Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab
1For three years there wasn’t any war between Aram and Israel. 2In the third year Jehoshaphat went down to see Ahab, the king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. 3The king of Israel had spoken to his officials. He had said, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us? And we aren’t even doing anything to take it back from the king of Aram.”
4So Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Yes. I’ll go with you. My men will go with you. My horses will also go with you.” 5Jehoshaphat continued, “First ask the Lord for advice.”
6So the king of Israel brought about 400 prophets together. He asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth Gilead? Or should I stay here?”
“Go,” they answered. “The Lord will hand it over to you.”
7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here? If there is, ask him what we should do.”
8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat. He said, “There is still one other man we can go to. We can ask the Lord for advice through him. But I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me. He only prophesies bad things. His name is Micaiah. He’s the son of Imlah.”
“You shouldn’t say bad things about him,” Jehoshaphat replied.
9So the king of Israel called for one of his officials. He told him, “Bring Micaiah, the son of Imlah, right away.”
10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were wearing their royal robes. They were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor. It was near the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11Zedekiah was the son of Kenaanah. Zedekiah had made horns out of iron. They looked like animal horns. He announced, “The Lord says, ‘With these horns you will drive back the men of Aram until they are destroyed.’ ”
12All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead,” they said. “Win the battle over it. The Lord will hand it over to you.”
13A messenger went to get Micaiah. He said to him, “Look. The other prophets agree. All of them are saying the king will have success. So agree with them. Say the same thing they do.”
14But Micaiah said, “You can be sure that the Lord lives. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I can only tell the king what the Lord tells me to say.”
15When Micaiah arrived, the king spoke to him. He asked, “Should we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?”
“Attack,” he answered. “You will win. The Lord will hand Ramoth Gilead over to you.”
16The king said to him, “I’ve made you promise to tell the truth many times before. So don’t tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord.”
17Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all the Israelites scattered on the hills. They were like sheep that didn’t have a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These people do not have a master. Let each of them go home in peace.’ ”
18The king of Israel spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies anything good about me? He only prophesies bad things.”
19Micaiah continued, “Listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne. All the angels of heaven were standing around him. Some were standing at his right side. The others were standing at his left side. 20The Lord said, ‘Who will get Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead? I want him to die there.’
“One angel suggested one thing. Another suggested something else. 21Finally, a spirit came forward and stood in front of the Lord. The spirit said, ‘I’ll get Ahab to do it.’
22“ ‘How?’ the Lord asked.
“The spirit said, ‘I’ll go out and put lies in the mouths of all his prophets.’
“ ‘You will have success in getting Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
23“So the Lord has put lies in the mouths of all your prophets. He has said that great harm will come to you.”
24Then Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. Zedekiah asked Micaiah, “Do you think the spirit sent by the Lord left me? Do you think that spirit went to speak to you?”
25Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inside room to save your life.”
26Then the king of Israel gave an order. He said, “Take Micaiah away. Send him back to Amon. Amon is the ruler of the city of Samaria. And send him back to Joash. Joash is a member of the royal court. 27Tell him, ‘The king says, “Put this fellow in prison. Don’t give him anything but bread and water until I return safely.” ’ ”
28Micaiah announced, “Do you really think you will return safely? If you do, the Lord hasn’t spoken through me.” He continued, “All of you people, remember what I’ve said!”
Ahab Is Killed at Ramoth Gilead
29So the king of Israel went up to Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went there too. 30The king of Israel spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, “I’ll go into battle wearing different clothes. Then people won’t recognize me. But you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel put on different clothes. Then he went into battle.
31The king of Aram had given an order to his 32 chariot commanders. He had said, “Fight only against the king of Israel. Don’t fight against anyone else.” 32The chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat. They thought, “That has to be the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out. 33Then the commanders saw he wasn’t the king of Israel after all. So they stopped chasing him.
34But someone shot an arrow without taking aim. The arrow hit the king of Israel between the parts of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Turn the chariot around. Get me out of this battle. I’ve been wounded.” 35All day long the battle continued. The king kept himself standing up by leaning against the inside of his chariot. He kept his face toward the men of Aram. The blood from his wound ran down onto the floor of the chariot. That evening he died. 36As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army. “Every man must go to his own town!” they said. “Every man must go to his own land!”
37So the king died. He was brought to Samaria. They buried him there. 38They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria. It was where the prostitutes took baths. The dogs licked up Ahab’s blood. It happened exactly as the Lord had said it would.
39The other events of Ahab’s rule are written down. Everything he did is written down. That includes the palace he built and decorated with ivory. It also includes the cities he built up and put high walls around. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel. 40Ahab joined the members of his family who had already died. Ahab’s son Ahaziah became the next king after him.
Jehoshaphat King of Judah
41Jehoshaphat began to rule over Judah. It was in the fourth year that Ahab was king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa. 42Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother’s name was Azubah. She was the daughter of Shilhi. 43Jehoshaphat followed all the ways of his father Asa. He didn’t wander away from them. He did what was right in the sight of the Lord. But the high places weren’t removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense at them. 44Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.
45The other events of Jehoshaphat’s rule are written down. The brave things he did in battle and everything else he accomplished are written down. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Judah. 46Jehoshaphat got rid of the rest of the male prostitutes who were at the temples. They had remained in the land even after the rule of his father Asa. 47At that time Edom didn’t have a king. An area governor was in charge.
48Jehoshaphat built many ships that he used to carry goods to be traded. The ships were supposed to go to Ophir for gold. But they never had a chance to sail. They were wrecked at Ezion Geber. 49At that time Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, “Let my men sail with yours.” But Jehoshaphat refused.
50Jehoshaphat joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the city of King David. Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became the next king after him.
Ahaziah King of Israel
51Ahaziah became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 17th year that Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Ahaziah ruled over Israel for two years. He was the son of Ahab. 52Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He lived the way his father and mother had lived. He lived the way Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had lived. Jeroboam had caused Israel to sin. 53Ahaziah served and worshiped the god named Baal. He made the Lord, the God of Israel, very angry. That’s exactly what Ahaziah’s father had done.
Mikaya Anenera Motsutsa Ahabu
1Kwa zaka zitatu panalibe nkhondo pakati pa Aramu ndi Israeli. 2Koma pa chaka chachitatu, Yehosafati mfumu ya ku Yuda anapita kukacheza ndi mfumu ya ku Israeli. 3Mfumu ya ku Israeli nʼkuti itawuza atumiki ake kuti, “Kodi inu simukudziwa kuti Ramoti Giliyadi ndi dera lathu ndipo ife palibe chimene tikuchita kuti tilitenge deralo mʼmanja mwa mfumu ya Aramu?”
4Tsono iye anafunsa Yehosafati kuti, “Kodi udzapita nane ku nkhondo ku Ramoti Giliyadi?”
Yehosafati anayankha mfumu ya ku Israeli kuti, “Ine ndili monga inu, anthu anga monga anthu anu, akavalo anga monga akavalo anu.” 5Koma Yehosafati anawuzanso mfumu ya ku Israeli kuti, “Poyamba mupemphe nzeru kwa Yehova.”
6Choncho mfumu ya Israeli inasonkhanitsa pamodzi aneneri okwanira 400, ndipo inawafunsa kuti, “Kodi ndipite kukathira nkhondo Ramoti Giliyadi, kapena ndileke?”
Iwo anayankha kuti, “Pitani, pakuti Ambuye waupereka mzindawo mʼmanja mwa mfumu.”
7Koma Yehosafati anafunsa kuti, “Kodi kuno kulibenso mneneri wina wa Yehova kumene ife tingakafunsireko nzeru?”
8Mfumu ya ku Israeli inayankha Yehosafati kuti, “Alipo munthu mmodzi amene ife tingakafunsire kwa Yehova, koma ndimadana naye chifukwa iyeyo samanenera kanthu kalikonse kabwino ka ine, koma zoyipa nthawi zonse. Dzina lake ndi Mikaya mwana wa Imula.”
Yehosafati anayankha kuti, “Mfumu musatero.”
9Choncho mfumu ya Israeli inayitana mmodzi mwa atumiki ake ndipo inati, “Kayitane Mikaya mwana wa Imula msangamsanga.”
10Atavala mikanjo yawo yaufumu, mfumu ya ku Israeli ndi Yehosafati mfumu ya ku Yuda anakhala pa mipando yawo yaufumu pabwalo lopondera tirigu pafupi ndi chipata cha Samariya, pamodzi ndi aneneri onse akunenera pamaso pawo. 11Tsono Zedekiya mwana wa Kenaana nʼkuti atapanga nyanga zachitsulo ndipo iye ananenera kuti, “Yehova akuti, ‘Ndi nyanga izi, inu mudzagunda nazo Aaramu mpaka iwo atawonongeka.’ ”
12Aneneri ena onse ananenera zomwezonso. Iwo anati, “Kathireni nkhondo Ramoti Giliyadi ndipo mukapambana, pakuti Yehova adzawupereka mzindawo mʼdzanja la mfumu.”
13Wamthenga amene anapita kukayitana Mikaya anamuwuza kuti, “Taonani, aneneri onse monga munthu mmodzi akunenera za kupambana kwa mfumu. Mawu anunso akhale ogwirizana ndi mawu awo, ndipo mukayankhule zabwino.”
14Koma Mikaya anati, “Pali Yehova wamoyo, ine ndikawawuza zokhazo zimene Yehova akandiwuze.”
15Atafika, Ahabu anamufunsa kuti, “Mikaya, kodi tipite kukathira nkhondo Ramoti Giliyadi, kapena tileke?”
Iye anayankha kuti, “Pitani ndipo mukapambana, pakuti Yehova adzawupereka mzindawo mʼdzanja la mfumu.”
16Ahabu anati kwa iye, “Kodi ndikulumbiritse kangati kuti undiwuze zoona zokhazokha mʼdzina la Yehova?”
17Pamenepo Mikaya anayankha kuti, “Ndinaona Aisraeli onse atamwazikana pa mapiri ngati nkhosa zopanda mʼbusa, ndipo Yehova anati, ‘Anthu awa alibe mbuye wawo. Aliyense apite kwawo mwamtendere.’ ”
18Mfumu ya ku Israeli inati kwa Yehosafati, “Kodi ine sindinakuwuzeni kuti ameneyu samanenera kanthu kalikonse kabwino ka ine, koma zoyipa zokhazokha?”
19Mikaya anapitiriza kuyankhula nati, “Tsono imvani mawu a Yehova: Ine ndinaona Yehova atakhala pa mpando wake waufumu, gulu lonse la kumwamba litayima ku dzanja lake lamanja ndi ku dzanja lake lamanzere. 20Ndipo Yehova anati, ‘Kodi ndani amene akamukope Ahabu kuti akathire nkhondo Ramoti Giliyadi, nʼkukafera komweko?’ ”
“Wina anapereka maganizo ena ndipo winanso maganizo ena. 21Potsirizira, mzimu wina unabwera ndi kuyima pamaso pa Yehova ndipo unati, ‘Ine ndidzamukopa.’ ”
22Yehova anafunsa kuti, “Ukamukopa bwanji?”
Mzimuwo unati, “Ndidzapita ndi kukakhala mzimu wabodza pakamwa pa aneneri ake onse.”
Yehova anati, “ ‘Iwe udzamukopadi. Pita kachite zomwezo.’
23“Ndipo tsopano taonani, Yehova wayika mzimu wabodza mʼkamwa mwa aneneri anu onsewa. Yehova waneneratu kuti mukaona mavuto.”
24Pamenepo Zedekiya mwana wa Kenaana anapita pafupi namenya Mikaya patsaya. Iye anafunsa Mikaya kuti, “Kodi mzimu wa Yehova unadzera njira iti pamene umatuluka mwa ine kuti uziyankhula ndi iwe?”
25Mikaya anayankha kuti, “Udzaona pa tsiku limene uzikalowa mʼchipinda chamʼkati kuti ukabisale.”
26Pamenepo mfumu ya ku Israeli inalamula kuti, “Mugwireni Mikaya ndipo mubwerere naye kwa Amoni mkulu wa mzinda, ndi kwa Yowasi mwana wa mfumu 27ndipo mukanene kuti, ‘Chimene mfumu ikunena ndi ichi; Muyikeni mʼndende munthu uyu ndipo musamupatse chakudya china koma buledi ndi madzi pangʼono mpaka nditabwerera mwamtendere.’ ”
28Mikaya ananena kuti, “Ngati mudzabwerera mwamtendere, Yehova sanayankhule kudzera mwa ine.” Ndipo iye anapitiriza kunena kuti, “Gwiritsitsani mawu angawa, anthu inu nonse!”
Ahabu Aphedwa ku Ramoti Giliyadi
29Choncho mfumu ya ku Israeli ndi Yehosafati mfumu ya ku Yuda anapita ku Ramoti Giliyadi. 30Mfumu ya ku Israeli inawuza Yehosafati kuti, “Ine ndidzalowa mu nkhondoyi modzibisa, koma inu muvale zovala zanu zaufumu.” Choncho mfumu ya ku Israeli inadzibisa ndi kupita ku nkhondo.
31Tsono mfumu ya ku Aramu nʼkuti italamulira anthu ake 32 olamulira magaleta kuti, “Musamenyane ndi wina aliyense, wamngʼono kapena wamkulu, koma mfumu ya ku Israeli.” 32Olamulira magaleta ataona Yehosafati, ankaganiza kuti, “Ndithu iyi ndiye mfumu ya ku Israeli.” Choncho anabwerera kukamenyana naye, koma Yehosafati atafuwula, 33olamulira akavalo anaona kuti sanali mfumu ya ku Israeli ndipo analeka kumuthamangitsa.
34Koma munthu wina anaponya muvi wake mwachiponyeponye ndi kulasa mfumu ya ku Israeli polumikizira malaya ake odzitetezera. Mfumu inawuza woyendetsa galeta lake kuti, “Tembenuka ndipo undichotse pa nkhondo pano pakuti ndalasidwa.” 35Nkhondo inakula kwambiri tsiku limenelo, ndipo mfumu inakhala tsonga mʼgaleta lake moyangʼanana ndi Aaramu. Magazi ake ankayenderera pansi kuchokera mʼgaleta, ndipo pa nthawi ya madzulo inamwalira. 36Pamene dzuwa linkalowa, kunamveka mfuwu wa nkhondo kuti, “Munthu aliyense apite ku mzinda wa kwawo, aliyense apite ku dziko la kwawo!”
37Ndipo mfumu ija inafa, nabwera nayo ku Samariya, ndipo anayika mʼmanda kumeneko. 38Anatsuka galeta lija pa dziwe la ku Samariya (pamene ankasamba akazi achiwerewere) ndipo agalu ananyambita magazi a mfumuyo, monga momwe Yehova ananenera.
39Tsono ntchito zina za Ahabu, kuphatikiza zonse anazichita, nyumba yaufumu imene anamanga yokutidwa ndi minyanga ya njovu, mizinda yotetezedwa, kodi sizinalembedwe mʼbuku la mbiri ya mafumu a ku Israeli? 40Ahabu anamwalira nayikidwa mʼmanda pamodzi ndi makolo ake. Ndipo Ahaziya mwana wake analowa ufumu mʼmalo mwake.
Yehosafati Mfumu ya ku Yuda
41Yehosafati, mwana wa Asa anakhala mfumu ya ku Yuda chaka chachinayi cha Ahabu mfumu ya ku Israeli. 42Yehosafati anali wa zaka 35 pamene analowa ufumu, ndipo analamulira ku Yerusalemu zaka 25. Amayi ake anali Azuba mwana wa Silihi. 43Pa zinthu zonse, Yehosafati anayenda mʼnjira za Asa abambo ake ndipo sanachite zotsutsana ndi machitidwe a abambo ake. Iye anachita zolungama pamaso pa Yehova. Komabe, malo azipembedzo sanawawononge, ndipo anthu anapitiriza kupereka nsembe ndi kufukiza lubani kumeneko. 44Yehosafati anakhala mwamtendere ndi mfumu ya ku Israeli.
45Ntchito zake zina za Yehosafati, zinthu zimene anachita ndi zamphamvu zimene anaonetsa, kodi sizinalembedwe mʼbuku la mbiri ya mafumu a ku Yuda? 46Iye anachotsa mʼdzikomo amuna onse ochita zachiwerewere mwa chipembedzo amene anatsalira pa nthawi ya ulamuliro wa Asa, abambo ake. 47Nthawi imeneyo kunalibe mfumu ku Edomu, amene ankalamulira anali munthu woyikidwa ndi mfumu ya ku Yuda.
48Yehosafati anapanga sitima zapamadzi zopita ku Ofiri kukatenga golide, koma sitimazo sizinayende chifukwa zinawonongeka ku Ezioni Geberi. 49Nthawi imeneyo Ahaziya mwana wa Ahabu anawuza Yehosafati kuti, “Anthu anga ayende pa madzi pamodzi ndi anthu anu,” koma Yehosafati anakana.
50Ndipo Yehosafati anamwalira nayikidwa mʼmanda pamodzi ndi makolo ake mu mzinda wa Davide. Ndipo Yoramu mwana wake analowa ufumu mʼmalo mwake.
Ahaziya Mfumu ya ku Israeli
51Ahaziya mwana wa Ahabu anakhala mfumu ya ku Israeli ku Samariya mʼchaka cha 17 cha Yehosafati mfumu ya ku Yuda, ndipo analamulira Israeli zaka ziwiri. 52Iye anachita zoyipa pamaso pa Yehova, chifukwa anayenda mʼnjira za abambo ndi amayi ake komanso mʼnjira za Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati, amene anachimwitsa Israeli. 53Potumikira ndi kupembedza Baala, iye anakwiyitsa Yehova Mulungu wa Israeli, monga momwe anachitira abambo ake.
