God

Therefore ADONAI consolidated his rulership; all Y'hudah brought presents to Y'hoshafat, so that he had wealth and honor in abundance.

In his heart he highly regarded ADONAI's ways; moreover, he removed the high places and sacred poles from Y'hudah.

They taught in Y'hudah, having a scroll of the Torah of ADONAI with them; they circulated through all the cities of Y'hudah, teaching among the people.

A panic from ADONAI seized all the kingdoms in the lands surrounding Y'hudah, so that they did not make war against Y'hoshafat.

next to him 'Amasyah the son of Zikhri, who volunteered to serve ADONAI, and with him 200,000 strong, brave men.

But Y'hoshafat said to the king of Isra'el, "First, we should seek the word of ADONAI."

So the king of Isra'el assembled the prophets, 400 men. "Should we attack Ramot-Gil'ad?" he asked them, "Or should I hold off?" They said, "Attack. God will hand it over to the king."

But Y'hoshafat said, "Besides these, isn't there a prophet of ADONAI here that we can consult?"

The king of Isra'el said to Y'hoshafat, "Yes, there is still one man through whom we can consult ADONAI; but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me, only bad! It's Mikhay'hu the son of Yimlah." Y'hoshafat replied, "The king shouldn't say such a thing."

Tzidkiyah the son of Kena'anah had made himself some horns out of iron and said, "This is what ADONAI says: 'With these you will gore Aram until they are destroyed.'"

All the prophets prophesied the same thing: "Go up and attack Ramot-Gil'ad. You will succeed, because ADONAI will hand it over to the king."

But Mikhay'hu answered, "As ADONAI lives, whatever my God says is what I will say."

The king said to him, "How many times do I have to warn you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of ADONAI?"

Then he said, "I saw all Isra'el scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; and ADONAI said, 'These men have no leader; let everyone go home in peace.'"

Mikhay'hu continued: "Therefore, hear the word of ADONAI. I saw ADONAI sitting on his throne with the whole army of heaven standing on his right and on his left.

ADONAI asked, 'Who will entice Ach'av king of Isra'el to go up to his death at Ramot-Gil'ad?' One of them said, 'Do it this way,' and another, 'Do it that way.'

Then a spirit stepped up, stood in front of ADONAI and said, 'I will entice him.'ADONAI asked, 'How?'

He answered, 'I will go and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.'ADONAI said, 'You will succeed in enticing him. Go, and do it.'

So now ADONAI has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours; meanwhile, ADONAI has ordained disaster for you."

Then Tzidkiyah the son of Kena'anah came up, slapped Mikhay'hu in the face and said, "And how did the Spirit of ADONAI leave me to speak to you?"

Mikhay'hu said, "If you return in peace at all, ADONAI has not spoken through me!"Then he added, "Did you hear me, you peoples, all of you?"

So when the chariot commanders saw Y'hoshafat they said, "This is the king of Isra'el," and turned to attack him. But Y'hoshafat called out, and ADONAI came to his aid - God moved them to leave him alone,

Yehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Y'hoshafat, "Should you help the wicked and befriend those who hate ADONAI? Because of this, ADONAI's anger is upon you.

Still, there is some good in you, in that you have removed the sacred poles from the land and have set your heart on seeking God."

So Y'hoshafat lived in Yerushalayim and again circulated among the people from Be'er-Sheva to the hills of Efrayim, bringing them back to ADONAI, the God of their ancestors.