Ahab and the False Prophets (2 Chronicles 18:1–11)
1 ULT And they continued three years without war between Aram and between Israel. BSB BSB: Then three years passed without war between Aram and Israel.
2 ULT And it happened in the third year that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, 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 ULT And the king of Israel said to his servants,“Do you know that Ramoth Gilead is to us, but we are being silent from taking it from the hand of the king of Aram?” 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 ULT And he said to Jehoshaphat,“Will you go with me to battle{ at} Ramoth Gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel,“Like me, like you. Like my people, like your people. Like my horses, like your horses.” 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 ULT And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel,“Please seek as today the word of Yahweh.” BSB BSB: But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.”
6 ULT And the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about 400 men, and he said to them,“Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said,“Go up, for the Lord will give{ it} into the hand 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 ULT And Jehoshaphat said,“{ Is} no prophet of Yahweh still here, that we may seek from him?” BSB BSB: But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?”
8 ULT And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,“{ There is} still one man for seeking Yahweh from him, but I, I hate him because he does not prophesy good about me, but rather evil, Micaiah, the son of Imlah.” And Jehoshaphat said,“May the king not say thus.” 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 ULT So the king of Israel called to a eunuch and said,“Hasten Micaiah, the son of Imlah.” BSB BSB: So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”
10 ULT Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were sitting, a man on his throne, clothed{ in} robes, by the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. And all of the prophets were prophesying to their faces. 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 ULT And Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, made horns of iron for himself, and he said,“Thus says Yahweh:‘With these you will gore Aram until their finishing.’” 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 ULT And all of the prophets were prophesying thus, saying,“Go up{ to} Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for Yahweh will give{ it} into the hand of the king.” 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 ULT And the messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying,“Behold, please, the words of the prophets{ with} one mouth{ are} good for the king. Please let your word be like the word of one from them, and may you speak good.” 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 ULT And Micaiah said,“The life of Yahweh, surely what Yahweh says to me, I will speak it.” BSB BSB: But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”
15 ULT And he came to the king, and the king said to him,“Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead for battle, or shall we refrain?” And he said to him,“Go up and prosper, for Yahweh will give{ 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 ULT And the king said to him,“Up to how many times have I been making you swear that you would not speak about me except truth in the name of Yahweh?” 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 ULT And he said,“I saw all of Israel scattered on the hills like a flock when no shepherd{ is} to them. And Yahweh said,‘No masters{ are} to these. Let them return, a man to his house, 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 ULT And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,“Did I not say to you,‘He will not prophesy good about me, but rather 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 ULT And he said,“Therefore, hear the word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all of the army of the heavens was standing beside him on his right 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 ULT And Yahweh said,‘Who will deceive Ahab so that he may go up and fall{ at} Ramoth Gilead?’ And this{ one} said,‘By thus,’ and that{ one} was saying,‘By thus.’ 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 ULT Then a spirit came out and stood to the face of Yahweh. And he said,‘I, I will deceive{ him}.’ And Yahweh said to him,‘By what?’ BSB BSB: Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
22 ULT And he said,‘I will go out and be a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all of his prophets.’ And he said,‘You will deceive and also you will be able. Go out and do thus.’ 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 ULT And now, behold, Yahweh has put a spirit of falsehood into the mouth of all of these your prophets. For Yahweh has spoken harm against you.” 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 ULT And Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, approached and struck Micaiah on the cheek. And he said,“What{ is} this, the Spirit of Yahweh has passed over from with me to speak to you?” 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 ULT And Micaiah said,“Behold you, seeing on that day when you enter a chamber in a chamber to hide yourself.” BSB BSB: Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”
26 ULT And the king of Israel said,“Take Micaiah and bring him back to Amon, the commander of the city, and to Joash, the son of the king. 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 ULT And you shall say,‘Thus says the king,“Put this{ one} in the house of imprisonment and feed him bread of affliction and water of affliction until my coming 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 ULT And Micaiah said,“If returning, you return in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me.” And he said,“Listen, peoples, all of them!” 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 ULT And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up{ to} Ramoth Gilead. BSB BSB: So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
30 ULT And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,“I will disguise myself and come into the battle, but you, wear your robes.” And the king of Israel disguised himself, and he came 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 ULT Now the king of Aram had commanded the 32 commanders of the chariotry that{ was} to him, saying,“You shall not fight with small or with great except with the king of Israel alone.” 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 ULT And it happened, when the commanders of the chariotry saw Jehoshaphat, that they, they said,“Surely he{ is} the king of Israel!” And they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat 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 ULT And it happened, when the commanders of the chariotry saw that he{ was} not the king of Israel, that they turned back from after him. BSB BSB: And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
34 ULT But a man drew the bow in his innocence, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints and between the armor. And he said to his charioteer,“Turn your hand and bring me out from the camp, 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 ULT And the battle went up on that day, and the king was propped up in the chariot opposite Aram. And he died in the evening, and the blood of the wound poured out onto the bosom 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 ULT And a cry passed through in the camp about the going of the sun, saying,“A man to his city, and a man to his 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 ULT And the king died, and he came to Samaria. And they buried the king in Samaria. BSB BSB: So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him.
38 ULT And one washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. And dogs licked up his blood(now the prostitutes bathed{ there}), according to the word of Yahweh that he had spoken. 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 ULT And Ahab lay down with his fathers. And Ahaziah his son reigned in his place. 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 ULT And Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, reigned over Judah in year four of Ahab, the king of Israel. BSB BSB: In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah.
42 ULT Jehoshaphat{ was} a son of 35 years when he reigned, and he reigned 25 years in Jerusalem. And the name of his mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 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 ULT And he walked in every way of Asa his father, he did not turn from it, doing right in the eyes of Yahweh. However, they did not remove the high places. The people were still sacrificing and burning incense at 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 ULT And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. BSB BSB: Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.
45 ULT Now the rest of the matters of Jehoshaphat, and his mighty things that he did and how he fought, are they not written in the book of the matters of the days of the kings of Judah? 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?
46 ULT And the rest of the cultic prostitutes who were left in the days of Asa his father, he burned from the land. BSB BSB: He banished from the land the male shrine prostitutes who remained from the days of his father Asa.
47 ULT And no king{ was} in Edom. A deputy was king. BSB BSB: And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
48 ULT Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but he did not go, because the ships were broken at Ezion Geber. BSB BSB: Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber.
49 ULT Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat,“Let my servants go with your servants in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat was not willing. BSB BSB: At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 ULT And Jehoshaphat lay down with his fathers, and he was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. And Jehoram his son reigned in his place. 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 ULT Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, reigned over Israel in Samaria in year 17 of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. And he reigned over Israel 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 ULT And he did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. And he walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, 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 ULT And he served Baal, and he bowed down to him. And he provoked Yahweh, the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done. 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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