1 KINGS 22:1-5
1 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. 2 But in
the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king
of Israel. 3 The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you
know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing
to retake it from the king of Aram?” 4 So he asked Jehoshaphat,
“Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat
replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your
people, my horses as your horses.” 5 But Jehoshaphat also said to the
king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the LORD.”
CONFRONTING THE TRUTH IN A CRISIS.
1 KINGS 22:6
6 So the king of Israel brought together the prophets - about four
hundred men - and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth
Gilead, or shall I refrain?” “Go,” they answered, “for the Lord will
give it into the king’s hand.”
CONSEQUENCES OF TRUTH IN A CRISIS.
1 KINGS 22:7-10
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the LORD here
whom we can inquire of?” 8 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat,
“There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but
I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but
always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say such a
thing,” Jehoshaphat replied. 9 So the king of Israel called one of his
officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.” 10 Dressed in their
royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting
on their thrones at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of
Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them.1 KINGS 22:11-14
11 Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared,
“This is what the LORD says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans
until they are destroyed.’ ” 12 All the other prophets were prophesying the
same thing. “Attack Ramoth Gilead and be victorious,” they said, “for the
LORD will give it into the king’s hand.” 13 The messenger who had gone
to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without
exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with
theirs, and speak favorably.” 14 But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD
lives, I can tell him only what the LORD tells me.”1 KINGS 22:15-18
15 When he arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, shall we go to war
against Ramoth Gilead, or not?” “Attack and be victorious,” he answered,
“for the LORD will give it into the king’s hand.” 16 The king said to him,
“How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth
in the name of the LORD?” 17 Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all Israel
scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said,
‘These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace.’ ” 18 The
king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he never
prophesies anything good about me, but only bad?”1 KINGS 22:24-27
24 Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the
face. “Which way did the spirit from the LORD go when he went from me
to speak to you?” he asked. 25 Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the
day you go to hide in an inner room.” 26 The king of Israel then ordered,
“Take Micaiah and send him back to Amon the ruler of the city and to
Joash the king’s son 27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this fellow
in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I return safely.’ ”1 KINGS 22:28
28 Micaiah declared, “If you ever return safely, the LORD
has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Mark my
words, all you people!”1 KINGS 22:29-33
29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth
Gilead. 30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in
disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised
himself and went into battle. 31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his
thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great,
except the king of Israel.” 32 When the chariot commanders saw
Jehoshaphat, they thought, “Surely this is the king of Israel.” So they turned
to attack him, but when Jehoshaphat cried out, 33 the chariot commanders
saw that he was not the king of Israel and stopped pursuing him.1 KINGS 22:34-35
34 But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between
the sections of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, “Wheel around
and get me out of the fighting. I’ve been wounded.” 35 All day long the
battle raged, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the
Arameans. The blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot, and
that evening he died.