Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab
(1 Kings 22:1–12)
Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honor in abundance, and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage. 2Ch 17:52Ch 21:62Ch 19:22Ki 8:181Ki 16:31-331Ki 21:252Ch 1:11-152Ch 17:12 And some years later he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria, where Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and the people with him, and urged him to march up to Ramoth-gilead. 1Ki 1:92Ch 19:22Ki 9:11Ki 17:71Ki 22:2-351Ki 4:13Deu 4:43Isa 22:12-13
Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me against Ramoth-gilead?” 1Ki 22:42Ki 3:72Jn 1:10-11Eph 5:11Psa 139:21
And Jehoshaphat replied, “I am like you, and my people are your people; we will join you in the war.”
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.” Jer 21:21Sa 23:21Sa 23:41Sa 23:9-122Sa 2:12Sa 5:192Sa 5:231Ki 22:5-6
So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” 1Ki 18:192Ch 18:142Ch 18:20-212Ki 3:132Ti 4:3Ezk 13:22Ezk 13:3-16Jer 23:14
“Go up,” they replied, “and God 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?” 1Ki 22:7-92Ki 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 5:10Mic 2:71Ki 18:171Ki 21:20Isa 30:10Luk 6:221Ki 18:41Ki 19:10
“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.” 1Ch 28:11Ki 22:91Sa 8:152Ch 18:25-26Dan 1:3Dan 1:7-8Isa 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 22:10-122Ch 18:29Dan 7:9Ezk 26:16Isa 14:9Jer 27:14-16Mat 11:8Mat 19:28
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.’” 2Ti 3:8Ezk 13:7Ezk 22:28Jer 23:17Jer 23:21Jer 23:25Jer 23:31Jer 27:2
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.” 2Ch 18:122Ch 18:33-342Ch 18:52Pe 2:1-3Jud 1:16Mic 3:5Pro 24:24-25Rev 16:13-14
Micaiah Prophesies against Ahab
(1 Kings 22:13–28)
Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold, 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 7:13Hos 7:3Isa 30:10Job 22:13Jos 9:2Mic 2:11Mic 2:6
But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever my God tells me.” Num 22:35Num 22:18-20Num 24:131Co 11:231Ki 22:141Th 2:42Co 2:17Act 20:27
When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” 1Ki 18:271Ki 22:15Amo 4:4-5Ecc 11:1Lam 4:21Mat 26:45
“Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for they will be given into your hand.”
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?” 1Ki 22:161Sa 14:24Act 19:13Mat 26:63Mrk 5:7
So Micaiah declared: Mat 9:361Ki 22:17Ezk 34:5-6Ezk 34:8Mrk 6:34Num 27:171Ki 22:34-362Ch 18:33-34
“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 22:182Ch 18:7Jer 43:2-3Pro 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 on His right and on His left. Dan 7:9Isa 6:1-51Ki 22:19-23Act 7:55-56Amo 7:16Gen 32:2Isa 39:5Jer 2:4
And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ 1Ki 22:202Ch 25:192Ch 25:82Th 2:11-12Ezk 14:9Isa 54:16Isa 6:9-10Jas 1:13-14
And one suggested this, and another that.
Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ Job 1:62Co 11:13-152Co 11:3Job 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.’ Jhn 8:441Ki 22:21-221Jn 4:62Ch 18:192Ch 18:22Gen 3:4-5Jdg 9:23Job 1:12
‘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 these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.” Ezk 14:9Isa 19:14Job 12:161Ti 4:1-22Ch 18:172Ch 18:72Ch 25:182Co 11:11-13
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?” Mrk 14:65Jer 20:21Ki 22:23-252Ch 18:10Isa 50:5-6Jer 29:26-27Jhn 9:40-41Lam 3:30
Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.” 1Ki 20:30Isa 26:11Isa 26:20Jer 28:16-17Jer 29:21-22Jer 29:32
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, 2Ch 18:82Ch 34:8Act 24:25-27Jer 37:15-21Jer 38:6-7 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 16:101Ki 22:26-281Sa 25:211Th 5:2-32Ch 18:152Co 11:23Act 22:22Act 5:18
But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!” Act 13:10-11Amo 9:10Luk 20:45-46Mat 13:9Mat 15:10Mic 1:2Mrk 7:14Num 16:29
Ahab’s Defeat and Death
(1 Kings 22:29–40)
So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 1Ki 22:29-33 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. 1Sa 28:81Ki 14:2-61Ki 20:382Ch 35:22-23Jer 23:24Job 24:15Pro 26:25Psa 12:2
Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” 1Ki 20:33-341Ki 20:422Ch 15:13Deu 1:17Gen 19:11
When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him. 2Ch 13:14Psa 118:132Co 1:9-10Neh 1:11Pro 16:7Pro 21:1Psa 116:1-2Psa 34:7 And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 1Ki 22:33
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 1and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded!” 1Ki 22:34-352Ch 35:232Sa 15:11
The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. And at sunset he died. Pro 13:212Ch 18:162Ch 18:192Ch 18:27Num 32:23Pro 28:17