Ahab and the False Prophets (2 Chronicles 18:1–11)
1 Brenton And he rested three years, and there was no war between Syria and Israel. BSB BSB: Then three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.
2 Brenton And it came to pass in the third year, that Josaphat king of Juda went down to the king of Israel. BSB BSB: However, in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel,
3 Brenton And the king of Israel said to his servants, Know ye that Remmath Galaad is ours, and we are slow to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria? BSB BSB: who said to his servants, “Do you not know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, but we have failed to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?”
4 Brenton And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, Wilt thou go up with us to Remmath Galaad to battle? BSB BSB: So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
5 Brenton And Josaphat said, As I am , so art thou also; as my people, so is thy people; as my horses, so are thy horses. And Josaphat king of Juda said to the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, of the Lord to-day. BSB BSB: But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
6 Brenton And the king of Israel gathered all the prophets together, about four hundred men; and the king said to them, Shall I go up to Remmath Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? and they said, Go up, and the Lord will surely give it into the hands of the king. BSB BSB: So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
7 Brenton And Josaphat said to the king of Israel, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may enquire of the Lord by him? BSB BSB: But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
8 Brenton And the king of Israel said to Josaphat, There is one man here for us to enquire of the Lord by; but I hate him, for he does not speak good of me, but only evil; Michaias son of Jemblaa. And Josaphat king of Juda said, Let not the king say so. BSB BSB: The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
9 Brenton And the king of Israel called a eunuch and said, Bring hither quickly Michaias son of Jemblaa. BSB BSB: So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
10 Brenton And the king of Israel and Josaphat king of Juda sat, each on his throne, armed in the gates of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. BSB BSB: Dressed in royal attire, 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.
11 Brenton And Sedekias son of Chanaan made for himself iron horns, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria, until it be consumed. BSB BSB: Now Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had made for himself iron horns and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are finished off.’”
12 Brenton And all the prophets prophesied in like manner, saying, Go up to Remmath Galaad, and the thing shall prosper, and the Lord shall deliver it and the king of Syria into thine hands. BSB BSB: And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab (2 Chronicles 18:12–27)
13 Brenton And the messenger that went to call Michaias spoke to him, saying, Behold now, all the prophets speak with one mouth good concerning the king, let now thy words be like the words of one of them, and speak good things. BSB BSB: Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”
14 Brenton And Michaias said, As the Lord lives, whatsoever the Lord shall say to me, that will I speak. BSB BSB: But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”
15 Brenton And he came to the king: and the king said to him, Michaias, shall I go up to Remmath Galaad to battle, or shall I forbear? and he said, Go up, and the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. BSB BSB: When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” “Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
16 Brenton And the king said to him, How often shall I adjure thee, that thou speak to me truth in the name of the Lord? BSB BSB: But 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 the LORD?”
17 Brenton And he said, Not so. I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains as a flock without a shepherd: and the Lord said, Is not God lord of these? let each one return to his home in peace. BSB BSB: So Micaiah declared: “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 return home in peace.’”
18 Brenton And the king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Juda, Did I not say to thee that this man does not prophesy good to me, for he speaks nothing but evil? BSB BSB: Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”
19 Brenton And Michaias said, Not so, it is not I: hear the word of the Lord; it is not so. I saw the God of Israel sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven stood about him on his right hand and on his left. BSB BSB: Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.
20 Brenton And the Lord said, Who will deceive Achaab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall in Remmath Galaad? and one spoke one way, and another another way. BSB BSB: And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.
21 Brenton And there came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. BSB BSB: Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
22 Brenton And the Lord said to him, Whereby? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a false spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt deceive him, yea, and shalt prevail: go forth, and do so. BSB BSB: And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
23 Brenton And now, behold, the Lord has put a false spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord has spoken evil against thee. BSB BSB: So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
24 Brenton And Sedekias the son of Chanaan came near and smote Michaias on the cheek, and said, What sort of a spirit of the Lord has spoken in thee? BSB BSB: Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
25 Brenton And Michaias said, Behold, thou shalt see in that day, when thou shalt go into an innermost chamber to hide thyself there. BSB BSB: Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”
26 Brenton And the king of Israel said, Take Michaias, and convey him away to Semer the keeper of the city; BSB BSB: And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son,
27 Brenton and tell Joas the king's son to put this fellow in prison, and to feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace. BSB BSB: and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”
28 Brenton And Michaias said, If thou return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me. BSB BSB: But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”
Ahab’s Defeat and Death (2 Chronicles 18:28–34)
29 Brenton So the king of Israel went up, and Josaphat king of Juda with him to Remmath Galaad. BSB BSB: So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30 Brenton And the king of Israel said to Josaphat king of Juda, I will disguise myself, and enter into the battle, and do thou put on my raiment. So the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. BSB BSB: And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
31 Brenton And the king of Syria had charged the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, Fight not against small or great, but against the king of Israel only. BSB BSB: Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
32 Brenton And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Josaphat king of Juda, that they said, This seems to be the king of Israel. And they compassed him about to fight against him; and Josaphat cried out. BSB BSB: When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely this is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.
33 Brenton And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that this was not the king of Israel, that they returned from him. BSB BSB: And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
34 Brenton And one drew a bow with a good aim, and smote the king of Israel between the lungs and the breast-plate: and he said to his charioteer, Turn thine hands, and carry me away out of the battle, for I am wounded. BSB BSB: However, a certain man drew his bow without taking special aim, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. So the king said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!”
35 Brenton And the war was turned in that day, and the king was standing on the chariot against Syria from morning till evening; and he shed the blood out of his wound, into the bottom of the chariot, and died at even, and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. BSB BSB: The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died.
36 Brenton And the herald of the army stood at sunset, saying, Let every man go to his own city and his own land, BSB BSB: As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: “Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!”
37 Brenton for the king is dead. And they came to Samaria, and buried the king in Samaria. BSB BSB: So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.
38 Brenton And they washed the chariot at the fountain of Samaria; and the swine and the dogs licked up the blood, and the harlots washed themselves in the blood, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke. BSB BSB: And the chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria where the prostitutes bathed, and the dogs licked up Ahab’s blood, according to the word that the LORD had spoken.
40 Brenton And Achaab slept with his fathers, and Ochozias his son reigned in his stead. BSB BSB: And Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.
Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah (2 Chronicles 20:31–34)
41 Brenton And Josaphat the son of Asa reigned over Juda: in the fourth year of Achaab king of Israel began Josaphat to reign. BSB BSB: In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah.
42 Brenton Thirty and five years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Azuba daughter of Salai. BSB BSB: Jehoshaphat 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.
43 Brenton And he walked in all the way of Asa his father: he turned not from it, even from doing that which was right in the eyes of the Lord. Only he took not away any of the high places: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense on the high places. BSB BSB: And Jehoshaphat walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them, but did what was right in the eyes of the LORD. The high places, however, were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
44 Brenton And Josaphat was at peace with the king of Israel. BSB BSB: Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Brenton And the rest of the acts of Josaphat, and his mighty deeds, whatever he did, behold, are not these things written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Juda? BSB BSB: As for the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
50 Brenton And Josaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried by his fathers in the city of David his father, and Joram his son reigned in his stead. BSB BSB: And Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his father David. And his son Jehoram reigned in his place.
Ahaziah Reigns in Israel (2 Kings 1:1–16)
51 Brenton And Ochozias son of Achaab reigned over Israel in Samaria: in the seventeenth year of Josaphat king of Juda, Ochozias son of Achaab reigned over Israel in Samaria two years. BSB BSB: In the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria two years.
52 Brenton And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of Achaab his father, and in the way of Jezabel his mother, and in the sins of the house of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who caused Israel to sin. BSB BSB: And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and walked in the ways of his father and mother and of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.
53 Brenton And he served Baalim, and worshipped them, and provoked the Lord God of Israel, according to all that had been done before him. BSB BSB: Ahaziah served and worshiped Baal, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.
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