The First Book of the Kings

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- Chapter 22 -

(2 Chronicles 18:1–11)

Then three years passed without war between Syria and Israel.

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

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?”

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

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.”

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.”

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

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.”

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

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.

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.”

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.”

Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab

(2 Chronicles 18:12–27)

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.”

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

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.”(a)

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.”

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.’ ”

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

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.

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.(b)

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?’

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.’(c)

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.”

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?”

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.”(d)

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.

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.’ ”

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.”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

(2 Chronicles 18:28–34)

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

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.

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.”

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.

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

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.”

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.

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.”

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

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.

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?

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

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 20:31–34)

Yet truly, Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, had begun to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab, the king of Israel.

He was thirty-five years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

And he walked in the entire way of Asa, his father, and he did not decline from it. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord.

Yet truly, he did not take away the high places. For still the people were sacrificing and burning incense in the high places.(e)

And Jehoshaphat had peace with the king of Israel.

But the rest of the words of Jehoshaphat, and his works that he did, and the battles, were these not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Judah?

Then, too, the remnant of the effeminate, who had remained in the days of Asa, his father, he took away from the land.

At that time, there was no king appointed in Idumea.

Yet truly, king Jehoshaphat had made a navy on the sea, which would sail to Ophir for gold. But they were unable to go, because the ships were broken down at Eziongeber.

Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants on the ships.” But Jehoshaphat was not willing.(f)

Ahaziah Reigns in Israel

(2 Kings 1:1–16)

And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and he was buried with them in the city of David, his father. And Jehoram, his son, reigned in his place.

Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel, in Samaria, in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. And he reigned over Israel for two years.

And he did evil in the sight of the Lord. And he walked in the way of his father and his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin.

Also, he served Baal, and he adored him, and he provoked the Lord, the God of Israel, in accord with all that his father had done.

Footnotes

(a)22:15 Go 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)

(b)22:20 The 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)

(c)22:22 Go 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)

(d)22:25 Go 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)

(e)22:44 He took not away, etc:He left some of the high places, viz., those in which they worshipped the true God: but took away all others, 2 Par. 17:6, and note ver. 14 of chap. 15. 3 Kings.(Challoner)

(f)22:50 Would not:He had been reprehended before for admitting such a partner: and therefore would have no more to do with him.(Challoner)

(2 Chronicles 18:1–11)

They continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

In the third year, Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

The king of Israel said to his servants, “You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, and we do nothing, and don’t take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”

He said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the LORD’s word.”

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Should I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or should I refrain?” They said, “Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of him?”

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 does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”

Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Quickly get Micaiah the son of Imlah.”

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron, and said, “The LORD says, ‘With these you will push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”

All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper; for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab

(2 Chronicles 18:12–27)

The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good.”

Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I will speak.”

When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?” He answered him, “Go up and prosper; and the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

The king said to him, “How many times do I have to adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the LORD’s name?”

He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. The LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’”

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the LORD’s word. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One said one thing, and another said another.

A spirit came out and stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

The LORD said to him, ‘How?’ He said, ‘I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ He said, ‘You will entice him, and will also prevail. Go out and do so.’

Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has spoken evil concerning you.”

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the LORD’s Spirit go from me to speak to you?”

Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”

The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son.

Say, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.”’”

Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, all you people!”

Ahab’s Defeat and Death

(2 Chronicles 18:28–34)

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your robes.” The king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle.

Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”

When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely that is the king of Israel!” and they came over to fight against him. Jehoshaphat cried out.

When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

A certain man drew his bow at random, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around, and carry me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded.”

The battle increased that day. The king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot.

A cry went throughout the army about the going down of the sun, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”

So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood where the prostitutes washed themselves, according to the LORD’s word which he spoke.

Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 20:31–34)

Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

He walked in all the way of Asa his father. He didn’t turn away from it, doing that which was right in the LORD’s eyes. However, the high places were not taken away. The people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he fought, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

The remnant of the sodomites, that remained in the days of his father Asa, he put away out of the land.

There was no king in Edom. A deputy ruled.

Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they didn’t go, for the ships wrecked at Ezion Geber.

Then Ahaziah the son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat would not.

Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in his father David’s city. Jehoram his son reigned in his place.

Ahaziah Reigns in Israel

(2 Kings 1:1–16)

Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel.

He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, in which he made Israel to sin.

He served Baal and worshiped him, and provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger in all the ways that his father had done so.