Jehoshaphat king of Judah had riches and honor in abundance; and by marriage he allied himself with Ahab king of Israel.
After some years he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria; Ahab killed sheep and oxen in abundance for him and the people who were with him. He also persuaded Jehoshaphat to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat answered Ahab, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; we will be with you in the war. Please inquire for the word of the LOrd today.”
Ahab king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men and said to them, “Shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for GOd will deliver it into the king’s hand.” Now Zedekiah had made horns of iron for himself and he said “”Thus says the LOrd: ‘With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.’ ” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not still a prophet of the LOrd here, that we may inquire of HIm?” So Ahab said, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the LOrd. But I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah. And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things.”
Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Now listen, the words of the prophet with one accord encourage the king. Therefore please let your words be like one of them. and speak encouragement. And Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.”
Micaiah came to the king; and the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?” And Micaiah said, “Go and prosper and they shall be delivered into your hands!” So 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?”
Then Micaiah said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains as sheep that has no shepherd. And the LOrd said, ‘These have no master. Let each return to his house in peace.’ ” Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
Then Micaiah the prophet said, “Therefore hear the word of the LOrd. I saw the Lord sitting on HIs throne and all the host of heaven standing on HIs right hand and on HIs left.
And the Lord said, “Who will persuade Ahab king of Israel to go up, that he may fall at Ramoth-Gilead?” And one said in this manner, and another spoke in that manner.
Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord and said, “I will persuade him.”
The 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, “YOU SHALL PERSUADE HIM AND ALSO PREVAIL. GO OUT AND DO SO.”
Now therefore, look! The Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours, and the Lord has declared a disaster against you.” Then Zedekiah struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit of the LOrd go from me to speak to you? And Micaiah said, “Indeed you shall see on that day when you go an inner chamber to hide!”
And king Ahab said, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of this city and to Joash the king’s son; and say, “Thus says the king: “Put his fellow in prison and feed him with bread and water of affliction and I return in peace.
Then Micaiah said, ” If you ever return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.”
2Chronicles 18: 18-22
Short Stories on Bible Figures 