II Chronicles 18

¹Therfor Josaphat was riche and ful noble, and bi affynyte, `ethir alie, he was ioyned to Achab.

²And aftir yeeris he cam doun to hym in to Samarie; at whos comyng Achab killide ful many wetheris and oxis, and to the puple that cam with hym; and he counseilide hym to stie in to Ramoth of Galaad.

³And Achab, the kyng of Israel, seide to Josaphat, kyng of Juda, Come thou with me in to Ramoth of Galaad. To whom he answeride, As and Y am, thou art; as thi puple, so and my puple; and we schulen be with thee in batel.

⁴And Josaphat seide to the kyng of Israel, Y biseche, counsele thou in present tyme the word of the Lord.

⁵Therfor the kyng of Israel gaderide togidere foure hundrid `men of prophetis, and seide to hem, Owen we to go in to Ramath of Galaad for to fiyte, ethir `take reste? And thei seiden, Stie ye, and God schal bitake in the hond of the king.

⁶And Josaphat seide, Whether no profete of the Lord is here, that we `axe also of hym?

⁷And the kyng of Israel seide to Josaphat, O man is, of whom we `moun axe the wille of the Lord, but and Y hate hym, for he prophecieth not good, but yuel to me in al tyme; sothely it is Mychee, the sone of Jebla. And Josaphat seide to hym, Kyng, speke thou not in this maner.

⁸Therfor the kyng of Israel clepide oon of the geldyngis, and seide to hym, Clepe thou soone Mychee, the sone of Jebla.

⁹Forsothe the kyng of Israel and Josaphat, the kyng of Juda, saten euer eithir in his seete, and weren clothid in kyngis aray; forsothe thei saten in the cornfloor, `ether large hows, bisidis the yate of Samarie; and alle the prophetis profesieden bifor hem.

¹⁰Forsothe Sedechie, the sone of Cananee, made to hym yrone hornes, and seide, The Lord seith these thingis, With these thou schalt wyndewe Sirie, til thou al to-brake it.

¹¹And alle prophetis profesieden in lijk maner, and seiden, Stie thou in to Ramoth of Galaad, and thou schalt haue prosperite; and the Lord schal bitake hem in to the hondis of the kyng.

¹²Forsothe the messanger, that yede to clepe Mychee, seide to hym, Lo! the wordis of alle prophetis tellen with o mouth goodis to the kyng; therfor, Y preye thee, that thi word disente not fro hem, and that thou speke prosperitees.

¹³To whom Mychee answeride, The Lord lyueth, for what euer thingis my Lord spekith to me, Y schal speke these thingis. Therfor he cam to the kyng.

¹⁴To whom the kyng seide, Mychee, owen we go in to Ramoth of Galaad to fiyte, ether take reste? To whom he answeride, Stie ye, for alle prosperitees schulen come, and enemyes schulen be bitakun in to youre hondis.

¹⁵And the kyng seide, Eft and eft Y charge thee, that thou speke not to me no but that that is soth in the name of the Lord.

¹⁶And he seide, Y siy al Israel scaterid in the hillis, as scheep with out scheepherde. And the Lord seide, These men han not lordis; ech man turne ayen in to his hows in pees.

¹⁷The kyng of Israel seide to Josaphat, Whether Y seide not to thee, that he profesiede not ony good to me, but tho thingis that ben yuele?

¹⁸And therfor Mychee seide, Here ye the word of the Lord. Y siy the Lord sittynge in his trone, and al the oost of heuene stondynge nyy him at the riytside and `leftside.

¹⁹And the Lord seide, Who schal disseyue Achab, the kyng of Israel, that he stie, and falle doun in Ramoth of Galaad? And whanne oon seide in this maner, and another seide in another maner, a spirit cam forth,

²⁰and stood bifor the Lord, and seide, Y schal disseyue hym. To whom the Lord seide, `Wherynne, therfor schalt thou disseyue?

²¹And he answeride, Y schal go out, and Y schal be a `fals spirit in the mouth of alle hise profetis. And the Lord seide, Thou schalt disseyue, and thou schalt haue the maystri; go thou out, and do so.

²²Now therfor, lo! the Lord hath youe a spirit of leesyng in the mouth of alle thi prophetis, and the Lord spak yuels of thee.

²³Forsothe Sedechie, the sone of Chananee, neiyide, and smoot `the cheke of Mychee, and seide, Bi what weye passide the Spirit of the Lord fro me to speke to thee?

²⁴And Mychee seide, Thou thi silf schalt se in that dai, whanne thou schalt entre fro closet in to closet, that thou be hid.

²⁵Sotheli the kyng of Israel comaundide, seiynge, Take ye Mychee, and lede ye hym to Amon, prince of the citee, and to Joas, the sone of Amalech;

²⁶and ye schulen seie, The kyng seith these thingis, Sende ye this man in to prisoun, and yyue ye to hym a litil of breed, and a litil of watir, til Y turne ayen in pees.

²⁷And Mychee seide, If thou turnest ayen in pees, the Lord spak not in me. And he seide, Alle `puplis here ye.

²⁸Therfor the kyng of Israel, and Josaphat, the kyng of Juda, stieden in to Ramoth of Galaad.

²⁹And the kyng of Israel seide to Josaphat, Y schal chaunge clothing, and so Y schal go to fiyte; but be thou clothid in thi clothis. Therfor whanne the kyng of Israel hadde chaungid clothing, he cam to batel.

³⁰Forsothe the kyng of Sirie comaundide to the duykis of his multitude of knyytis, and seide, Fiyte ye not ayens the leeste, nether ayens the mooste; no but ayens the kyng aloone of Israel.

³¹Therfor whanne the princes of the multitude of knyytis hadden seyn Josaphat, thei seiden, This is the kyng of Israel; and thei cumpassiden hym, and fouyten. And he criede to the Lord; and the Lord helpide hym, and turnede hem awey fro hym.

³²Sotheli whanne the duykis of the multitude of knyytis hadden herd, that it was not the kyng of Israel, thei leften hym.

³³Forsothe it bifelde, that oon of the puple schette an arewe in to vncerteyn, and smoot the kyng of Israel bitwixe the necke and the schuldris. And he seide to his charietere, Turne thin hond, and lede me out of the scheltrun; for Y am woundid.

³⁴And the batel was endid in that dai. Certis the kyng of Israel stood in his chare ayens men of Sirye `til to euentid, and he diede, whanne the sunne yede doun.

II Chronicles 18

¹Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

²And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab 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 Ramoth–gilead.

³And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth–gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

⁴And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to day.

⁵Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth–gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.

⁶But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?

⁷And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the Lord: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

⁸And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

⁹And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah 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 Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

¹⁰And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the Lord, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

¹¹And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth–gilead, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

¹²And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

¹³And Micaiah said, As the Lord liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

¹⁴And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth–gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

¹⁵And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?

¹⁶Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

¹⁷And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

¹⁸Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord; I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

¹⁹And the Lord said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth–gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

²⁰Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?

²¹And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

²²Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil against thee.

²³Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?

²⁴And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

²⁵Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;

²⁶And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

²⁷And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the Lord spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

²⁸So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth–gilead.

²⁹And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

³⁰Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.

³¹And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

³²For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

³³And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel 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.

³⁴And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.