1st Kings — 22
Yahushaphat and Ahab
1 For three years there was no war between Aram and Yashar'AL.
2 Then during the third year, King Yahushaphat of Yahudah went to visit King Ahab of Yashar'AL.
3 During the visit, the king of Yashar'AL said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramuth-gilaad belongs to us? And yet we have done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!”
4 Then he turned to Yahushaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramuth-gilaad? Yahushaphat replied to the king of Yashar'AL, “Yes, of course! you and I are as one, my troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.”
5 Then Yahushaphat added, “But first let us find out what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar.”
6 So the king of Yashar'AL summoned the Nabym, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramuth-gilaad, or should I hold back?” They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will give the king victory.”
7 But Yahushaphat asked, “Is there not also a Nabym of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH here? We should ask him the same question.”
8 The king of Yashar'AL replied to Yahushaphat, “There is one man who could consult 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH for us, but I hate him, he never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micayahu son of Imlah.” Yahushaphat replied, “That is not the way a king should talk! Let us hear what he has to say.”
9 So the king of Yashar'AL called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring Micayahu son of Imlah.”
Micayahu Prophesies against Ahab
10 King Ahab of Yashar'AL and King Yahushaphat of Yahudah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
11 One of them, Zadakyahu son of Kanaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH says: With these horns you will gore the Aramaans to death!”
12 All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to Ramuth-gilaad and be victorious, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will give the king victory!”
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micayahu said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success.”
14 But Micayahu replied, “As surely as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH lives, I will say only what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH tells me to say.”
15 When Micayahu arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micayahu, should we go to war against Ramuth-gilaad, or should we hold back?” Micayahu replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH will give the king victory!”
16 But the king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH?”
17 Then Micayahu told him, “In a vision I saw all Yashar'AL scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar to me, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in Shalum.’”
18 “Did not I tell you?” Ahab exclaimed to Yahushaphat. “he never prophesies anything but trouble for me.”
19 Then Micayahu continued, “Listen to what 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar! I saw 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH sitting on his throne with all the armies of Shamaym around him, on His right and on His left.
20 And 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH Dabar, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramuth-gilaad so he can be killed?’ “There were many suggestions,
21 and finally a ruach approached 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and said, ‘I can do it!’
22 “‘How will you do this?’ 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH asked. And the ruach replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies. “You will succeed,’ said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. ‘Go ahead and do it.’
23 “So you see, 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has pronounced your doom.”
24 Then Zadakyahu son of Kenaanah walked up to Micayahu and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Ruach of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH leave me to speak to you?” he demanded.
25 And Micayahu replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”
26 “Arrest him!” the king of Yashar'AL ordered. “Take him back to Amun, the governor of the city, and to my son Yuash.
27 Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’”
28 But Micayahu replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!”
The Death of Ahab
29 So King Ahab of Yashar'AL and King Yahushaphat of Yahudah led their armies against Ramuth-gilaad.
30 The king of Yashar'AL said to Yahushaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Yashar'AL disguised himself, and they went into battle.
31 Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Yashar'AL. Do not bother with anyone else!”
32 So when the Aramaan chariot commanders saw Yahushaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Yashar'AL!” they shouted. But when Yahushaphat called out,
33 the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Yashar'AL, and they stopped chasing him.
34 An Aramaan soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Yasharalym troops and hit the king of Yashar'AL between the joints of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. “I am badly wounded!”
35 The battle raged all that day, and the king remained propped up in his chariot facing the Aramaans. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot, and as evening arrived he died.
36 Just as the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: “We are done for! Run for your lives!”
37 So king Ahab died, and his body was taken to Samaria and buried there.
38 Then his chariot was washed beside the pool of Samaria, and dogs came and licked his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed, just as 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH had promised.
39 The rest of the events in Ahab’s reign and everything he did, including the story of the Ibury palace and the towns he built, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Yashar'AL.
40 So Ahab died, and his son Ahazyahu became the next king.
Yahushaphat Rules in Yahudah
41 Yahushaphat son of Asa began to rule over Yahudah in the fourth year of King Ahab’s reign in Yashar'AL.
42 Yahoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Yahushalam twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.
43 Yahushaphat was a good king, following the example of his father Asa, he did what was pleasing in the sight of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, During his reign, however he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.
44 Yahushaphat also made Shalum with the king of Yashar'AL.
45 The rest of the events in Yahushaphat’s reign, the extent of his power, and the wars he waged are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Yahudah.
46 He banished from the land the rest of the male and female shrine prostitutes, who still continued their practices from the days of his father, Asa.
47 (There was no king in Adum at that time, only a deputy.)
48 Yahushaphat also built a fleet of trading ships to sail to Uphir for gold. But the ships never set sail, for they met with disaster in their home port of Aziun-gabar.
49 At one time Ahazyahu son of Ahab had proposed to Yahushaphat, “Let my men sail with your men in the ships.” But Yahushaphat refused the request.
50 When Yahushaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of Daud. Then his son Yahuram became the next king.
Ahazyahu Rules in Yashar'AL
51 Ahazyahu son of Ahab began to rule over Yashar'AL in the seventeenth year of King Yahoshaphat’s reign in Yahudah, he reigned in Samaria two years.
52 But he did what was evil in the sight of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Yarubuam son of Nabat, who had led Yashar'AL to sin.
53 He served Baal and worshiped him, provoking the anger of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH, the 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄_ALUAH of Yashar'AL, just as his father had done.