The Divided Kingdom

And Ahab king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, `Dost thou go with me to Ramoth-Gilead?' And he saith to him, `As I--so thou, and as thy people--my people, even with thee in battle.'

And Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `Seek, I pray thee, this day, the word of Jehovah.'

And the king of Israel gathereth the prophets, four hundred men, and saith unto them, `Do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' And they say, `Go up, and God doth give it into the hand of the king.'

And Jehoshaphat saith, `Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah still, and we seek from him?'

And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Still--one man to seek Jehovah from him, and I--I have hated him, for he is not prophesying concerning me of good, but all his days of evil, he is Micaiah son of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, `Let not the king say so.'

And the king of Israel calleth unto a certain officer, and saith, `Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.'

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah are sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, and they are sitting in a threshing-floor at the opening of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets are prophesying before them.

And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah,

With these thou dost push Aram till thou hast consumed them.' And all the prophets are prophesying so, saying, `Go up to Ramath-Gilead and prosper, and Jehovah hath given it into the hand of the king.'

And the messenger who hath gone to call for Micaiah hath spoken unto him, saying, `Lo, the words of the prophets--one mouth-- are good towards the king, and let, I pray thee, thy word be like one of theirs: and thou hast spoken good.'

And Micaiah saith `Jehovah liveth, surely that which my God saith, it I speak.'

And he cometh in unto the king, and the king saith unto him, `Micaiah, do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' And he saith, `Go ye up, and prosper, and they are given into your hand.'

And the king saith unto him, `How many times am I adjuring thee, that thou speak unto me only truth in the name of Jehovah?'

And he saith, `I have seen all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd, and Jehovah saith, There are no masters to these, they turn back each to his house in peace.'

And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Did I not say unto thee, He doth not prophesy concerning me good, but rather of evil?'

And he saith, `Therefore, hear ye a word of Jehovah: I have seen Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing on His right and His left;

and Jehovah saith, Who doth entice Ahab king of Israel, and he doth go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead? And this speaker saith thus, and that speaker thus.

And go out doth the spirit, and stand before Jehovah, and saith, I do entice him; and Jehovah saith unto him, With what?

and he saith, I go out, and have become a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets. And He saith, Thou dost entice, and also, thou art able; go out and do so.

And, now, lo, Jehovah hath put a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of these thy prophets, and Jehovah hath spoken concerning thee--evil.'

And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah cometh nigh, and smiteth Micaiah on the cheek, and saith, `Where is this--the way the Spirit of Jehovah passed over from me to speak with thee?'

And Micaiah saith, `Lo, thou dost see in that day, that thou dost enter into the innermost chamber to be hidden.'

And the king of Israel saith, `Take ye Micaiah, and turn him back unto Amon head of the city, and unto Joash son of the king,

and ye have said, Thus said the king, Put ye this one in the house of restraint, and cause him to eat bread of oppression, and water of oppression, till my return in peace.'

And Micaiah saith, `If thou dost certainly return in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me;' and he saith, `Hear ye, O peoples, all of them!'