9The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, wearing their robes, were seated on their thrones situated in the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had provided himself with iron horns; and he said, “Thus said the LORD: With these you shall gore the Arameans till you make an end of them.” 11All the other prophets were prophesying similarly, “March against Ramoth-gilead and be victorious! The LORD will deliver it into Your Majesty’s hands.”
12The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. Let your word be like that of the rest of them; speak a favorable word.” 13“By the life of the LORD,” Micaiah answered, “I will speak only what my God tells me.” 14When he came before the king, the king said to him, “Micah,b shall we march against Ramoth-gilead for battle or shall we not?” He answered him, “March and be victorious! They will be delivered into your hands.” 15The king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” 16Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; and the LORD said, ‘These have no master; let everyone return to his home in safety.’ ” 17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good fortune for me, but only misfortune?”
18Then [Micaiah] said, “Indeed, hear now the word of the LORD! I saw the LORD seated upon His throne, with all the host of heaven standing in attendance to the right and to the left of Him. 19The LORD asked, ‘Who will entice King Ahab of Israel so that he will march and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said this and another said that, 20until a certain spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘How?’ said the LORD to him. 21And he replied, ‘I will go forth and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You will entice with success. Go forth and do it.’ 22Thus the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours; for the LORD has decreed misfortune for you.”
23Thereupon Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and exclaimed, “However did the spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak with you!” 24Micaiah replied, “You will see on the day when you try to hide in the innermost room.” 25Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and turn him over to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash, 26and say, ‘The king’s orders are: Put this fellow in prison, and let his fare be scant bread and scant water until I come home safe.’ ” 27To which Micaiah retorted, “If you ever come home safe, the LORD has not spoken through me.” He said further, c-“Listen, all you peoples!”-c
28The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah marched against Ramoth-gilead. 29The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, d-“I will disguise myself and go-d into the battle, but you, wear your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle. 30The king of Aram had given these instructions to his chariot officers: “Do not attack anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 31When the chariot officers saw Jehoshaphat, whom they took for the king of Israel, they wheeled around to attack him, and Jehoshaphat cried out and the LORD helped him, and God diverted them from him. 32And when the chariot officers realized that he was not the king of Israel, they gave up the pursuit. 33Then a man drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the e-plates of the-e armor and he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and get me behind the lines; I am wounded.” 34The battle e-raged all day long,-e and the king remained propped up in the chariot facing Aram until dusk; he died as the sun was setting.
19 King Jehoshaphat of Judah returned safely to his palace, to Jerusalem. 2Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet King Jehoshaphat and said to him, “Should one give aid to the wicked and befriend those who hate the LORD? For this, wrath is upon you from the LORD. 3However, there is some good in you, for you have purged the land of the sacred posts and have dedicated yourself to worship God.”
4Jehoshaphat remained in Jerusalem a while and then went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim; he brought them back to the LORD God of their fathers. 5He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified towns of Judah, in each and every town. 6He charged the judges: “Consider what you are doing, for you judge not on behalf of man, but on behalf of the LORD, and He is with you when you pass judgment. 7Now let the dread of the LORD be upon you; act with care, for there is no injustice or favoritism or bribe-taking with the LORD our God.” 8Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem some Levites and priests and heads of the clans of Israelites for rendering judgment in matters of the LORD, and for disputes. Then they returned to Jerusalem. 9He charged them, “This is how you shall act: in tear of the LORD, with fidelity, and with whole heart. 10When a dispute comes before you from your brothers living in their towns, whether about homicide, or about ritual, or laws or rules, you must instruct them so that they do not incur guilt before the LORD and wrath be upon you and your brothers. Act so and you will not incur guilt. 11See, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all cases concerning the LORD, and Zebadiah son of Ishmael is the commander of the house of Judah in all cases concerning the king; the Levitical officials are at your disposal; act with resolve and the LORD be with the good.”
20 After that, Moabites, Ammonites, together with some Ammonim,a came against Jehoshaphat to wage war. 2The report was brought to Jehoshaphat: “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Aram, and is now in Hazazon-tamar”—that is, Ein-gedi. 3Jehoshaphat was afraid; he decided to resort to the LORD and proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4Judah assembled to beseech the LORD. They also came from all the towns of Judah to seek the LORD.
5Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem in the House of the LORD at the front of the new court. 6He said, “LORD God of our fathers, truly You are the God in heaven and You rule over the kingdoms of the nations; power and strength are Yours; none can oppose You. 7O our God, you dispossessed the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel, and You gave it to the descendants of Your friend Abraham forever. 8They settled in it and in it built for You a House for Your name. They said, 9‘Should misfortune befall us—the punishing sword, pestilence, or famine, we shall stand before this House and before You— for Your name is in this House—and we shall cry out to You in our distress, and You will listen and deliver us.’ 10Now the people of Ammon, Moab, and the hill country of Seir, into whose [land] You did not let Israel come when they came from Egypt, but they turned aside from them and did not wipe them out, 11these now repay us by coming to expel us from Your possession which You gave us as ours. 12O our God, surely You will punish them, for we are powerless before this great multitude that has come against us, and do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” 13All Judah stood before the LORD with their little ones, their womenfolk, and their children.
14Then in the midst of the congregation the spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah son of Benaiah son of Jeiel son of Mat- taniah the Levite, of the sons of Asaph, 15and he said, “Give heed, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat; thus said the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed by this great multitude, for the battle is God’s, not yours. 16March down against them tomorrow as they come up by the Ascent of Ziz; you will find them at the end of the wadi in the direction of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17It is not for you to fight this battle; stand by, wait, and witness your deliverance by the LORD, O Judah and Jerusalem; do not fear or be dismayed; go forth to meet them tomorrow and the LORD will be with you.’ ” 18Jehoshaphat bowed low with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem threw themselves down before the LORD to worship the LORD. 19Levites of the sons of Kohath and of the sons of Korah got up to extol the LORD God of Israel at the top of their voices.
20Early the next morning they arose and went forth to the wilderness
