¶ Now Jehoshaphat had riches¹ and honour in abundance, and joined affinity² with Ahab.

And after certain years³ he went⁴ down to Ahab⁵ to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded⁶ him to go up with him to Ramothgilead⁷.

And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou⁸ art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

¶ And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire⁹, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets¹⁰ four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go¹¹ to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up¹²; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not¹³ here a prophet of the LORD besides,¹⁴ that we might enquire of him?

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man¹⁵, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him;¹⁶ for he never prophesied good¹⁷ unto me,¹⁸ but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the¹⁹ king say so.

And the king of Israel called for one of his officers²⁰, and said, Fetch quickly²¹ Micaiah the son of Imla.

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either²² of them on his throne, clothed²³ in their robes, and they sat in a void place²⁴ at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets²⁵ prophesied before them.

¶ And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron²⁶, and said, Thus²⁷ saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed²⁸.

And all the prophets²⁹ prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold,³⁰ the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent³¹; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God³² saith, that will I speak.

And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up³³, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure³⁴ thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

Then he said³⁵, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep³⁶ that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master³⁷; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell³⁸ thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil³⁹?

Again he said, Therefore hear the word⁴⁰ of the LORD; I saw⁴¹ the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host⁴² of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

And the LORD said, Who shall entice⁴³ Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up⁴⁴ and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

¶ Then there came⁴⁵ out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit⁴⁶ in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt⁴⁸ entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath⁴⁹ put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD⁵⁰ hath spoken evil against thee.

Then Zedekiah⁵¹ the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way⁵² went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

And Micaiah said, Behold,⁵³ thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber⁵⁴ to hide thyself.

Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back⁵⁵ to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

And say, Thus saith the king, Put⁵⁶ this fellow⁵⁷ in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction⁵⁸ and with water of affliction, until I return⁵⁹ in peace.

And Micaiah said, If⁶⁰ thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken⁶¹, all ye people.

¶ So the king⁶² of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise⁶³ myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes⁶⁴. So the king⁶⁵ of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

¶ Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye⁶⁶ not with small or great⁶⁷, save only with the king of Israel.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat⁶⁸, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD⁶⁹ helped him; and God moved them⁷⁰ to depart from him.

For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him⁷¹.

And a certain man⁷² drew a bow at a venture⁷³, and smote the king of Israel between the⁷⁴ joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded⁷⁵.

And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died⁷⁶.