2 Chronicles 18

Bible in Basic English (BBE)

1 Ref Now Jehoshaphat had great wealth and honour, and his son was married to Ahab's daughter.

2 Ref And after some years he went down to Samaria to see Ahab. And Ahab made a feast for him and the people who were with him, putting to death great numbers of sheep and oxen; and he got Jehoshaphat to go with him to Ramoth-gilead.

3 Ref For Ahab, king of Israel, said to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he said, I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war.

4 Ref Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Let us now get directions from the Lord.

5 Ref So the king of Israel got together all the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, Am I to go to Ramoth-gilead to make war or not? And they said, Go up: for God will give it into the hands of the king.

6 Ref But Jehoshaphat said, Is there no other prophet of the Lord here from whom we may get directions?

7 Ref And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is still one man by whom we may get directions from the Lord, but I have no love for him, because he has never been a prophet of good to me, but only of evil: he is Micaiah, the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

8 Ref Then the king of Israel sent for one of his unsexed servants and said, Go quickly and come back with Micaiah, the son of Imla.

9 Ref Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were seated on their seats of authority, dressed in their robes, by the doorway into Samaria; and all the prophets were acting as prophets before them.

10 Ref And Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, made himself iron horns and said, The Lord says, Pushing back the Aramaeans with these, you will put an end to them completely.

11 Ref And all the prophets said the same thing, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and it will go well for you, for the Lord will give it into the hands of the king.

12 Ref Now the servant who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, See now, all the prophets with one voice are saying good things to the king; so let your words be like theirs, and say good things.

13 Ref And Micaiah said, By the living Lord, whatever the Lord says to me I will say.

14 Ref When he came to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, are we to go to Ramoth-gilead to make war or not? And he said, Go up, and it will go well for you; and they will be given up into your hands.

15 Ref And the king said to him, Have I not, again and again, put you on your oath to say nothing to me but what is true in the name of the Lord?

16 Ref Then he said, I saw all Israel wandering on the mountains like sheep without a keeper; and the Lord said, These have no master: let them go back, every man to his house in peace.

17 Ref And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not say that he would not be a prophet of good to me, but of evil?

18 Ref Then he said, Give ear now to the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord seated on his seat of power, and all the army of heaven in their places, at his right hand and at his left.

19 Ref And the Lord said, How may Ahab, king of Israel, be tricked into going up to Ramoth-gilead to his death? And one said one thing and one another.

20 Ref Then a spirit came forward and took his place before the Lord and said, I will get him to do it by a trick. And the Lord said to him, How?

21 Ref And he said, I will go out and be a spirit of deceit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Your trick will have its effect on him: go out and do so.

22 Ref And now, see, the Lord has put a spirit of deceit in the mouth of these prophets of yours; and the Lord has said evil against you.

23 Ref Then Zedekiah, the son of Chenaanah, came near and gave Micaiah a blow on the side of his face, saying, Where is the spirit of the Lord whose word is in you?

24 Ref And Micaiah said, Truly, you will see on that day when you go into an inner room to keep yourself safe.

25 Ref And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon, the ruler of the town, and to Joash, the king's son;

26 Ref And say, By the king's order this man is to be put in prison, and given prison food till I come back in peace.

27 Ref And Micaiah said, If you come back at all in peace, the Lord has not sent his word by me.

28 Ref So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth-gilead.

29 Ref And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will make a change in my clothing, so that I do not seem to be the king, and will go into the fight; but do you put on your robes. So the king of Israel made a change in his dress, and they went to the fight.

30 Ref Now the king of Aram had given orders to the captains of his war-carriages, saying, Make no attack on small or great, but only on the king of Israel.

31 Ref So when the captains of the war-carriages saw Jehoshaphat, they said, It is the king of Israel. And turning about, they came round him, but Jehoshaphat gave a cry, and the Lord came to his help, and God sent them away from him.

32 Ref Now when the captains of the war-carriages saw that he was not the king of Israel, they went back from going after him.

33 Ref And a certain man sent an arrow from his bow without thought of its direction, and gave the king of Israel a wound where his breastplate was joined to his clothing; so he said to the driver of his war-carriage, Go to one side and take me away out of the army, for I am badly wounded.

34 Ref But the fight became more violent while the day went on; and the king of Israel was supported in his war-carriage facing the Aramaeans till the evening; and by sundown he was dead.

American Standard-ASV1901 (ASV)

1 Ref Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab.

2 Ref And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that were with him, and moved him to go up `with him' to Ramoth-gilead.

3 Ref And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and `we will be' with thee in the war.

4 Ref And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire first, I pray thee, for the word of Jehovah.

5 Ref Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.

6 Ref But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we may inquire of him?

7 Ref And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah: but I hate him; for he never prophesieth good concerning me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

8 Ref Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

9 Ref Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

10 Ref And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed.

11 Ref And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will deliver it into the hand of the king.

12 Ref And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets `declare' good to the king with one mouth: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

13 Ref And Micaiah said, As Jehovah liveth, what my God saith, that will I speak.

14 Ref And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand.

15 Ref And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of Jehovah?

16 Ref And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Jehovah said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.

17 Ref And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?

18 Ref And `Micaiah' said, Therefore hear ye the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

19 Ref And Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

20 Ref And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith?

21 Ref And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.

22 Ref Now therefore, behold, Jehovah hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets; and Jehovah hath spoken evil concerning thee.

23 Ref Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak unto thee?

24 Ref And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

25 Ref And the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

26 Ref and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

27 Ref And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah hath not spoken by me. And he said, Hear, ye peoples, all of you.

28 Ref So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

29 Ref And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle.

30 Ref Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

31 Ref And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him; and God moved them `to depart' from him.

32 Ref And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

33 Ref And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the armor: wherefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded.

34 Ref And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even; and about the time of the going down of the sun he died.

World English Bible (WEB)

1 Ref Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance; and he joined affinity with Ahab.

2 Ref After certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and moved him to go up [with him] to Ramoth-gilead.

3 Ref Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead? He answered him, I am as you are, and my people as your people; and [we will be] with you in the war.

4 Ref Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh.

5 Ref Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.

6 Ref But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh besides, that we may inquire of him?

7 Ref The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh: but I hate him; for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. Jehoshaphat said, Don't let the king say so.

8 Ref Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Get quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

9 Ref Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

10 Ref Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus says Yahweh, With these shall you push the Syrians, until they be consumed.

11 Ref All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king.

12 Ref The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets [declare] good to the king with one mouth: let your word therefore, Please be like one of theirs, and speak you good.

13 Ref Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what my God says, that will I speak.

14 Ref When he was come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? He said, Go up, and prosper; and they shall be delivered into your hand.

15 Ref The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh?

16 Ref He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and Yahweh said, These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.

17 Ref The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn't I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?

18 Ref [Micaiah] said, Therefore hear you the word of Yahweh: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

19 Ref Yahweh said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? One spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

20 Ref There came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said, I will entice him. Yahweh said to him, 'How?'

21 Ref He said, 'I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' He said, 'You shall entice him, and shall prevail also: go forth, and do so.'

22 Ref Now therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you.

23 Ref Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Yahweh from me to speak to you?

24 Ref Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day, when you shall go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.

25 Ref The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

26 Ref and say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

27 Ref Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you.

28 Ref So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.

29 Ref The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put you on your robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went into the battle.

30 Ref Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.

31 Ref It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they turned about to fight against him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and Yahweh helped him; and God moved them [to depart] from him.

32 Ref It happened, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him.

33 Ref A certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn your hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded.

34 Ref The battle increased that day: however the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even; and about the time of the going down of the sun he died.

Chapter 18 of 36

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