Worthy.Bible » Parallel » 1 Kings » Chapter 22 » Verse 1-53

1 Kings 22:1-53 King James Version (KJV)

1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

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

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak that which is good.

14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto me, that will I speak.

15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the LORD?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?

19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him.

22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.

24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash 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 Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

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

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

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

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

35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, 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 host 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; and they buried the king in Samaria.

38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armor; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, 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 Israel?

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

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

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And 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 the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which 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 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.

49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

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

52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, 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, who made Israel to sin:

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


1 Kings 22:1-53 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

1 And they continued H3427 three H7969 years H8141 without war H4421 between Syria H758 and Israel. H3478

2 And it came to pass in the third H7992 year, H8141 that Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 came down H3381 to the king H4428 of Israel. H3478

3 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto his servants, H5650 Know H3045 ye that Ramoth H7433 in Gilead H1568 is ours, and we be still, H2814 and take H3947 it not out of the hand H3027 of the king H4428 of Syria? H758

4 And he said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 Wilt thou go H3212 with me to battle H4421 to Ramothgilead? H7433 H1568 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said H559 to the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 I am as thou H3644 art, my people H5971 as thy people, H5971 my horses H5483 as thy horses. H5483

5 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said H559 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 Enquire, H1875 I pray thee, at the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 to day. H3117

6 Then the king H4428 of Israel H3478 gathered H6908 the prophets H5030 together, H6908 about four H702 hundred H3967 men, H376 and said H559 unto them, Shall I go H3212 against Ramothgilead H7433 H1568 to battle, H4421 or shall I forbear? H2308 And they said, H559 Go up; H5927 for the Lord H136 shall deliver H5414 it into the hand H3027 of the king. H4428

7 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Is there not here a prophet H5030 of the LORD H3068 besides, H5750 that we might enquire H1875 of him?

8 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 There is yet one H259 man, H376 Micaiah H4321 the son H1121 of Imlah, H3229 by whom we may enquire H1875 of the LORD: H3068 but I hate H8130 him; for he doth not prophesy H5012 good H2896 concerning me, but evil. H7451 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Let not the king H4428 say H559 so.

9 Then the king H4428 of Israel H3478 called H7121 an H259 officer, H5631 and said, H559 Hasten H4116 hither Micaiah H4321 the son H1121 of Imlah. H3229

10 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 sat H3427 each H376 on his throne, H3678 having put on H3847 their robes, H899 in a void place H1637 in the entrance H6607 of the gate H8179 of Samaria; H8111 and all the prophets H5030 prophesied H5012 before H6440 them.

11 And Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Chenaanah H3668 made H6213 him horns H7161 of iron: H1270 and he said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 With these shalt thou push H5055 the Syrians, H758 until thou have consumed H3615 them.

12 And all the prophets H5030 prophesied H5012 so, saying, H559 Go up H5927 to Ramothgilead, H7433 H1568 and prosper: H6743 for the LORD H3068 shall deliver H5414 it into the king's H4428 hand. H3027

13 And the messenger H4397 that was gone H1980 to call H7121 Micaiah H4321 spake H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Behold now, the words H1697 of the prophets H5030 declare good H2896 unto the king H4428 with one H259 mouth: H6310 let thy word, H1697 I pray thee, be like the word H1697 of one H259 of them, and speak H1696 that which is good. H2896

14 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 As the LORD H3068 liveth, H2416 what the LORD H3068 saith H559 unto me, that will I speak. H1696

15 So he came H935 to the king. H4428 And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, Micaiah, H4321 shall we go H3212 against Ramothgilead H7433 H1568 to battle, H4421 or shall we forbear? H2308 And he answered H559 him, Go, H5927 and prosper: H6743 for the LORD H3068 shall deliver H5414 it into the hand H3027 of the king. H4428

16 And the king H4428 said H559 unto him, How many times H6471 shall I adjure H7650 thee that thou tell H1696 me nothing but that which is true H571 in the name H8034 of the LORD? H3068

17 And he said, H559 I saw H7200 all Israel H3478 scattered H6327 upon the hills, H2022 as sheep H6629 that have not a shepherd: H7462 and the LORD H3068 said, H559 These have no master: H113 let them return H7725 every man H376 to his house H1004 in peace. H7965

18 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 Did I not tell H559 thee that he would prophesy H5012 no good H2896 concerning me, but evil? H7451

19 And he said, H559 Hear H8085 thou therefore the word H1697 of the LORD: H3068 I saw H7200 the LORD H3068 sitting H3427 on his throne, H3678 and all the host H6635 of heaven H8064 standing H5975 by him on his right hand H3225 and on his left. H8040

20 And the LORD H3068 said, H559 Who shall persuade H6601 Ahab, H256 that he may go up H5927 and fall H5307 at Ramothgilead? H7433 H1568 And one said H559 on this manner, H3541 and another said H559 on that manner. H3541

21 And there came forth H3318 a spirit, H7307 and stood H5975 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 I will persuade H6601 him.

22 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Wherewith? And he said, H559 I will go forth, H3318 and I will be a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of all his prophets. H5030 And he said, H559 Thou shalt persuade H6601 him, and prevail H3201 also: go forth, H3318 and do H6213 so.

23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD H3068 hath put H5414 a lying H8267 spirit H7307 in the mouth H6310 of all these thy prophets, H5030 and the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 evil H7451 concerning thee.

24 But Zedekiah H6667 the son H1121 of Chenaanah H3668 went near, H5066 and smote H5221 Micaiah H4321 on the cheek, H3895 and said, H559 Which way H335 went H5674 the Spirit H7307 of the LORD H3068 from me to speak H1696 unto thee?

25 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 Behold, thou shalt see H7200 in that day, H3117 when thou shalt go H935 into an inner H2315 chamber H2315 to hide H2247 thyself.

26 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Take H3947 Micaiah, H4321 and carry him back H7725 unto Amon H526 the governor H8269 of the city, H5892 and to Joash H3101 the king's H4428 son; H1121

27 And say, H559 Thus saith H559 the king, H4428 Put H7760 this fellow in the prison, H1004 H3608 and feed H398 him with bread H3899 of affliction H3906 and with water H4325 of affliction, H3906 until I come H935 in peace. H7965

28 And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 If thou return H7725 at all H7725 in peace, H7965 the LORD H3068 hath not spoken H1696 by me. And he said, H559 Hearken, H8085 O people, H5971 every one of you.

29 So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah H3063 went up H5927 to Ramothgilead. H7433 H1568

30 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 I will disguise H2664 myself, and enter H935 into the battle; H4421 but put thou on H3847 thy robes. H899 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 disguised H2664 himself, and went H935 into the battle. H4421

31 But the king H4428 of Syria H758 commanded H6680 his thirty H7970 and two H8147 captains H8269 that had rule over his chariots, H7393 saying, H559 Fight H3898 neither with small H6996 nor great, H1419 save only with the king H4428 of Israel. H3478

32 And it came to pass, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 saw H7200 Jehoshaphat, H3092 that they said, H559 Surely it is the king H4428 of Israel. H3478 And they turned aside H5493 to fight H3898 against him: and Jehoshaphat H3092 cried out. H2199

33 And it came to pass, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 perceived H7200 that it was not the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that they turned back H7725 from pursuing H310 him.

34 And a certain man H376 drew H4900 a bow H7198 at a venture, H8537 and smote H5221 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 between the joints H1694 of the harness: H8302 wherefore he said H559 unto the driver of his chariot, H7395 Turn H2015 thine hand, H3027 and carry me out H3318 of the host; H4264 for I am wounded. H2470

35 And the battle H4421 increased H5927 that day: H3117 and the king H4428 was stayed up H5975 in his chariot H4818 against H5227 the Syrians, H758 and died H4191 at even: H6153 and the blood H1818 ran out H3332 of the wound H4347 into the midst H2436 of the chariot. H7393

36 And there went H5674 a proclamation H7440 throughout the host H4264 about the going down H935 of the sun, H8121 saying, H559 Every man H376 to his city, H5892 and every man H376 to his own country. H776

37 So the king H4428 died, H4191 and was brought H935 to Samaria; H8111 and they buried H6912 the king H4428 in Samaria. H8111

38 And one washed H7857 the chariot H7393 in the pool H1295 of Samaria; H8111 and the dogs H3611 licked up H3952 his blood; H1818 and they washed H7364 his armour; H2185 according unto the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 which he spake. H1696

39 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Ahab, H256 and all that he did, H6213 and the ivory H8127 house H1004 which he made, H1129 and all the cities H5892 that he built, H1129 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Israel? H3478

40 So Ahab H256 slept H7901 with his fathers; H1 and Ahaziah H274 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.

41 And Jehoshaphat H3092 the son H1121 of Asa H609 began to reign H4427 over Judah H3063 in the fourth H702 year H8141 of Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel. H3478

42 Jehoshaphat H3092 was thirty H7970 and five H2568 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign; H4427 and he reigned H4427 twenty H6242 and five H2568 years H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389 And his mother's H517 name H8034 was Azubah H5806 the daughter H1323 of Shilhi. H7977

43 And he walked H3212 in all the ways H1870 of Asa H609 his father; H1 he turned not aside H5493 from it, doing H6213 that which was right H3477 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD: H3068 nevertheless the high places H1116 were not taken away; H5493 for the people H5971 offered H2076 and burnt incense H6999 yet in the high places. H1116

44 And Jehoshaphat H3092 made peace H7999 with the king H4428 of Israel. H3478

45 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Jehoshaphat, H3092 and his might H1369 that he shewed, H6213 and how he warred, H3898 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063

46 And the remnant H3499 of the sodomites, H6945 which remained H7604 in the days H3117 of his father H1 Asa, H609 he took H1197 out of the land. H776

47 There was then no king H4428 in Edom: H123 a deputy H5324 was king. H4428

48 Jehoshaphat H3092 made H6213 H6240 ships H591 of Tharshish H8659 to go H3212 to Ophir H211 for gold: H2091 but they went H1980 not; for the ships H591 were broken H7665 at Eziongeber. H6100

49 Then said H559 Ahaziah H274 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 Let my servants H5650 go H3212 with thy servants H5650 in the ships. H591 But Jehoshaphat H3092 would H14 not.

50 And Jehoshaphat H3092 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 with his fathers H1 in the city H5892 of David H1732 his father: H1 and Jehoram H3088 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.

51 Ahaziah H274 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 began to reign H4427 over Israel H3478 in Samaria H8111 the seventeenth H7651 H6240 year H8141 of Jehoshaphat H3092 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and reigned H4427 two years H8141 over Israel. H3478

52 And he did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 and walked H3212 in the way H1870 of his father, H1 and in the way H1870 of his mother, H517 and in the way H1870 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 who made Israel H3478 to sin: H2398

53 For he served H5647 Baal, H1168 and worshipped H7812 him, and provoked to anger H3707 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 according to all that his father H1 had done. H6213


1 Kings 22:1-53 American Standard (ASV)

1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray thee, for the word of Jehovah.

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we may inquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.

10 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.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.

13 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake unto him, saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets `declare' good unto the king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak thou good.

14 And Micaiah said, As Jehovah liveth, what Jehovah saith unto me, that will I speak.

15 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go up and prosper; and Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of Jehovah?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Jehovah said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?

19 And `Micaiah' said, Therefore hear thou the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner; and another said on that manner.

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him.

22 And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.

23 Now therefore, behold, Jehovah hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets; and Jehovah hath spoken evil concerning thee.

24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak unto thee?

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

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash 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 Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you.

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty and two captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

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

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

34 And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded.

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

36 And there went a cry throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his country.

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

38 And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood (now the harlots washed themselves `there'); according unto the word of Jehovah which he spake.

39 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, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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

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

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

43 And he walked in all the way of Asa his father; He turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Jehovah: howbeit the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

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

47 And there was no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they went not; for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.

49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

51 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.

52 And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, 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, wherein he made Israel to sin.

53 And he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger Jehovah, the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.


1 Kings 22:1-53 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And they sit still three years, there is no war between Aram and Israel,

2 and it cometh to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat king of Judah cometh down unto the king of Israel,

3 and the king of Israel saith unto his servants, `Have ye not known that ours `is' Ramoth-Gilead? and we are keeping silent from taking it out of the hand of the king of Aram!'

4 And he saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Dost thou go with me to battle `to' Ramoth-Gilead?' and Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `As I am, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.'

5 And Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `Seek, I pray thee, to-day, the word of Jehovah;'

6 and the king of Israel gathereth the prophets, about four hundred men, and saith unto them, `Do I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' and they say, `Go up, and the Lord doth give `it' into the hand of the king.'

7 And Jehoshaphat saith, `Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, and we seek by him?'

8 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Yet -- one man to seek Jehovah by him, and I have hated him, for he doth not prophesy concerning me good, but evil -- Micaiah son of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, `Let not the king say so.'

9 And the king of Israel calleth unto a certain eunuch, and saith, `Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.'

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah are sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, in a threshing-floor, at the opening of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets are prophesying before them.

11 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By these thou dost push the Aramaeans till they are consumed;'

12 and all the prophets are prophesying so, saying, `Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper, and Jehovah hath given `it' into the hand of the king.'

13 And the messenger who hath gone to call Micaiah hath spoken unto him, saying, `Lo, I pray thee, the words of the prophets, with one mouth, `are' good towards the king; let it be, I pray thee, thy word as the word of one of them -- and thou hast spoken good.'

14 And Micaiah saith, `Jehovah liveth; surely that which Jehovah saith unto me -- it I speak.'

15 And he cometh in unto the king, and the king saith unto him, `Micaiah, do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead, to battle, or do we forbear?' and he saith unto him, `Go up, and prosper, and Jehovah hath given `it' into the hand of the king.'

16 And the king saith unto him, `How many times am I adjuring thee that thou speak nothing unto me but truth in the name of Jehovah?'

17 And he saith, `I have seen all Israel scattered on the hills as sheep that have no shepherd, and Jehovah saith, These have no master; they turn back each to his house in peace.'

18 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Have I not said unto thee, He doth not prophesy of me good, but evil?'

19 And he saith, `Therefore, hear a word of Jehovah; I have seen Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing by Him, on His right and on His left;

20 and Jehovah saith, Who doth entice Ahab, and he doth go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead? and this one saith thus, and that one is saying thus.

21 `And the spirit goeth out, and standeth before Jehovah, and saith, I -- I do entice him; and Jehovah saith unto him, By what?

22 and he saith, I go out, and have been a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets; and He saith, Thou dost entice, and also thou art able; go out and do so.

23 And now, lo, Jehovah hath put a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah hath spoken concerning thee -- evil.'

24 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah draweth nigh, and smiteth Micaiah on the cheek, and saith, `Where `is' this -- he hath passed over -- the Spirit of Jehovah -- from me to speak with thee?'

25 And Micaiah saith, `Lo, thou art seeing on that day, when thou goest in to the innermost chamber to be hidden.'

26 And the king of Israel saith, `Take Micaiah, and turn him back unto Amon head of the city, and unto Joash son of the king,

27 and thou hast said, Thus said the king, Place ye this one in the house of restraint, and cause him to eat bread of oppression, and water of oppression, till my coming in peace.'

28 And Micaiah saith, `If thou at all return in peace -- Jehovah hath not spoken by me;' and he saith, `Hear, O peoples, all of them.'

29 And the king of Israel goeth up, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, to Ramoth-Gilead.

30 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat to disguise himself, and to go into battle, `And thou, put on thy garments.' And the king of Israel disguiseth himself, and goeth into battle.

31 And the king of Aram commanded the heads of the charioteers whom he hath -- thirty and two -- saying, `Ye do not fight with small or with great, but with the king of Israel by himself.'

32 And it cometh to pass, at the heads of the charioteers seeing Jehoshaphat, that they said, `He `is' only the king of Israel;' and they turn aside to him to fight, and Jehoshaphat crieth out,

33 and it cometh to pass, at the heads of the charioteers seeing that he `is' not the king of Israel, that they turn back from after him.

34 And a man hath drawn with a bow, in his simplicity, and smiteth the king of Israel between the joinings and the coat of mail, and he saith to his charioteer, `Turn thy hand, and take me out from the camp, for I have become sick.'

35 And the battle increaseth on that day, and the king hath been caused to stand in the chariot, over-against Aram, and he dieth in the evening, and the blood of the wound runneth out unto the midst of the chariot,

36 and he causeth the cry to pass over through the camp, at the going in of the sun, saying, `Each unto his city, and each unto his land.'

37 And the king dieth, and cometh into Samaria, and they bury the king in Samaria;

38 and `one' rinseth the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs lick his blood -- when the armour they had washed -- according to the word of Jehovah that He spake.

39 And the rest of the matters of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

40 And Ahab lieth with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigneth in his stead.

41 And Jehoshaphat son of Asa hath reigned over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel,

42 Jehoshaphat `is' a son of thirty and five years in his reigning, and twenty and five years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother `is' Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

43 And he walketh in all the way of Asa his father, he hath not turned aside from it, to do that which `is' right in the eyes of Jehovah; only the high places have not turned aside, yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat maketh peace with the king of Israel;

45 and the rest of the matters of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he got, and with which he fought, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

46 And the remnant of the whoremongers who were left in the days of Asa his father he took away out of the land;

47 and there is no king in Edom; he set up a king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships at Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, and they went not, for the ships were broken in Ezion-Geber.

49 Then said Ahaziah son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, `Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships;' and Jehoshaphat was not willing.

50 And Jehoshaphat lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoram his son reigneth in his stead.

51 Ahaziah son of Ahab hath reigned over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigneth over Israel two years,

52 and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin,

53 and serveth the Baal, and boweth himself to it, and provoketh Jehovah, God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.


1 Kings 22:1-53 Darby English Bible (DARBY)

1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, Do ye know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we keep quiet without taking it out of the hand of the king of Syria?

4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.

5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, this day of the word of Jehovah.

6 And the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king's hand.

7 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we might inquire of him?

8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah; but I hate him, for he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil: [it is] Micah the son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

9 Then the king of Israel called a chamberlain, and said, Fetch quickly Micah the son of Imlah.

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, in the open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, Thus saith Jehovah: With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have exterminated them.

12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will give it into the king's hand.

13 And the messenger that went to call Micah spoke to him saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one assent: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak good.

14 And Micah said, As Jehovah liveth, even what Jehovah shall say to me, that will I speak.

15 And he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micah, shall we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he said to him, Go up, and prosper; for Jehovah will give it into the hand of the king.

16 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but truth in the name of Jehovah?

17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And Jehovah said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil?

19 And he said, Hear therefore the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left;

20 and Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? And one said after this manner, and another said after that manner.

21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him.

22 And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice [him], and also succeed: go forth, and do so.

23 And now, behold, Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning thee.

24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micah upon the cheek, and said, Where now went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak to thee?

25 And Micah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thyself.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micah and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

27 and thou shalt say, Thus says the king: Put this [man] in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.

28 And Micah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah has not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O peoples, all of you!

29 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead.

30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

31 And the king of Syria commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots saying, Fight neither with small nor great, but with the king of Israel only.

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

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

34 And a man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the fastenings and the corslet. And he said to his charioteer, Turn thy hand, and drive 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, and he died at even; and the blood of the wound ran out into the hollow of the chariot.

36 And there went the cry throughout the host at the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!

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

38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked his blood, where the harlots bathed: according to the word of Jehovah, which he had spoken.

39 And the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

40 And Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

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

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

43 And he walked in all the way of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of Jehovah. Only, the high places were not removed: the people offered and burned incense still on the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat was at peace with the king of Israel.

45 And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might which he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

46 And the remainder of the sodomites, which were left in the days of his father Asa, he put away from out of the land.

47 And there was no king in Edom: a deputy reigned.

48 Jehoshaphat made Tarshish-ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they went not, for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.

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

50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

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

52 And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah, 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, who made Israel to sin.

53 And he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked Jehovah the God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.


1 Kings 22:1-53 World English Bible (WEB)

1 They continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.

2 It happened in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

3 The king of Israel said to his servants, "You know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are still, and don't take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?"

4 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.

5 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh.

6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.

7 But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh besides, that we may inquire of him?

8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, there is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, 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."

9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Get quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.

10 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.

11 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus says Yahweh, With these shall you push the Syrians, until they be consumed.

12 All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.

13 The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, See now, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one mouth: please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak you good.

14 Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that will I speak.

15 When he was 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 Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.

16 The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?

17 He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Yahweh said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.

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

19 [Micaiah] said, Therefore hear you the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

20 Yahweh said, Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? One said on this manner; and another said on that manner.

21 There came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said, I will entice him.

22 Yahweh said to him, 'How?' He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.'

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

24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Yahweh from me to speak to you?

25 Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

26 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;

27 and say, Thus says 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 Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you.

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

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

31 Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

32 It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel; and they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

34 A certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am severely wounded.

35 The battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even; and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot.

36 There went a cry throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his country.

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

38 They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood (now the prostitutes washed themselves [there]); according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke.

39 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?

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

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

42 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.

43 He walked in all the way of Asa his father; He didn't turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh: however the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

44 Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shown, and how he warred, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

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

47 There was no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold: but they didn't go; for the ships were broken at Ezion Geber.

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

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

51 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.

52 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, 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.

53 He served Baal, and worshiped him, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.


1 Kings 22:1-53 Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Now for three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.

2 And it came about in the third year, that Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel.

3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, Do you not see that Ramoth-gilead is ours? and we are doing nothing to get it back from the hands of the king of Aram.

4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead to make war? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are: my people as your people, my horses as your horses.

5 Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Let us now get directions from the Lord.

6 So the king of Israel got all the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, Am I to go to Ramoth-gilead to make war or not? And they said, Go up: for the Lord will give it into the hands of the king.

7 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there no other prophet of the Lord here from whom we may get directions?

8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is still one man by whom we may get directions from the Lord, Micaiah, son of Imlah; but I have no love for him, for he is a prophet of evil to me and not of good. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

9 Then the king of Israel sent for one of his unsexed servants and said, Go quickly and come back with Micaiah, the son of Imlah.

10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were seated on their seats of authority, dressed in their robes, by the doorway into Samaria; and all the prophets were acting as prophets before them.

11 And Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, made himself horns of iron and said, The Lord says, Pushing back the Aramaeans with these, you will put an end to them completely.

12 And all the prophets said the same thing, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and it will go well for you, for the Lord will give it into the hands of the king.

13 Now the servant who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, See now, all the prophets with one voice are saying good things to the king; so let your words be like theirs and say good things.

14 And Micaiah said, By the living Lord, whatever the Lord says to me I will say.

15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, are we to go to Ramoth-gilead to make war or not? And in answer he said, Go up, and it will go well for you; and the Lord will give it into the hands of the king.

16 Then the king said to him, Have I not, again and again, put you on your oath to say nothing to me but what is true in the name of the Lord?

17 Then he said, I saw all Israel wandering on the mountains like sheep without a keeper; and the Lord said, These have no master: let them go back, every man to his house in peace.

18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not say that he would not be a prophet of good but of evil?

19 And he said, Give ear now to the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord seated on his seat of power, with all the army of heaven in their places round him at his right hand and at his left.

20 And the Lord said, How may Ahab be tricked into going up to Ramoth-gilead to his death? And one said one thing and one another.

21 Then a spirit came forward and took his place before the Lord and said, I will get him to do it by a trick.

22 And the Lord said, How? And he said, I will go out and be a spirit of deceit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Your trick will have its effect on him: go out and do so.

23 And now, see, the Lord has put a spirit of deceit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the Lord has said evil against you.

24 Then Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, came near and gave Micaiah a blow on the side of the face, saying, Where is the spirit of the Lord whose word is in you?

25 And Micaiah said, Truly, you will see on that day when you go into an inner room to keep yourself safe.

26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon, the ruler of the town, and to Joash, the king's son;

27 And say, It is the king's order that this man is to be put in prison and given prison food till I come again in peace.

28 And Micaiah said, If you come back at all in peace, the Lord has not sent his word by me.

29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth-gilead.

30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will make a change in my clothing, so that I do not seem to be the king, and will go into the fight; but do you put on your robes. So the king of Israel made a change in his dress and went into the fight.

31 Now the king of Aram had given orders to the thirty-two captains of his war-carriages, saying, Make no attack on small or great, but only on the king of Israel.

32 So when the captains of the war-carriages saw Jehoshaphat, they said, Truly, this is the king of Israel; and turning against him, they came round him, but Jehoshaphat gave a cry.

33 And when the captains of the war-carriages saw that he was not the king of Israel, they went back from going after him.

34 And a certain man sent an arrow from his bow without thought of its direction, and gave the king of Israel a wound where his breastplate was joined to his clothing; so he said to the driver of his war-carriage, Go to one side and take me away out of the army, for I am badly wounded.

35 But the fight became more violent while the day went on; and the king was supported in his war-carriage facing the Aramaeans, and the floor of the carriage was covered with the blood from his wound, and by evening he was dead.

36 And about sundown a cry went up from all parts of the army, saying, Let every man go back to his town and his country, for the king is dead.

37 And they came to Samaria, and put the king's body to rest in Samaria.

38 And the war-carriage was washed by the pool of Samaria, which was the bathing-place of the loose women, and the dogs were drinking his blood there, as the Lord had said.

39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all he did, and his ivory house, and all the towns of which he was the builder, are they not recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Israel?

40 So Ahab was put to rest with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

41 And Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, became king over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab's rule over Israel.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he was king for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

43 He did as Asa his father had done, not turning away from it, but doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord; but the high places were not taken away: the people went on making offerings and burning them in the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his great power, and how he went to war, are they not recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Judah?

46 He put an end to the rest of those who were used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods, all those who were still in the land in the time of his father Asa.

47 At that time there was no king in Edom;

48 And the representative of King Jehoshaphat made a Tarshish-ship to go to Ophir for gold, but it did not go, because it was broken at Ezion-geber.

49 Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, Let my men go with yours in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not let them.

50 Then Jehoshaphat went to rest with his fathers, and his body was put into the earth in the town of David his father; and Jehoram his son became king in his place.

51 Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of the rule of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, and he was king over Israel for two years.

52 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, going in the ways of his father and his mother, and in the ways of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel do evil.

53 He was a servant and worshipper of Baal, moving the Lord, the God of Israel, to wrath, as his father had done.

Commentary on 1 Kings 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 22

1Ki 22:1-36. Ahab Slain at Ramoth-gilead.

1. continued three years without war between Syria and Israel—The disastrous defeat of Ben-hadad had so destroyed his army and exhausted the resources of his country, that, however eager, he was unable to recommence active hostilities against Israel. But that his hereditary enmity remained unsubdued, was manifest by his breach of faith concerning the treaty by which he had engaged to restore all the cities which his father had seized (1Ki 20:34).

2. Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel—It was singular that a friendly league between the sovereigns of Israel and Judah should, for the first time, have been formed by princes of such opposite characters—the one pious, the other wicked. Neither this league nor the matrimonial alliance by which the union of the royal families was more closely cemented, met the Lord's approval (2Ch 19:2). It led, however, to a visit by Jehoshaphat, whose reception in Samaria was distinguished by the most lavish hospitality (2Ch 18:2). The opportunity of this visit was taken advantage of, to push an object on which Ahab's heart was much set.

3-8. Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours—a Levitical and free town on the north border of Gad (De 4:43; Jos 21:38), on the site of the present Salt Lake, in the province of Belka. It lay within the territories of the Israelitish monarch, and was unjustly alienated; but whether it was one of the cities usurped by the first Ben-hadad, which his son had promised to restore, or was retained for some other reasons, the sacred historian has not mentioned. In the expedition which Ahab meditated for the recovery of this town, the aid of Jehoshaphat was asked and promised (see 2Ch 18:3). Previous to declaring hostilities, it was customary to consult the prophets (see on 1Sa 28:8); and Jehoshaphat having expressed a strong desire to know the Lord's will concerning this war, Ahab assembled four hundred of his prophets. These could not be either the prophets of Baal or of Ashteroth (1Ki 18:19), but seem (1Ki 22:12) to have been false prophets, who conformed to the symbolic calf-worship of Jehovah. Being the creatures of Ahab, they unanimously predicted a prosperous issue to the war. But dissatisfied with them, Jehoshaphat inquired if there was any true prophet of the Lord. Ahab agreed, with great reluctance, to allow Micaiah to be summoned. He was the only true prophet then to be found residing in Samaria, and he had to be brought out of prison (1Ki 22:26), into which, according to Josephus, he had been cast on account of his rebuke to Ahab for sparing the king of Syria.

10. a void place—literally, "a threshing-floor," formed at the gate of Samaria.

11. Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron—Small projections, of the size and form of our candle extinguishers (worn in many parts of the East as military ornaments), were worn by the Syrians of that time, and probably by the Israelite warriors also. Zedekiah, by assuming two horns, personated two heroes, and, pretending to be a prophet, wished in this manner to represent the kings of Israel and Judah in a military triumph. It was a symbolic action, to impart greater force to his language (see De 33:17); but it was little more than a flourish with a spontoon [Calmet, Fragments].

14-17. what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak—On the way the messenger who conducted [Micaiah] to the royal presence informed him of the tenor of the prophecies already given and recommended him to agree with the rest, no doubt from the kindly motive of seeing him released from imprisonment. But Micaiah, inflexibly faithful to his divine mission as a prophet, announced his purpose to proclaim honestly whatever God should bid him. On being asked by the king, "Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I forbear?" the prophet gave precisely the same answer as the previous oracles that had been consulted; but it must have been given in a sarcastic tone and in ironical mockery of their way of speaking. Being solemnly urged to give a serious and truthful answer, Micaiah then declared the visionary scene the Spirit had revealed to him;—

17. I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd—The purport of this was that the army of Israel would be defeated and dispersed; that Ahab would fall in the battle, and the people return without either being pursued or destroyed by the enemy.

18-23. Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?—Since Ahab was disposed to trace this unwelcome truth to personal enmity, Micaiah proceeded fearlessly to tell the incensed monarch in full detail what had been revealed to him. The Hebrew prophets, borrowing their symbolic pictures from earthly scenes, described God in heaven as a king in His kingdom. And as earthly princes do nothing of importance without asking the advice of their counsellors, God is represented as consulting about the fate of Ahab. This prophetic language must not be interpreted literally, and the command must be viewed as only a permission to the lying spirit (Ro 11:34) [Calmet].

24, 25. Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah on the cheek—The insolence of this man, the leader of the false prophets, seems to have been provoked by jealousy at Micaiah's assumed monopoly of the spirit of inspiration. This mode of smiting, usually with a shoe, is both severe and ignominious. The calm reply of the Lord's prophet consisted in announcing the fate of the false prophets who suffered as the advisers of the disastrous expedition.

26-28. Take Micaiah, … Put this fellow in prison—Ahab, under the impulse of vehement resentment, remands the prophet until his return.

27, 28. bread of affliction, water of affliction—that is, the poorest prison fare. Micaiah submitted, but reiterated aloud, in the presence of all, that the issue of the war would be fatal to Ahab.

29-38. went up to Ramoth-gilead—The king of Israel, bent on this expedition, marched, accompanied by his ally, with all his forces to the siege; but on approaching the scene of action, his courage failed, and, hoping to evade the force of Micaiah's prophecy by a secret stratagem, he assumed the uniform of a subaltern, while he advised Jehoshaphat to fight in his royal attire. The Syrian king, with a view either to put the speediest end to the war, or perhaps to wipe out the stain of his own humiliation (1Ki 20:31), had given special instructions to his generals to single out Ahab, and to take or kill him, as the author of the war. The officers at first directed their assault on Jehoshaphat, but, becoming aware of their mistake, desisted. Ahab was wounded by a random arrow, which, being probably poisoned, and the state of the weather increasing the virulence of the poison, he died at sunset. The corpse was conveyed to Samaria; and, as the chariot which brought it was being washed, in a pool near the city, from the blood that had profusely oozed from the wound, the dogs, in conformity with Elijah's prophecy, came and licked it [1Ki 21:19]. Ahab was succeeded by his son Ahaziah [1Ki 22:40].