18 King Yehoshafat became very wealthy and was highly honoured, but then he allied himself by marriage to Yisrael’s King Ahav. 2 Some years later, he went up to Ahav in Shomron (Samaria), and Ahab sacrificed lots of sheep and cattle for him and for the people who were with him, and he incited him to attack Ramot-Gilead—3 Yisrael’s King Ahav suggested to Yehudah’s King Yehoshafat, “Will you join me to attack Ramot-Gilead?”

“Wherever you’ll be, I’ll be there,” he responded. “Your people are like my own people, and we’re with you in battle.” 4 Then he added, “But we should get Yahweh’s advice first.”

5 So Yisrael’s king gathered four hundred of his prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramot-Gilead or not?”

“Go ahead,” they answered, “and God will give victory to the king.”

6 But Yehoshafat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh here that we can ask?”

7 The king of Yisrael told Yehoshafat, “There’s still one man who would ask Yahweh, but I myself hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me—it’s always something evil. He’s Yimlah’s son, Mikayah.”

“You shouldn’t talk like that,” said Yehoshafat.

8 So Yisrael’s king ordered an official, “Get Yimlah’s son, Mikayah here as quick as possible.”

9 Now the kings of Yisrael and Yehudah were both clothed in their royal robes and sitting there on their thrones near Shomron’s (Samaria’s) entrance gate. They were up on a threshing floor, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 10 Kenaanah’s son Tsedkiyah made himself some iron horns and said, “Yahweh says that you’ll gore Aram with these until they’re destroyed.” 11 All the rest of Ahav’s prophets agreed, saying, “Yes, go and attack Ramot-Gilead and you’ll succeed—Yahweh will give the king victory.”

12 The messenger who went to fetch Mikayah warned him, “Listen, the king is pleased with what the other prophets agreed on. Just say the same as them and give a favourable message.”

13 But Mikayah responded, “As sure as Yahweh lives, I’ll only say what my god tells me to say.”

14 When he got to the king, King Ahav asked him, “Mikayah, should we attack Ramot-Gilead for battle, or should I hold back?”

“Go ahead and succeed,” he answered. “You’ll be given victory over them.”

15 But the king said to him, “How many times must I keeping making you promise that you’ll only say what Yahweh says—not just what I want to hear?” 16 So Mikayah responded, “I saw all Yisrael scattered on the hills like sheep without shepherds, and Yahweh said, ‘They don’t have any master, so they’ll all just go home in peace.’ ”[ref]

17 Ahav remarked to Yehoshafat, “Didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophesy anything good about me—only disaster?”

18 But Mikayah continued, “Well, listen to what Yahweh says. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne and all the heavenly soldiers standing on each side of him, 19 and Yahweh said, ‘Who’ll entice Yisrael’s King Ahab so he’ll attack and then he’ll fall at Ramot-Gilead?’ Some suggested one thing, and others suggested something else. 20 Then a spirit went out, and stood in front of Yahweh and said, ‘I myself will entice him.’ ‘How would you do it?’ Yahweh asked him. 21 The spirit replied, ‘I’ll go and inspire all Ahav’s prophets to tell lies.’ Yahweh said, ‘That’ll work. Go and do it.’

22 “So now, listen. Yahweh placed a deceiving spirit in the mouth of those prophets of yorus, and Yahweh has decreed that you’ll face disaster.”

23 Then Kenaanah’s son Tsedkiyah went up to Mikayah and slapped him hard on the cheek, saying, “Yeah! Since when did Yahweh’s spirit leave me and start speaking to you?”

24 “Well, you’ll find out soon,” answered Mikayah, “on the day when you go room by room in some house to try to hide.”

25 “Arrest Mikayah,” ordered King Ahav, “and return him to Amon the city governor, and to my son Yoash. 26 Tell them that the king’s ordered that this man be put in prison, and be given only strictly-rationed bread and water until I return safely.”

27 “If you return safely,” Mikayah retorted, “then Yahweh mustn’t have spoken to me.”

22 Then almost three years went by without war between Aram (Syria) and Yisrael, 2 but in the third year, Yehudah’s King Yehoshafat went up north to visit Yisrael’s king.

3 While they were talking, King Ahav said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramot-Gilead should be ours, but we haven’t reclaimed it from Aram’s king?” 4 Then he asked Yehoshafat, “Will you go to war with us to reclaim Ramot-Gilead?”

“You and me are together,” Yehoshafat told Yisrael’s king. “My people are your people, and my horses are your horses.” 5 Then he added, “But let’s ask Yahweh about it first.”

6 So Yisrael’s king gathered about four hundred prophets together and asked them, “Should I attack Ramot-Gilead, or not?”

“Go ahead, because our master[fn] will give you victory,” they answered.

7 But Yehoshafat asked, “Is there no prophet of Yahweh still around here that we can ask?”

8 “There’s still one man who speaks for Yahweh,” Ahav replied to Yehoshafat, “Yimla’s son Mikayehu, but I myself hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me—only negative things.”

“The king shouldn’t talk like that,” said Yehoshafat.

9 So Yisrael’s king ordered an offical to fetch Yimla’s son Mikayehu straight away.

10 Now Yisrael’s king Ahav and Yehudah’s king Yehoshafat were both wearing their royal robes and sitting on thrones at a gate in Shomron’s city wall, and many prophets were speaking messages to them. 11 Kenaanah’s son Tsidkiyyah made some horns for himself out of iron and said, “Yahweh says that you’ll gore Aram with these until they’re destroyed.” 12 All the other prophets were prophesying similarly, saying things like, “Yes, attack Ramot-Gilead and be successful, and Yahweh will restore it back to you.”

13 Meanwhile the messenger who had gone to call Mikayehu told him, “Listen, please, all the other prophets agree together as they prophesy victory for the king. Please let your message be similar to theirs and be positive.”

14 “As surely as Yahweh lives,” Mikayehu responded, “I’ll only tell Ahav what Yahweh tells me to say.”

15 When he got to King Ahav, the king asked him, “Mikayehu, should we attack Ramot-Gilead, or not?”

“Go ahead and be successful,” he replied, “and Yahweh will give it back to the king.”

16 But looking at him, the king said to him, “How many times do I have to make you promise that you’ll only tell the truth about me when you pass on Yahweh’s messages?

17 “Well,” he said, “I saw all Yisrael scattered into the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and Yahweh said that they have no leaders so they should all return peacefully to their homes.”[ref]

18 “Ah,” King Ahav told King Yehoshafat, “Didn’t I tell you that he wouldn’t prophesy anything good about me—only bad news?”

19 But Mikayehu continued, “Listen to Yahweh’s message then: I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the heavenly army were standing at both sides of him.[ref] 20 Then Yahweh asked who could deceive Ahav to attack Ramot-Gilead so that he’d get killed there. Some suggested one thing and others suggested something else. 21 Then a spirit came out and stood in front of Yahweh and offered to deceive the king, and Yahweh asked him how he intended to do it. 22 He replied that he’d go and be a false spirit so the kings prophets would tell lies, and Yahweh said that that would work and told him to go ahead and do it. 23 So now, listen, Yahweh has put a lying a spirit into all these prophets of yours, and Yahweh has declared disaster on you.”

24 Then Tsidkiyyah (Kenaanah’s son) went over and slapped Mikayehu on the face, and said, “Since when did Yahweh’s spirit leave me and start speaking through you?”

25 “Listen here,” Mikayehu replied, “you’ll find that out soon enough when you sneak into an inner room to try and hide.”

26 King Ahav commanded, “Take Mikayehu to Amon, the city commander, and to my son Yoash. 27 Tell them that the king orders them to imprison this man and limit his bread and water until I return safely.”

28 “If you do return safely,” Mikayehu remarked, “then Yahweh hasn’t spoken through me.” And he added, “Take note all you people.”