1 Kings 22:6-29

New King James Version

⁶Then the king of Israel ^(A)gathered ^[a]the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to fight, or shall I refrain?”

So they said, “Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

⁷And ^(B)Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of ^[b]Him?”

⁸So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.”

And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”

⁹Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah the son of Imlah quickly!”

¹⁰The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, at a threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. ¹¹Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made ^(C)horns of iron for himself; and he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘With these you shall ^(D)gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ” ¹²And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the king’s hand.”

¹³Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophets with one accord encourage the king. Please, let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak encouragement.”

¹⁴And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, ^(E)whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak.”

¹⁵Then he came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we refrain?”

And he answered him, “Go and prosper, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king!”

¹⁶So the king said to him, “How many times shall I make you swear that you tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?”

¹⁷Then he said, “I saw all Israel ^(F)scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ”

¹⁸And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”

¹⁹Then Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the word of the Lord: ^(G)I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, ^(H)and all the host of heaven standing by, on His right hand and on His left. ²⁰And the Lord said, ‘Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. ²¹Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will persuade him.’ ²²The Lord said to him, ‘In what way?’ So he said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And the Lord said, ^(I)‘You shall persuade him, and also prevail. Go out and do so.’ ²³^(J)Therefore look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared disaster against you.”

²⁴Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and ^(K)struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, ^(L)“Which way did the spirit from the Lord go from me to speak to you?”

²⁵And Micaiah said, “Indeed, you shall see on that day when you go into an ^(M)inner chamber to hide!”

²⁶So the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; ²⁷and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this fellow in ^(N)prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and water of affliction, until I come in peace.” ’ ”

²⁸But Micaiah said, “If you ever return in peace, ^(O)the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Take heed, all you people!”