Study Desk

However, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please request the word of the LORD first."

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.

So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, "Should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for God will hand it over to the king."

Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.

But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of him?"

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything good regarding me, but always bad. He is Micaiah the son of Imlah." But Jehoshaphat said, "May the king not say so."

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

Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah quickly."

And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in their robes, and they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed!'"

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord , With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

All the prophets were prophesying this as well, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and be successful, for the LORD will hand it over to the king."

And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, "Behold, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable to the king. So please let your word be like one of them, and speak favorably."

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 assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of their's, and speak thou good.

But Micaiah said, "As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, I will speak it."

And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, should we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?" He said, "Go up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you!"

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

Then the king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear that you will tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"

And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord ?

So he said, "I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep that have no shepherd. And the LORD said, 'These people have no master. Each of them is to return to his house in peace.'"

Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything good regarding me, but only bad?"

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

And Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the angels of heaven standing on His right and on His left.

Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord ; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

"And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one spirit said this, while another said that.

And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'

Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord , and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?

"He said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You shall entice him, and you will also prevail. Go out and do so.'

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

"Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, for the LORD has declared disaster against you."

Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah approached and struck Micaiah on the cheek; and he said, "How did the Spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?"

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

And Micaiah said, "Behold, you are going to see how on that day when you go from one inner room to another trying to hide yourself."

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

Then the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

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

and say, 'This is what the king says: "Put this man in prison, and feed him enough bread and water to survive until I return safely."'"

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.

But Micaiah said, "If you actually return safely, the LORD has not spoken by me." And he said, "Listen, all you people!"

And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.