Micaiah Prophesies Against Ahab
1Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honor, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. 2Some years later he went down to see Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him and urged him to attack Ramoth Gilead. 3Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth Gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will join you in the war.” 4But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord.”
5So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Go,” they answered, “for God will give it into the king’s hand.”
6But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?”
7The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.
8So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
9Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. 10Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns, and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ ”
11All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”
12The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.”
13But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.”
14When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I not?”
“Attack and be victorious,” he answered, “for they will be given into your hand.”
15The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”
16Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the Lord said, ‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’ ”
17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”
18Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing on his right and on his left. 19And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?’
“One suggested this, and another that. 20Finally, a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will entice him.’
“ ‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.
21“ ‘I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.
“ ‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’
22“So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.”
23Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from18:23 Or Spirit of the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.
24Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room.”
25The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 26and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’ ”
27Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my words, all you people!”
Ahab Killed at Ramoth Gilead
28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. 29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
30Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 31When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel.” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him, 32for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him.
33But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the breastplate and the scale armor. The king told the chariot driver, “Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 34All day long the battle raged, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then at sunset he died.
Yehosafat Ne Ahab
1Yehosafat yɛɛ ɔdefoɔ a na nʼanimuonyam nso korɔn. Ɔhyehyɛ maa ne babarima waree Israelhene Ahab babaa. 2Mfeɛ kakra bi akyi no, ɔkɔɔ Samaria kɔsraa Ahab. Ahab too ɛpono kɛseɛ bi maa ɔne ne mpanimfoɔ. Wɔkunkumm nnwan ne anantwie bebree, de too ɛpono no. Na Ahab korɔkorɔɔ Yehosafat sɛ ɔmmɛboa no, na ɔnkɔko ntia Ramot-Gilead. 3Ahab bisaa no sɛ, “Wobɛboa me na mako atia Ramot-Gilead anaa?” Na Yehosafat buaa sɛ, “Adɛn, akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho. Me ne wo yɛ anuanom, na mʼakodɔm nso, wotumi kyerɛ wɔn deɛ wɔnyɛ. Yɛbɛboa wo, ama woako dodo.”
4Afei, Yehosafat kaa sɛ, “Deɛ ɛdi ɛkan no, ma yɛmmisa Awurade hɔ afotuo.”
5Enti, ɔhene Ahab frɛɛ nʼadiyifoɔ ahanan bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Yɛnkɔko ntia Ramot-Gilead anaasɛ yɛnnkɔ?”
Wɔn nyinaa buaa sɛ, “Monkɔ na Onyankopɔn bɛma moadi nkonim.”
6Nanso, Yehosafat bisaa sɛ, “Na Awurade odiyifoɔ biara nni ha? Mepɛ sɛ mebisa no asɛm korɔ no ara.”
7Ɔhene Ahab buaa sɛ, “Ɔbaako da so wɔ ha a ɔbɛtumi abisa Awurade ama me, nanso, mekyiri no. Ɔnhyɛ nkɔm biara sɛ nsɛm a ɛnyɛ. Ne din de Mikaia. Imla babarima ne no.”
Yehosafat kaa sɛ, “Nkasa saa. Ma yɛntie asɛm a ɔwɔ ka.”
8Enti, Israelhene frɛɛ ne mpanimfoɔ no baako ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Yɛ ntɛm kɔfrɛ Imla babarima Mikaia brɛ me.”
Mikaia Hyɛ Nkɔm Tia Ahab
9Israelhene Ahab ne Yudahene Yehosafat hyehyɛɛ wɔn ahentadeɛ yuu tenatenaa wɔn ahennwa so wɔ ayuporobea a ɛbɛn Samaria ɛpono ano hɔ. Na Ahab adiyifoɔ no nyinaa rehyɛ nkɔm wɔ wɔn anim. 10Na wɔn mu baako a ɔyɛ Kenaana babarima Sedekia de nnadeɛ yɛɛ mmɛn, na ɔdaa no adi sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Mode saa mmɛn yi bɛwowɔ Aramfoɔ yi ama wɔawuwu!”
11Adiyifoɔ a wɔwɔ hɔ no nyinaa penee so, kaa sɛ, “Aane, monkɔ Ramot-Gilead, na monkɔdi nkonim, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade bɛma moadi nkonim.”
12Ɔbɔfoɔ a ɔkɔfrɛɛ Mikaia no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Hwɛ, adiyifoɔ no nyinaa hyɛ ɔhene no bɔ sɛ ɔbɛdi nkonim. Hwɛ sɛ wone wɔn bɛyɛ adwene, na hyɛ nkonimdie ho bɔ.”
13Nanso, Mikaia buaa sɛ, “Mmerɛ dodoɔ a Awurade te aseɛ yi, deɛ Awurade aka akyerɛ me sɛ menka no na mɛka.”
14Ɛberɛ a Mikaia bɛduruu ɔhene Ahab anim no, ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Mikaia, yɛnkɔko ntia Ramot-Gilead anaa yɛnnkɔ?”
Mikaia buaa sɛ, “Monkɔko! Ɛbɛyɛ nkonimdie a ɛho wɔ nyam.”
15Nanso, ɔhene no sɔɔ so sɛ, “Mpɛn ahe na menka sɛ, ɛberɛ biara a wobɛkasa ama Awurade no, ɛsɛ sɛ woka nokorɛ?”
16Na Mikaia ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Anisoadehunu mu no, mehunuu sɛ Israel nyinaa abɔ apete wɔ mmepɔ no so sɛ nnwan a wɔnni ɔhwɛfoɔ. Na Awurade kaa sɛ, ‘Wɔakum wɔn wura. Fa wɔn kɔ efie asomdwoeɛ mu.’ ”
17Israelhene ka kyerɛɛ Yehosafat sɛ, “Manka ankyerɛ wo? Daa, saa na ɔyɛ. Ɔnhyɛɛ nkɔm papa biara nkyerɛɛ me da. Nsɛm a ɛnyɛ dɛ na ɔka kyerɛ me.”
18Mikaia toaa so sɛ, “Tie deɛ Awurade ka! Mehunuu sɛ Awurade te nʼahennwa so a ɔsoro asraadɔm nyinaa tete ne nifa ne ne benkum so. 19Na Awurade bisaa sɛ, ‘Hwan na ɔbɛtumi adaadaa Israelhene Ahab ama wakɔtu Ramot-Gilead so sa na wɔakum no wɔ hɔ?’
“Adwenkyerɛ bebree baa ho, 20kɔsii sɛ ne korakora no, honhom bi kɔɔ Awurade nkyɛn kɔkaa sɛ, ‘Mɛtumi ayɛ!’ ”
Awurade bisaa sɛ, “ ‘Ɛkwan bɛn so na wobɛfa ayɛ yei.’ ”
21Na honhom no buaa sɛ, “Mɛkɔ akɔdaadaa Ahab adiyifoɔ, ama wɔadi atorɔ.”
Awurade kaa sɛ, “Kɔ so yɛ, na wobɛdi nkonim.
22“Enti, woahunu sɛ Awurade de nkontompo honhom ahyɛ wʼadiyifoɔ no anom. Awurade adwene sɛ ɔde amanehunu bɛba wo so.”
23Na Kenaana babarima Sedekia kɔɔ Mikaia so, kɔbɔɔ no sotorɔ bisaa sɛ, “Da bɛn na Awurade honhom gyaa me bɛkasa kyerɛɛ wo?”
24Na Mikaia buaa sɛ, “Ɛrenkyɛre biara, wobɛhunu nokorɛ no wɔ ɛberɛ a wobɛdwane akɔtɛ kɔkoam dan bi mu.”
25Israelhene Ahab hyɛɛ sɛ, “Monkyere Mikaia, na momfa no nsane nkɔma Amon a ɔyɛ kuropɔn no so amrado ne me babarima Yoas. 26Monka saa asɛm a ɛfiri ɔhene nkyɛn yi nkyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Fa saa ɔbarima yi to afiase. Mommma no aduane biara sɛ burodo ne nsuo, kɔsi sɛ mɛfiri akono aba asomdwoeɛ mu.’ ”
27Nanso, Mikaia buaa sɛ, “Sɛ woba asomdwoeɛ mu a, na ɛkyerɛ sɛ, Awurade amfa me so ankasa!” Afei, ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn a wɔgyinagyina hɔ no sɛ, “Monhwɛ asɛm a maka no yie.”
Ahab Owuo
28Enti, Israelhene ne Yudahene Yehosafat dii wɔn akodɔm anim, tuu Ramot-Gilead so sa. 29Afei, ɔhene Ahab ka kyerɛɛ Yehosafat sɛ, “Yɛrekɔ ɔko yi, mɛsesa me ho sɛdeɛ obiara renhunu me nanso, wo deɛ, wobɛhyɛ wʼahentadeɛ.” Enti, Ahab sesaa ne ho, na wɔkɔɔ ɔko no.
30Saa ɛberɛ no, na ɔhene Aram aka akyerɛ ne nteaseɛnamkafoɔ no sɛ, “Monkɔto nhyɛ Israelhene nko ara so.” 31Enti, ɛberɛ a Aram nteaseɛnamkafoɔ no hunuu Yehosafat sɛ ɔhyɛ nʼahentadeɛ yuu no, wɔkɔɔ ne so. Wɔteaam sɛ, “Israelhene no na ɔte hɔ no.” Nanso, Yehosafat teaam frɛɛ Awurade sɛ ɔmmɛgye no nkwa. Na Awurade yii nkurɔfoɔ no ani firii ne so, de gyee no nkwa. 32Ɛberɛ a nteaseɛnamkafoɔ no hunuu sɛ ɔnyɛ Israelhene no, wɔgyaee ne so taa.
33Na Aram ɔsraani bi de anibiannasoɔ totoo nʼagyan guu Israel akodɔm no mu, maa bɛmma no bi kɔwɔɔ Israelhene nkataboɔ ahyiaeɛ wɔ ne mmɔtoam. Ahab teaam kyerɛɛ nteaseɛnamkafoɔ no sɛ, “Momfa me mfiri ha, na wɔapira me pira bɔne.” 34Ɔko no kɔɔ so da mu no nyinaa. Ahab kɔtweree ne teaseɛnam a nʼani kyerɛ Aramfoɔ no de kɔsii anwummerɛ. Na ɛyɛɛ sɛdeɛ owia rekɔtɔ no, ɔwuiɛ.
