1
For three years Syria and Israel continued without war.
2
1But in the third year 2Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
3
And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that 3Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?"
4
And he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?" And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, 4"I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."
5
And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Inquire first for the word of the LORD."
6
Then the king of Israel 5gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?" And they said, "Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king."
7
But 6Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here another prophet of the LORD of whom we may inquire?"
8
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil." And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so."
9
Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, "Bring quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah."
10
Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor 7at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
11
And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself 8horns of iron and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'With these 9you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed.'"
12
And all the prophets prophesied so and said, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king."