Alliance with Ach'av
(The reign of Ach'av Ben Omri (did evil) and major part of Eliyahu ha Tishbite's ministry precede the record that follows)
18:1 Now Yehoshafat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ach'av.
18:2 And after [certain] years he went down to Ach'av to Shomron. And Ach'av killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that [he had] with him, and persuaded him to go up [with him] to Ramot-Gil'ad.
18:3 And Ach'av melekh Yisra'el said unto Yehoshafat melekh Yehudah:
Wilt thou go with me to Ramot-Gil'ad?
And he answered him:
I [am] as thou [art], and my people as thy people; and [we will be] with thee in the war.
18:4 And Yehoshafat said unto the melekh Yisra'el:
Enquire, I pray thee, at ha Dvar YHWH (יהוה) to day.
18:5 Therefore the melekh Yisra'el gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramot-Gil'ad to battle, or shall I forbear?
And they said:
Go up; for Elohim (אלהים) will deliver [it] into the melekh's hand.
18:6 But Yehoshafat said, [Is there] not here a Navi YHWH (יהוה) besides, that we might enquire of him?
18:7 And the melekh Yisra'el said unto Yehoshafat:
[There is] yet one man, by whom we may enquire of YHWH (יהוה): but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same [is] Mikayah Ben Imla. And Yehoshafat said, Let not the melekh say so.
18:8 And the melekh Yisra'el called for one [of his] officers, and said:
"Fetch quickly Mikayah Ben Imla."
18:9 And the melekh Yisra'el and Yehoshafat melekh Yehudah 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 Shomron; and all ha Neviim prophesied before them.
18:10 And Zedekyah Ben Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said:
Thus saith YHWH (יהוה):
With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.
18:11 And all ha Neviim prophesied so, saying:
Go up to Ramot-Gil'ad, and prosper:
for YHWH (יהוה) shall deliver [it] into the hand of the melekh.
18:12 And the messenger that went to call Mikayah spake to him, saying:
Behold, the divrei ha Neviim [declare] good to the melekh with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
[As] YHWH (יהוה) liveth, even what Elohai saith, that will I speak.
18:14 And when he was come to the melekh,
the melekh said unto him:
Mikayah, shall we go to Ramot-Gil'ad to battle, or shall I forbear?
And he said:
"Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand."
18:15 And the melekh said to him:
How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the Name of YHWH (יהוה)?
18:16 Then he said:
"I did see all Yisra'el scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd:
and YHWH said:
These have no master; let them return [therefore] every man to his house in peace."
18:17 And the melekh Yisra'el said to Yehoshafat:
Did I not tell thee [that] he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
18:18 Again he said:
"Therefore hear Dvar YHWH (יהוה); I saw YHWH (יהוה) sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and [on] his left."
18:19 And YHWH (יהוה) said:
"Who shall entice Ach'av melekh Yisra'el, that he may go up and fall at Ramot-Gil'ad?
And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
18:20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before YHWH (יהוה), and said,
I will entice him.
And YHWH (יהוה) said unto him: Wherewith?
18:21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Neviim.
And [YHWH (יהוה)] said:
"Thou shalt entice [him], and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do [even] so. "
18:22 Now therefore, behold, YHWH (יהוה) hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy Neviim, and YHWH (יהוה) hath spoken evil against thee.
18:23 Then Zedekyah Ben Chenaanah came near, and smote Micayah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Ruach YHWH (יהוה) from me to speak unto thee?
18:24 And Mikayah said:
" Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself. "
18:25 Then the melekh Yisra'el said:
Take ye Mikayah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Yoash the melekh's son;
18:26 And say, Thus saith the melekh:
Put this [fellow] in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
18:27 And Mikayah said:
If thou certainly return in peace, [then] hath not YHWH (יהוה) spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
18:28 So the melekh Yisra'el and Yehoshafat the melekh Yehudah went up to Ramot-Gil'ad.
18:29 And the melekh Yisra'el said unto Yehoshafat:
I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the melekh Yisra'el disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
18:30 Now the melekh Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that [were] with him, saying:
Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the melekh Yisra'el.
18:31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Yehoshafat, that they said, It [is] the melekh Yisra'el. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Yehoshafat cried out, and YHWH (יהוה) helped him; and Elohim (אלהים) moved them [to depart] from him.
18:32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the melekh Yisra'el, they turned back again from pursuing him.
18:33 And a [certain] man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the melekh Yisra'el between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
18:34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the melekh Yisra'el stayed [himself] up in [his] chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.