 And the battle increased that day; and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians (Arammim), and died at even; and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

36 And there went a proclamation throughout the army about the going down of the sun, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.”

37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria (Shomeron); and they buried the king in Samaria (Shomeron).

38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria (Shomeron); and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of יהוה which he spake.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Achav, 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 Yisrael?

40 So Achav slept with his fathers; and Achazyah his son reigned in his stead.

41 And Yehoshafat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah (Yehudah) in the fourth year of Achav king of Yisrael.

42 Yehoshafat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem (Yerushalayim). His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of יהוה; nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

44 And Yehoshafat made peace with the king of Yisrael.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Yehoshafat, 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 (Yehudah)?

46 And the remnant of the sodomites (male cult prostitutes), who remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.

47 There was then no king in Edom; a deputy was king.

48 Yehoshafat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold; but they went not, for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.

49 Then said Achazyah the son of Achav unto Yehoshafat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Yehoshafat would not.

50 And Yehoshafat slept (rested) with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of Dawid his father; and Yehoram his son reigned in his stead.

51 Achazyah the son of Achav began to reign over Yisrael in Samaria (Shomeron) the seventeenth year of Yehoshafat king of Judah (Yehudah), and reigned two years over Yisrael.

52 And he did evil in the sight of יהוה, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam (Yarovam) the son of Nevat, who made Yisrael to sin;

53 For he served the Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger יהוה God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael), according to all that his father had done.