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.
米该雅先知警告亚哈
1约沙法极有财富和尊荣，他与亚哈结为姻亲。 2几年后，约沙法下到撒玛利亚拜访亚哈。亚哈宰了很多牛羊款待他和他的随从，又劝他与自己一起去攻打基列的拉末。 3以色列王亚哈对犹大王约沙法说：“你愿意跟我一起去攻打基列的拉末吗？”约沙法回答说：“你我不分彼此，我的民就是你的民，我必与你同去。” 4约沙法又对以色列王说：“你要先求问耶和华。”
5于是，以色列王召来四百名先知，问他们：“我该去攻打基列的拉末吗？”他们说：“去吧，上帝必把那城交在王手中。” 6但约沙法问：“这里没有耶和华的先知供我们求问吗？” 7以色列王回答说：“还有一个人，是音拉的儿子米该雅，我们可以托他求问耶和华。可是我厌恶他，因为他给我的预言都是有凶无吉。”约沙法说：“王不要这样说。” 8以色列王召来一名内侍，说：“你快把音拉的儿子米该雅带来。”
9以色列王和犹大王约沙法身穿朝服，坐在撒玛利亚城门前麦场的宝座上，众先知都在他们面前说预言。 10基拿拿的儿子西底迦造了两只铁角，说：“耶和华这样说，‘你必用这铁角抵亚兰人，直到毁灭他们。’” 11所有的先知也都预言说：“去攻打基列的拉末吧，一定得胜，耶和华必将那城交在王的手中。”
12去召米该雅的使者对米该雅说：“众先知都异口同声地向王说吉言，你也像他们一样说些吉言吧。” 13米该雅回答说：“我凭永活的耶和华起誓，我的上帝对我说什么，我就说什么。” 14米该雅来到王面前，王就问他：“米该雅啊，我们该不该去攻打基列的拉末？”米该雅回答说：“上去攻打吧，一定得胜，敌人必被交在你们手中。” 15王却说：“我要你起誓多少次，你才肯奉耶和华的名对我说实话呢？” 16米该雅说：“我看见以色列人都四散在山上，好像没有牧人的羊群一样。耶和华说，‘这些人没有主人，让他们各自平安地回家去吧。’”
17以色列王对约沙法说：“我不是告诉过你吗？他给我的预言都是有凶无吉。” 18米该雅说：“你要听耶和华的话。我看见耶和华坐在宝座上，众天军侍立在祂左右。 19耶和华说，‘谁愿意去引诱以色列王亚哈到基列的拉末去送死呢？’众天军议论纷纷。 20后来，有一个灵站出来对耶和华说他愿意去。耶和华问他用什么方法， 21他说，‘我要去做谎言之灵，进入他众先知的口中。’耶和华说，‘你必成功诱骗他，就这样做吧。’ 22现在，耶和华已经把谎言之灵放进你这些先知口中，耶和华已决意降祸给你。”
23基拿拿的儿子西底迦听了米该雅的话就上前打他的脸，说：“耶和华的灵怎会离开我向你说话呢？” 24米该雅说：“你躲进密室的那天就知道了。” 25以色列王下令说：“把米该雅交给亚们总督和约阿施王子， 26告诉他们，‘王说，要把这人关在监牢，只给他一点饼和水，直到我平安回来。’” 27米该雅说：“你若能平安回来，耶和华就没有借着我说话。”他又说：“众民啊，你们都要记住我的话。”
亚哈之死
28以色列王和犹大王约沙法出兵攻打基列的拉末。 29以色列王对约沙法说：“我要改装上阵，你就穿王袍吧。”以色列王就改装上阵。 30亚兰王已经吩咐战车长不要跟对方的大小军兵交锋，只攻击以色列王。 31战车长看见约沙法，以为他就是以色列王，便转过来攻击他。约沙法高声喊叫，耶和华上帝就帮助他，使敌人离开他。 32战车长见他不是以色列王，便不再追杀他。 33有人随手放了一箭，射进了以色列王的铠甲缝中。王对驾车的说：“调转车头拉我离开战场吧，我受了重伤。” 34那天的战事非常激烈，以色列王勉强支撑着站在车上迎战亚兰人，直到黄昏。太阳下山的时候，他就死了。
