Ahab and Jehoshaphat Seek Counsel; Micaiah's True Prophecy
1 Kings 22:1-28
1They dwelt three years without battle between Aram and Israel.2In the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to the king of Israel.3The king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth Gilead is ours, yet we do nothing to take it from the hand of the king of Aram?"4He said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."5Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please seek the word of the LORD this day."6The king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?" They said, "Go up, and the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."7Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here, so that we may inquire of him?"8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There remains one man through whom we may seek the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, only evil—Micaiah son of Imlah." Jehoshaphat replied, "The king must not say so."9The king of Israel summoned one eunuch and ordered, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah quickly."10The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat each on his throne, clothed in garments, at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, while all the prophets prophesied before them.11Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns for himself and said, "Thus says the LORD: With these you will gore Aram until finishing them."12All the prophets prophesied in the same way, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."13The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "Behold, please, the prophets speak with one voice that is favorable to the king; please let your word be like one of them and speak favorably."14Micaiah answered, "As the LORD lives, whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak."15When he came before the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead for battle, or shall we refrain?" He replied, "Go up and prosper, and the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."16The king said to him, "Until how many times must I make you swear that you will not speak to me except truth in the name of the LORD?"17Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered to the mountains like a flock that has no shepherd." And the LORD said, "These have no master; let each man return to his house in peace."18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would prophesy nothing good about me, only evil?"19Then Micaiah continued, "Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD seated on his throne with all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right and on his left."20The LORD said, "Who will entice Ahab so that he will go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?" One said in this way and another said in that way.21Then the spirit came out and stood before the LORD and said, "I will entice him." The LORD said to him, "With what?"22He said, "I will come out and become a spirit of deception in the lip of all his prophets." The LORD said, "You will entice and also be able; come out and do so."23And now behold, the LORD has given a spirit of deception in the lip of all these your prophets, and the LORD has decreed disaster for you.24Zedekiah son of Chenaanah approached and struck Micaiah upon the cheek and said, "Where did this spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?"25Micaiah answered, "You will see on the day when you go from chamber to chamber to hide."26The king of Israel commanded, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son."27Say, "Thus says the king: Put this man in the prison house and feed him bread of affliction and water of affliction until I return in peace."28Micaiah said, "If you return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." And he added, "Hear, all you peoples."