| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. | 1For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. |
| 2In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit the king of Israel. | 2Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel. |
| 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." | 3During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!” |
| 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." | 4Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” |
| 5Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the LORD." | 5Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the LORD says.” |
| 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." | 6So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?” They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.” |
| 7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?" | 7But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the LORD here? We should ask him the same question.” |
| 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." | 8The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who could consult the LORD for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear what he has to say.” |
| 9The king of Israel summoned an official and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah." | 9So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah.” Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab |
| 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. | 10King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them. |
| 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.'" | 11One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the LORD says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!” |
| 12All the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "Attack Ramoth Gilead! You will succeed; the LORD will hand it over to the king." | 12All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the LORD will give the king victory!” |
| 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." | 13Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.” |
| 14But Micaiah said, "As certainly as the LORD lives, I will say what the LORD tells me to say." | 14But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what the LORD tells me to say.” |
| 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." | 15When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?” Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for the LORD will give the king victory!” |
| 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?" | 16But the king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the LORD?” |
| 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.'" | 17Then Micaiah told him, “In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.’” |
| 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?" | 18“Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.” |
| 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. | 19Then Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left. |
| 20The LORD said, 'Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?' One said this and another that. | 20And the LORD said, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’ “There were many suggestions, |
| 21Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the LORD. He said, 'I will deceive him.' The LORD asked him, 'How?' | 21and finally a spirit approached the LORD and said, ‘I can do it!’ |
| 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.' | 22“‘How will you do this?’ the LORD asked. “And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’ “‘You will succeed,’ said the LORD. ‘Go ahead and do it.’ |
| 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." | 23“So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the LORD has pronounced your doom.” |
| 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?" | 24Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Spirit of the LORD leave me to speak to you?” he demanded. |
| 25Micaiah replied, "Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide." | 25And Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!” |
| 26Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the city official and Joash the king's son. | 26“Arrest him!” the king of Israel ordered. “Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash. |
| 27Say, 'This is what the king says, "Put this man in prison. Give him only a little bread and water until I safely return."'" | 27Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’” |
| 28Micaiah said, "If you really do safely return, then the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he added, "Take note, all you people." | 28But Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that the LORD has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!” The Death of Ahab |
| 29The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. | 29So King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead. |
| 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. | 30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. |
| 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." | 31Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!” |
| 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. | 32So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat called out, |
| 33When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. | 33the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him. |
| 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." | 34An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. “I’m badly wounded!” |
| 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. | 35The battle raged all that day, and the king remained propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot, and as evening arrived he died. |
| 36As the sun was setting, a cry went through the camp, "Each one should return to his city and to his homeland." | 36Just as the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: “We’re done for! Run for your lives!” |
| 37So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him. | 37So the king died, and his body was taken to Samaria and buried there. |
| 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. | 38Then his chariot was washed beside the pool of Samaria, and dogs came and licked his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed, just as the LORD had promised. |
| 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. | 39The rest of the events in Ahab’s reign and everything he did, including the story of the ivory palace and the towns he built, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. |
| 40Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king. | 40So Ahab died, and his son Ahaziah became the next king. Jehoshaphat Rules in Judah |
| 41In the fourth year of King Ahab's reign over Israel, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. | 41Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to rule over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign in Israel. |
| 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. | 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. |
| 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. | 43Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the example of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight. During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. |
| 44Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel. | 44Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. |
| 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. | 45The rest of the events in Jehoshaphat’s reign, the extent of his power, and the wars he waged are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah. |
| 46He removed from the land any male cultic prostitutes who had managed to survive the reign of his father Asa. | 46He banished from the land the rest of the male and female shrine prostitutes, who still continued their practices from the days of his father, Asa. |
| 47There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. | 47(There was no king in Edom at that time, only a deputy.) |
| 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. | 48Jehoshaphat also built a fleet of trading ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But the ships never set sail, for they met with disaster in their home port of Ezion-geber. |
| 49Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my sailors join yours in the fleet," but Jehoshaphat refused. | 49At one time Ahaziah son of Ahab had proposed to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with your men in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat refused the request. |
| 50Jehoshaphat passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram replaced him as king. | 50When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king. Ahaziah Rules in Israel |
| 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. | 51Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years. |
| 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. | 52But he did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel to sin. |
| 53He worshiped and bowed down to Baal, angering the LORD God of Israel just as his father had done. | 53He served Baal and worshiped him, provoking the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, just as his father had done. |
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