1 Now Jehoshaphat {Yehoshafat: Yahweh has judged} had great wealth and honor in abundance, and he linked himself by marriage to Ahab {Akhab: Northern Monarch}.
2 After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria, and Ahab slaughtered {wayyizbaḥlô: ritual hospitality} sheep and cattle in abundance for him and the people with him; then he induced him to go up to Ramoth Gilead {Rāmot Gil‘ād: fortress east-of-Jordan}.
3 Ahab king {melekh: sovereign ruler} of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you join me in going to Ramoth Gilead?” He replied, “I am like you, and my people like your people; in the war {milchamah: formal conflict} we will stand with you.”
4 Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire today for the word {devar: Binding Message} of the LORD {YHWH, Trustworthy Counselor}.”
5 So the king of Israel assembled the prophets—four hundred men—and asked them, “Is it right for us to go to war at Ramoth Gilead, or should I refrain?” They answered, “Go up, and God {haElohim, Supreme Arbiter} will hand it over to the king’s authority {yad: authority}.”
6 But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Guide} here besides {od: still one available} whom we may inquire of?”
7 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There remains one man through whom we may inquire of the LORD {YHWH, Source of Guidance}, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good for me—only evil {lera’ah: harmful intent}—Micaiah son of Imlah.” Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king speak that way.”
8 Then the king of Israel summoned an officer {saris: court official} and said, “Quickly {maher: urgent directive}, bring Micaiah son of Imlah.”
9 The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat each on his throne, clothed in garments {begadim: ceremonial attire}; they sat at the threshing floor {goren: communal meeting place} near the entrance of the gate of Samaria, while all the prophets were prophesying before them.
10 Zedekiah the son of Kenaanah made horns of iron for himself, and he said, “Thus says the LORD {YHWH, Divine Declarer}: ‘With these you will gore Aram until they are finished {kallelotam: brought to an end}.’”
11 All the prophets were prophesying thus {ken: with certainty}, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Giver} will place it into the king’s hand.”
12 The messenger {malakh: royal envoy} who had gone to summon Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, the prophets {nevi’im: court advisers} speak with one voice in favor of the king. Let your word align with theirs, and speak favorably.”
13 Micaiah said, “As the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Witness} lives {khay: enduring existence}, I will speak only what my God {elohai, True Sovereign} says.”
14 When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah {Mikhah: prophetic spokesperson}, shall we go to fight at Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain {ekhdal: withhold action}?” And he answered, “Go up and succeed; they will be given into your hand.”
15 And the king said to him, “How many times must I put you under oath {shava: formal oath} to speak only the truth to me in the name of the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Judge}?”
16 He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd; and the LORD {YHWH, Vision Authority} said, ‘They have no masters {adonim: ruling leaders}; let each return to his house in peace.’”
17 And the king of Israel {melech Yisrael: political ruler} said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but only evil {ra: dire calamity}?”
18 He said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD {YHWH, Vision-Speaking King}: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host {tseva: heavenly attendants} of the heavens standing on His right and on His left.”
19 And the LORD {YHWH, Judge of Kings} said, “Who will entice {yefatteh: mislead to ruin} Ahab, king of Israel, so that he goes up and falls at Ramoth Gilead?” And one was saying, “Like this,” and another was saying, “Like that.”
20 And the spirit {ruakh: invisible agent} went out and stood before the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Arbiter}, and said, “I will entice him.” And the LORD said to him, “By what means?”
21 And he said, “I will go out and become a spirit of falsehood {ruach sheker: deceiving power} in the mouth of all his prophets.” And the LORD {YHWH, Divine Sovereign} said, “You shall entice, and you shall prevail. Go out and do so.”
22 And now, behold, the LORD {YHWH, Final Judge} has put a spirit of falsehood {sheqer: deliberate lie} in the mouth of these your prophets, and the LORD has spoken disaster against you.
23 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek {lechi: Side of Face}, and said, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD {YHWH, Divine Communicator} pass from me to speak to you?”
24 Micaiah said, “Behold {hinekha: emphatic summons}, you will see on that day when you enter an inner chamber {cheder: enclosed room} to hide yourself.”
25 And the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah {Mikhayahu: prophet’s name} and bring him back to Amon, the official {sar: chief authority} of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son.”
26 And you shall say, “Thus says the king {melekh: royal authority}: ‘Place this one in the prison house and feed him bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace {veshalom: wholeness}.’”
27 Micaiah said, “If you indeed return in peace {shalom: wholeness and well-being}, then the LORD {YHWH, Sovereign Speaker} has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, you peoples, all of you.”
28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat {yehoshaphat: Yahweh has judged}, king of Judah, went up to Ramoth {ramoth: heights} Gilead.
29 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and enter the battle {milchamah: armed engagement}, but you wear your garments {beged: official robes}.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into the battle.
30 Now the king of Aram {Aram: Syrian Kingdom} commanded the commanders {sarei harekhev: chariot corps} of his chariotry, saying, “You shall not fight the small or the great, but only the king of Israel, by himself.”
31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He is the king of Israel!” Then they turned toward him to fight; but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD {YHWH, Rescuer} came to his aid, and God {Elohim, Deliverer} caused them to turn away from him.
32 When the commanders {sarei: chariot officers} of the chariot saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him and turned back {vayashuvu: sudden retreat}.
33 And a man drew the bow at random {letumo: unplanned shot} and struck the king of Israel between the joints and the armor. And he said to the charioteer, “Turn your hand, turn your hand, and bring me out of the camp, because I am wounded {hacholeiti: grievously hurt}.”
34 The battle {milchamah: battle intensity} grew stronger that day, and the king of Israel kept himself upright {ma‘amid: sustained effort} in his chariot facing Aram until evening; and at the time when the sun went down he died.