2 Chronicles 18
Judah joins Israel in fighting Syria
Judah's King Jehoshaphat grew rich and well respected, and he made a marriage alliance with Israel's King Ahab. A few years later, he went to Samaria to meet Ahab. Ahab welcomed him by slaughtering a lot of sheep and oxen for his party and convinced him to fight against Ramoth-gilead. Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, “Won't you join me in going to Ramoth-gilead?” He replied, “I am with you. My people are your people, and we'll be with you in the war.”
Prophets advise Israel to go to war
Then Jehoshaphat told Israel's king, “But first, ask the Existing One what he thinks.” So Israel's king gathered 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go to war with Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?” And they replied, “Go ahead, because God will hand them over to the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn't there another one of the Existing One's prophets here who we can ask?” Israel's King told Jehoshaphat, “There is one more who can ask the Existing One. His name is Micaiah (Imlah's son), but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good about me; only evil.” So Jehoshaphat said, “I hope that's not true.” Then Israel's King told an officer, “Quick, bring me Micaiah (Imlah's son).” So there they were: Israel's and Judah's kings sitting on their thrones arrayed in their royal robes at the wheat factory (at Samaria's entrance) with all the prophets prophesying in front of them. And Zedekiah (Chenaanah's son) made horns out of iron for himself and said, “The Existing One says, ‘Use these to push the Syrians until they are defeated.’” And all the prophets were in agreeance, saying, “Go to Ramoth-gilead and triumph. The Existing One will hand them over to the king.”
God sent lying spirit to prophets
The messenger who went to get Micaiah told him, “Look, all the other prophets are unanimously in favor to the king. I hope your prophecy agrees with theirs and speaks favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Existing One lives, whatever God says is what I will prophesy.” When he got there, the king said, “Micaiah, should we go to battle with Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” And he answered, “Go ahead and triumph. They will be handed over to you.” But the king said, “How many times should I make you swear that you really are telling me the truth about what the Existing One said?” And he said, “I saw all of Israel scattered on the mountains like sheep without a shepherd, and the Existing One said, ‘They have no leader; let each of them go back home in peace.’” And Israel's king told Jehoshaphat, “Didn't I say that he wouldn't prophesy anything good about me, but only evil?” Micaiah said, “Hear the Existing One's message: I saw the Existing One sitting on his throne with all of heaven's hosts standing on either side of him. And the Existing One said, ‘Who will entice Israel's King Ahab so that he'll attack Ramoth-gilead and die?’ And they each said different things. Then a spirit came forward, stood before the Existing One, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ And the Existing One asked him, ‘How will you do it?’ And he said, ‘I'll go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You'll entice him, and you'll be successful. Go ahead and do so.’ So look, the Existing One put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets, and he declared disaster about you.”
Prophets want God’s spirit
Then Zedekiah (Chenaanah's son) came close and slapped Micaiah across the face, saying, “How did the Existing One's Spirit go from me to you?” And Micaiah said, “You'll find out on the day that you run to your closet and hide.” Israel's king said, “Seize Micaiah and take him back to Amon (the city's governor) and Joash (the king's son) and say ‘The king says put this guy in prison and feed him meager meals of bread and water until I return in peace.’” And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, then the Existing One hasn't spoken through me.” And he said, “Everyone make note of what you've heard today!”
Israel’s king enters war in disguise, still dies
So Israel's king and Judah's King Jehoshaphat went to Ramoth-gilead. And Israel's king told Jehoshaphat, “I'll disguise myself when we go into battle, but you can just wear your normal robes.” So Israel's king disguised himself, and they went into battle. Now Syria's king had ordered his chariot captains, “No matter how important or unimportant they are, don't fight with anyone except for Israel's king.” When the captains saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “That must be Israel's king,” and they went to fight him. Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Existing One helped him, drawing them away from him. When the captains realized that he wasn't Israel's king, they stopped chasing him. But one man fired his bow at random, and his arrow struck Israel's king between right between the scale armor and the breastplate. So he told his chariot driver, “Turn around. We have to leave the battle because I'm wounded.” Israel's king watched as the battle continued that day, propped up from his chariot until he finally died at sunset.