7In the third year of his reign he sent his officers Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah throughout the cities of Judah to offer instruction. 8With them were the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tobadonijah the Levites; with them were Elishama and Jehoram the priests. 9They offered instruction throughout Judah, having with them the Book of the Teaching of the LORD. They made the rounds of all the cities of the LORD and instructed the people. 10A terror of the LORD seized all the kingdoms of the lands around Judah, and they did not go to war with Jehoshaphat. 11From Philistia a load of silver was brought to Jehoshaphat as tribute. The Arabs, too, brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 he-goats. 12Jehoshaphat grew greater and greater, and he built up fortresses and garrison towns in Judah. 13He carried out extensive works in the towns of Judah, and had soldiers, valiant men, in Jerusalem. 14They were enrolled according to their clans. Judah: chiefs of thousands, Adnah the chief, who had 300,000 valiant men; 15next to him was Jehohanan the captain, who had 280,000; 16next to him was Amasiah son of Zichri, who made a freewill offering to the LORD. He had 200,000 valiant men. 17Benjamin: Eliada, a valiant man, who had 200,000 men armed with bow and buckler; 18next to him was Jehozabad, who had 180,000 armed men. 19These served the king, besides those whom the king assigned to the fortified towns throughout Judah.
18 aSo Jehoshaphat had wealth and honor in abundance, and he allied himself by marriage to Ahab. 2After some years had passed, he came to visit Ahab at Samaria. Ahab slaughtered sheep and oxen in abundance for him and for the people with him, and persuaded him to march against Ramoth-gilead. 3King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, “Will you accompany me to Ramoth-gilead?” He answered him, “I will do what you do; my troops shall be your troops and shall accompany you in battle.” 4Jehoshaphat then said to the king of Israel, “But first inquire for the word of the LORD.”
5So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Shall I march upon Ramoth-gilead for battle, or shall I not?” “March,” they said, “and God will deliver it into the king’s hands.” 6Then Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not another prophet of the LORD here through whom we can inquire?” 7And the king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man through whom we can inquire of the LORD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me but always misfortune. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat replied, “Let the king not say such a thing.” 8So the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
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
