| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 1There was a lull of three years without war between Aram and Israel. | 1There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. |
| 2However, in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went to visit the king of Israel. | 2In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit the king of Israel. |
| 3The king of Israel had said to his servants, "Don't you know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we have failed to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?" | 3The king of Israel said to his servants, "Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria." |
| 4So he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses." | 4Then he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal." |
| 5But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "First, please ask what the LORD's will is." | 5Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the LORD." |
| 6So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about 400 men, and asked them, "Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?" They replied, "March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king." | 6So the king of Israel assembled about four hundred prophets and asked them, "Should I attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" They said, "Attack! The sovereign one will hand it over to the king." |
| 7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of Yahweh here anymore? Let's ask him." | 7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?" |
| 8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man who can ask Yahweh, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah."" The king shouldn't say that!" Jehoshaphat replied. | 8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom we can seek the LORD's will. But I despise him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say such things." |
| 9So the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!" | 9The king of Israel summoned an official and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah." |
| 10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria's gate, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. | 10Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their respective thrones, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were prophesying before them. |
| 11Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.'" | 11Zedekiah son of Kenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the LORD says, 'With these you will gore Syria until they are destroyed.'" |
| 12And all the prophets were prophesying the same: "March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will hand it over to the king." | 12All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king." |
| 13The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, "Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably." | 13Now the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the prophets are in complete agreement that the king will succeed. Your words must agree with theirs; you must predict success." |
| 14But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, I will say whatever the LORD says to me." | 14But Micaiah said, "As certainly as the LORD lives, I will say what the LORD tells me to say." |
| 15So he went to the king, and the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain?" Micaiah told him, "March up and succeed. Yahweh will hand it over to the king." | 15When he came before the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" He answered him, "Attack! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king." |
| 16But the king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?" | 16The king said to him, "How many times must I make you solemnly promise in the name of the LORD to tell me only the truth?" |
| 17So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said," They have no master; let everyone return home in peace." | 17Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. Then the LORD said, 'They have no master. They should go home in peace.'" |
| 18So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?" | 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?" |
| 19Then Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and the whole heavenly host was standing by Him at His right hand and at His left hand. | 19Micaiah said, "That being the case, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the heavenly assembly standing on his right and on his left. |
| 20And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' So one was saying this and another was saying that." | 20The LORD said, 'Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?' One said this and another that. |
| 21Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.'" | 21Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the LORD. He said, 'I will deceive him.' The LORD asked him, 'How?' |
| 22The LORD asked him, 'How?'" He said, 'I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.'" Then He said, 'You will certainly entice him and prevail. Go and do that.'" | 22He replied, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' The LORD said, 'Deceive and overpower him. Go out and do as you have proposed.' |
| 23You see, the LORD has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you." | 23So now, look, the LORD has placed a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours; but the LORD has decreed disaster for you." |
| 24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah in the face, and demanded, "Did the Spirit of the LORD leave me to speak to you?" | 24Zedekiah son of Kenaanah approached, hit Micaiah on the jaw, and said, "Which way did the LORD's spirit go when he went from me to speak to you?" |
| 25Micaiah replied, "You will soon see when you go to hide yourself in an inner chamber on that day." | 25Micaiah replied, "Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide." |
| 26Then the king of Israel ordered, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's son, | 26Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king's son. |
| 27and say, 'This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison and feed him only bread and water until I come back safely.'" | 27Say, 'This is what the king says, "Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I safely return."'" |
| 28But Micaiah said, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he said, "Listen, all you people!" | 28Micaiah said, "If you really do safely return, then the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he added, "Take note, all you people." |
| 29Then the king of Israel and Judah's King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead. | 29The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. |
| 30But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. | 30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and then enter into the battle; but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and then entered into the battle. |
| 31Now the king of Aram had ordered his 32 chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel." | 31Now the king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, "Do not fight common soldiers or high-ranking officers; fight only the king of Israel." |
| 32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. | 32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, "He must be the king of Israel." So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out. |
| 33When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. | 33When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. |
| 34But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, "Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!" | 34Now an archer shot an arrow at random, and it struck the king of Israel between the plates of his armor. The king ordered his charioteer, "Turn around and take me from the battle line, because I'm wounded." |
| 35The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening, and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot. | 35While the battle raged throughout the day, the king stood propped up in his chariot opposite the Syrians. He died in the evening; the blood from the wound ran down into the bottom of the chariot. |
| 36Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring: Each man to his own city, and each man to his own land! | 36As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, "Each one should return to his city and to his homeland." |
| 37So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria. | 37So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him. |
| 38Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the LORD that He had spoken. | 38They washed off the chariot at the pool of Samaria (this was where the prostitutes bathed); dogs licked his blood, just as the LORD had said would happen. |
| 39The rest of the events of Ahab's reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings. | 39The rest of the events of Ahab's reign, including a record of his accomplishments and how he built a luxurious palace and various cities, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel. |
| 40Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place. | 40Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king. |
| 41Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel's King Ahab. | 41In the fourth year of King Ahab's reign over Israel, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. |
| 42Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king; he reigned 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. | 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. |
| 43He walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them but did what was right in the LORD's sight. However, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. | 43He followed in his father Asa's footsteps and was careful to do what the LORD approved. However, the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. |
| 44Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. | 44Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel. |
| 45The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings. | 45The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. |
| 46He removed from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa. | 46He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa. |
| 47There was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king. | 47There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. |
| 48Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. | 48Jehoshaphat built a fleet of large merchant ships to travel to Ophir for gold, but they never made the voyage because they were shipwrecked in Ezion Geber. |
| 49At that time, Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my servants go with your servants in the ships," but Jehoshaphat was not willing. | 49Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my sailors join yours in the fleet," but Jehoshaphat refused. |
| 50Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram became king in his place. | 50Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king. |
| 51Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat and reigned over Israel two years. | 51In the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat's reign over Judah, Ahab's son Ahaziah became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years over Israel. |
| 52He did what was evil in the LORD's sight. He walked in the way of his father, in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. | 52He did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed in the footsteps of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin. |
| 53He served Baal and worshiped him. He provoked the LORD God of Israel just as his father had done. | 53He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the LORD God of Israel just as his father had done. |
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