Micaiah prophesied against Ahab

10 The king of Israel and the king of Judah were wearing their ◄royal robes/robes that showed that they were kings►. They were sitting on thrones at the place where people threshed grain, near the gate of Samaria city. All of Ahab’s prophets were standing in front of the kings, ◄prophesying/predicting what was going to happen►. 11 One of them, whose name was Zedekiah, the son of Kenaanah, had made from iron something that resembled horns of a bull. Then he proclaimed to Ahab, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘With horns like these your army will keep attacking the Syrians like a bull attacks another animal [MET], until you completely destroy them!’ ”

12 All the other prophets of Ahab agreed. They said, “Yes! If you go up to attack Ramoth city in the Gilead region, you will be successful, because Yahweh will enable you to defeat them!”

13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to summon Micaiah said to him, “Listen to me! All the other prophets are predicting that the king’s army will defeat the Syrians. So be sure that you agree with them and say ◄what will be favorable/that the king’s army will be successful►.”

14 But Micaiah replied, “As surely as Yahweh lives, I will tell him only what Yahweh tells me to say.”

15 When Micaiah came to Ahab, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to fight against the people of Ramoth, or not?”

Micaiah replied, “Sure, go! Yahweh will enable your army to defeat them!” 16 But King Ahab realized that Micaiah was ◄lying/being sarcastic►, so he said to Micaiah, “I have told you [RHQ] many times that you must always tell only the truth when you say what Yahweh has revealed to you!”

17 So Micaiah said to him, “The truth is that in a vision I saw all the troops of Israel scattered on the mountains. They seemed to be like sheep that did not have a shepherd. And Yahweh said, ‘Their master has been killed. So tell them all to go home peacefully.’ ”

18 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you [RHQ] that he never predicts that anything good will happen to me! He always predicts that bad things will happen to me.”

19 But Micaiah continued, saying, “Listen to what Yahweh showed to me! In a vision I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, with all the armies of heaven surrounding him, on his right side and on his left side. 20 And Yahweh said, ‘Who can persuade Ahab to go to fight against the people of Ramoth, in order that he may be killed there?’

Some suggested one thing, and others suggested something else. 21 Finally one evil spirit came to Yahweh and said, ‘I can do it!’

22 Yahweh asked him, ‘How will you do it?’

The spirit replied, ‘I will go and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to tell lies.’ Yahweh said, ‘You will be successful; go and do it!’ 23 So now I tell you that Yahweh has caused all of your prophets to lie to you. Yahweh has decided that something terrible will happen to you.”

24 Then Zedekiah walked over to Micaiah and slapped him on his face. He said, “Do you think that Yahweh’s Spirit left me in order to speak to you?” [RHQ]

25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out for yourself which of us Yahweh’s Spirit has truly spoken to on the day when you go into a room of some house to hide from the Syrian troops!”

26 King Ahab commanded his soldiers, “Seize Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of this city, and to my son Joash. 27 Tell them that I have commanded that they should put this man in prison and give him only bread and water. Do not give him anything else to eat until I return safely from the battle!”

28 Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will be clear that it was not Yahweh who told me what to say to you!” Then he said to all those who were standing there, “Do not forget what I have said to King Ahab!”