| New International Version | NET Bible |
| 1For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. | 1There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. |
| 2But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see 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 officials, "Don't you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from 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 against 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 also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the LORD." | 5Then Jehoshaphat added, "First seek an oracle from the LORD." |
| 6So the king of Israel brought together the prophets--about four hundred men--and asked them, "Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?" "Go," they answered, "for the Lord will give it into the king's hand." | 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, "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?" | 7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD still here, that we may ask him?" |
| 8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." "The king should not say such a thing," 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 one of his officials and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once." | 9The king of Israel summoned an official and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah." |
| 10Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before 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. |
| 11Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, "This is what the LORD says: 'With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.'" | 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.'" |
| 12All the other prophets were prophesying the same thing. "Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious," they said, "for the LORD will give it into the king's hand." | 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 had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with 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 surely as the LORD lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me." | 14But Micaiah said, "As certainly as the LORD lives, I will say what the LORD tells me to say." |
| 15When he arrived, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?" "Attack and be victorious," he answered, "for the LORD will give it into the king's hand." | 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." |
| 16The king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?" | 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?" |
| 17Then Micaiah answered, "I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said, 'These people have no master. Let each one go 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.'" |
| 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?" | 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but disaster?" |
| 19Micaiah continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the multitudes of heaven standing around him on his right and on his left. | 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 into attacking Ramoth Gilead and going to his death there?' "One suggested this, and another that. | 20The LORD said, 'Who will deceive Ahab, so he will attack Ramoth Gilead and die there?' One said this and another that. |
| 21Finally, 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?' |
| 22"'By what means?' the LORD asked. "'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,' he said. "'You will succeed in enticing him,' said the LORD. 'Go and 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.' |
| 23"So now the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for 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 Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. "Which way did the spirit from the LORD go when he went from me to speak to you?" he asked. | 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 find out on the day you go to hide in an inner room." | 25Micaiah replied, "Look, you will see in the day when you go into an inner room to hide." |
| 26The king of Israel then ordered, "Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler 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 fellow in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return 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."'" |
| 28Micaiah declared, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he added, "Mark my words, 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." |
| 29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead. | 29The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah attacked Ramoth Gilead. |
| 30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes." 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 thirty-two chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, 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 thought, "Surely this is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him, but when 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. |
| 33the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him. | 33When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. |
| 34But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, "Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I've been 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." |
| 35All day long the battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died. | 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. |
| 36As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: "Every man to his town. Every man to his 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, and they buried him there. | 37So the king died and was taken to Samaria, where they buried him. |
| 38They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared. | 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. |
| 39As for the other events of Ahab's reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? | 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 ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king. | 40Ahab passed away. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king. |
| 41Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel. | 41In the fourth year of King Ahab's reign over Israel, Asa's son Jehoshaphat became king over Judah. |
| 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-five years. 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. |
| 43In everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. | 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 was also at peace with the king of Israel. | 44Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel. |
| 45As for the other events of Jehoshaphat's reign, the things he achieved and his military exploits, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? | 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 rid the land of the rest of the male shrine prostitutes who remained there even after the reign 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 then no king in Edom; a provincial governor ruled. | 47There was no king in Edom at this time; a governor ruled. |
| 48Now Jehoshaphat built a fleet of trading ships to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail--they 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 men sail with yours," but Jehoshaphat refused. | 49Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Let my sailors join yours in the fleet," but Jehoshaphat refused. |
| 50Then Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the city of David his father. And Jehoram his son succeeded him as king. | 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 of Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he 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 evil in the eyes of the LORD, because he followed the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who 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 and worshiped Baal and aroused the anger of the LORD, the 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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