Ahab and the False Prophets
(2 Chronicles 18:1–11)
Then three years passed without war between Aram and Israel. 1Ki 20:34
However, in the third year, Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to visit the king of Israel, 1Ki 15:241Ki 22:11Ki 22:411Ki 22:442Ch 18:1-272Ki 8:18Mat 12:40Mat 16:21 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?” Deu 4:431Ki 4:13Jos 21:382Sa 19:10Jdg 16:2Jos 20:8
So he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth-gilead?” 2Ki 3:7Eph 5:111Co 15:332Ch 18:32Ch 19:22Jn 1:11Pro 13:20Psa 139:21-22
Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I am like you, my people are your people, and my horses are your horses.”
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.” Pro 3:5-62Ch 18:4-52Ki 3:11Jer 21:2Jer 42:2-6Ezk 20:1-3Num 27:211Ch 10:13
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?” 1Ki 18:19Jer 23:14-17Ezk 13:22Ezk 13:7-161Ki 22:151Ki 22:22-232Ch 18:142Pe 2:1-3
“Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD here of whom we can inquire?” 2Ch 18:6-72Ki 3:11-13
The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man who can ask the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” Amo 5:10Jhn 17:14Jhn 3:19-21Jhn 7:7Gal 4:16Jer 38:4Jhn 15:18-19Mic 2:7
“The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.” 1Ki 22:26-272Ch 18:82Ki 9:32Dan 1:18Isa 39:7
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. 1Ki 18:291Ki 22:301Ki 22:62Ch 18:9-11Act 12:21Act 25:23Est 5:1Est 6:8-9
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.’” Zec 1:18-21Deu 33:172Co 11:13-152Ti 3:8Act 19:13-16Ezk 13:6-9Ezk 22:27-28Jer 23:17
And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.” 1Ki 22:32-361Ki 22:6-152Ch 35:22
Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab
(2 Chronicles 18:12–27)
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.” 1Co 2:14-16Amo 7:13-17Hos 7:3Isa 30:10-11Mic 2:11Mic 2:6-7Psa 10:11Psa 11:1
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.” Num 24:132Ch 18:12-13Ezk 3:17-19Jer 26:2-3Num 22:18Num 22:381Ki 18:101Ki 18:15
When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” 1Ki 18:272Ch 18:142Ki 3:13Ecc 11:9Jdg 10:14Mat 26:45
“Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.”
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?” 1Sa 14:242Ch 18:15Act 19:13Jer 42:3-6Jos 6:26Mat 22:16-17Mat 26:63Mrk 5:7
So Micaiah declared: Num 27:17Mat 9:361Ki 22:34-362Ch 18:16-17Act 10:11-17Ezk 34:4-6Jer 50:17Jer 50:6
“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.’”
Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?” 1Ki 22:8Luk 11:45Pro 10:24Pro 27:22Pro 29:1
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. Job 2:1Job 1:6Dan 7:9-10Isa 6:1-3Mat 18:10Psa 103:20-212Ch 18:18-22Ezk 1:26-28
And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Ezk 14:9Job 12:16Jer 4:10
And one suggested this, and another that.
Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ 1 1Ki 22:23Job 1:6-7Job 2:1
‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ Jdg 9:231Sa 16:141Sa 19:91Ki 22:201Sa 18:102Th 2:9-12Ezk 14:9Job 1:8-11
‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
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.” Ezk 14:9Isa 6:9-10Mat 24:24-252Ch 25:16Isa 3:11Isa 44:201Ki 20:42Deu 2:30
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?” Act 23:2Lam 3:30Mic 5:11Ki 22:112Ch 18:23-24Isa 50:5-6Jer 28:10-11Jer 29:26-27
Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.” 1Ki 20:302Pe 2:1Rev 19:20Amo 7:17Isa 9:14-16Jer 23:15Jer 28:16-17Jer 29:21-22
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, 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.’” 2Ch 16:102Ch 18:25-27Rev 2:101Th 5:2-3Act 16:23-24Act 26:10Act 5:18Deu 16:3
But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!” Mic 1:2Num 16:29Act 13:10-11Mrk 12:371Ki 18:21-241Ki 18:36-372Ch 18:272Ki 1:10
Ahab’s Defeat and Death
(2 Chronicles 18:28–34)
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 1Ki 22:2-92Ch 18:28 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. 2Ch 35:221Sa 28:8Jer 23:241Ki 14:21Ki 20:381Ki 22:102Ch 18:292Sa 14:2
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.” 1Ki 20:242Ch 18:30Jer 16:61Ki 20:11Ki 20:161Ki 20:33-421Sa 30:2Gen 19:11
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. Jon 2:1-2Pro 13:202Ch 18:31Exo 14:10Psa 116:1-2Psa 130:1-4Psa 50:15Psa 91:15 And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. Psa 76:101Ki 22:31
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 2and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!” 2Ch 35:23Mic 6:131Sa 17:49Rev 9:92Ch 18:302Ki 9:242Sa 15:11
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. 1Ki 22:281Ki 20:42 As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: 2Ki 14:121Ki 12:161Ki 12:241Ki 22:171Ki 22:311Sa 4:102Sa 19:8Jdg 21:24
“Every man to his own city,
and every man to his own land!”
So the king died and was brought to Samaria, where they buried him. And the chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria where the prostitutes bathed, 3 and the dogs licked up Ahab’s blood, according to the word that the LORD had spoken. 4 1Ki 21:19Mat 24:35Isa 44:25-26Isa 48:3-5Jer 44:21-23Jos 23:14-15Zec 1:4-6
As for the rest of the acts of Ahab, along with all his accomplishments and the ivory palace and all the cities he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? Amo 3:151Ki 10:181Ki 10:221Ki 14:191Ki 15:231Ki 15:311Ki 16:201Ki 16:27
And Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah reigned in his place. 1Ki 11:211Ki 14:311Ki 2:101Ki 22:512Ch 20:352Ki 1:172Ki 1:22Sa 7:12
Jehoshaphat Reigns in Judah
(2 Chronicles 20:31–34)
In the fourth year of Ahab’s reign over Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah. 2Ch 20:311Ch 3:101Ki 22:22Ch 17:1 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. 1Ki 14:211Ki 15:101Ki 15:22Ki 1:172Ki 8:16
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. 1Ki 15:142Ki 12:3Pro 4:271Ki 14:231Ki 15:111Ki 15:51Sa 12:20-212Ch 14:11
The high places, however, were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. 1Ki 22:22Ch 19:22Ki 8:182Ch 21:62Co 6:14
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? 1Ki 11:411Ki 14:292Ch 20:34 He banished from the land the male shrine prostitutes who remained from the days of his father Asa. 1Ki 14:241Ki 15:12Deu 23:17Gen 19:5Jud 1:71Co 6:91Ti 1:10Jdg 19:22 And there was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king. 2Ki 3:92Sa 8:142Ki 8:20Gen 27:40Gen 25:23Gen 36:31-43Psa 108:9-10
Jehoshaphat built ships of Tarshish 5to go to Ophir for gold, but they never set sail, because they were wrecked at Ezion-geber. 1Ki 10:221Ki 9:261Ki 9:282Ch 20:212Ch 20:35-372Ch 25:72Ch 9:21Isa 2:16 At that time Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail with your servants,” but Jehoshaphat refused.
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. 2Ch 21:11Ki 11:431Ki 14:311Ki 15:241Ki 2:101Ki 22:402Ch 21:5-72Ki 8:16-18
Ahaziah Reigns in Israel
(2 Kings 1:1–16)
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. 1Ki 15:251Ki 22:402Ki 1:17 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. 1Ki 15:261Ki 21:251Ki 12:28-331Ki 14:9-161Ki 15:341Ki 16:30-332Ch 22:32Ki 1:2-7
Ahaziah served and worshiped Baal, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done. 1Ki 16:30-321Ki 16:71Ki 21:292Ki 1:22Ki 3:2Ezk 18:14-18Ezk 8:3Isa 65:3