1 Kings 22 — NETB

22Verse 1There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years.^{Verse 2}In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit the king of Israel.^{Verse 3}The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.”^{Verse 4}Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.”^{Verse 5}Then Jehoshaphat added, “First seek an oracle from the Lord.”^{Verse 6}So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, “Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” They said, “Attack! The sovereign one will hand it over to the king.”^{Verse 7}But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?”^{Verse 8}The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things.”^{Verse 9}The king of Israel summoned an official and said, “Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”^{Verse 10}Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them.^{Verse 11}Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.’”^{Verse 12}All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.”^{Verse 13}Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success.”^{Verse 14}But Micaiah said, “As certainly as the Lord lives, I will say what the Lord tells me to say.”^{Verse 15}When he came before the king, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” He answered him, “Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king.”^{Verse 16}The king said to him, “How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the Lord to tell me only the truth?”^{Verse 17}Micaiah said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the Lord said, ‘They have no master. They should go home in peace.’”^{Verse 18}The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?”^{Verse 19}Micaiah said, “That being the case, hear the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left.^{Verse 20}The Lord said, ‘Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?’ One said this and another that.^{Verse 21}Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord. He said, ‘I will deceive him.’ The Lord asked him, ‘How?’^{Verse 22}He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ The Lord said, ‘Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.’^{Verse 23}So now, look, the Lord has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the Lord has decreed disaster for you.”^{Verse 24}Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?”^{Verse 25}Micaiah replied, “Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide.”^{Verse 26}Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king’s son.^{Verse 27}Say, ‘This is what the king says, “Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I safely return.”’”^{Verse 28}Micaiah said, “If you really do safely return, then the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take note, all you people.”^{Verse 29}The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead.^{Verse 30}The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and then enter into the battle; but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle.^{Verse 31}Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel.”^{Verse 32}When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.^{Verse 33}When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him.^{Verse 34}Now an archer shot an arrow at random, and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer, “Turn around and take me from the battle line, because I’m wounded.”^{Verse 35}While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening; the blood from the wound ran down into the bottom of the chariot.^{Verse 36}As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, “Each one should return to his city and to his homeland.”^{Verse 37}So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him.^{Verse 38}They washed off the chariot at the pool of Samaria (this was where the prostitutes bathed); dogs licked his blood, just as the Lord had said would happen.^{Verse 39}The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments and how he built a luxurious palace and various cities, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.^{Verse 40}Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.

Jehoshaphat’s Reign over Judah

^{Verse 41}In the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign over Israel, Asa’s son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah.^{Verse 42}Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.^{Verse 43}He followed in his father Asa’s footsteps and was careful to do what the Lord approved. However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.^{Verse 44}Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.^{Verse 45}The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.^{Verse 46}He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa.^{Verse 47}There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled.^{Verse 48}Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber.^{Verse 49}Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my sailors join yours in the fleet,” but Jehoshaphat refused.^{Verse 50}Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king.

Ahaziah’s Reign over Israel

^{Verse 51}In the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahab’s son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years over Israel.^{Verse 52}He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed in the footsteps of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin.^{Verse 53}He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the Lord God of Israel just as his father had done.