Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 232
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do what I promised during his lifetime. It will happen to his sons; I will
destroy his dynasty.”
For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. Then during
the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel.
During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that
the town of R amoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to
recapture it from the king of Aram!”
Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle
to recover R amoth-gilead?”
Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are
as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” Then
Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.”
So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them,
and asked them, “Should I go to war against R
amoth-gilead, or should I
hold back?”
They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king
victory.”
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here?
We should ask him the same question.”
The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man who
could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.”
Jehoshaphat replied, “That’s not the way a king should talk! Let’s hear
what he has to say.”
So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Quick! Bring
Micaiah son of Imlah.”
King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their
royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of
Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the
Arameans to death!”
All the other prophets agreed. “Yes,” they said, “go up to R amoth-gilead
and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!”
Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look,
all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree
with them and promise success.”
But Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what
the Lord tells me to say.”