1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.3 And the king of Israel said to his servants, Do ye know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we keep quiet without taking it out of the hand of the king of Syria?4 And he said to Jehoshaphat, Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-Gilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as thou, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.5 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, this day of the word of Jehovah.6 And the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king's hand.7 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we might inquire of him?8 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Jehovah; but I hate him, for he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil: {it is} Micah the son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.9 Then the king of Israel called a chamberlain, and said, Fetch quickly Micah the son of Imlah.10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne, in the open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, Thus saith Jehovah: With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have exterminated them.12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will give it into the king's hand.13 And the messenger that went to call Micah spoke to him saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets {declare} good to the king with one assent: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak good.14 And Micah said, As Jehovah liveth, even what Jehovah shall say to me, that will I speak.15 And he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micah, shall we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he said to him, Go up, and prosper; for Jehovah will give it into the hand of the king.16 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou tell me nothing but truth in the name of Jehovah?17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. And Jehovah said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.18 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil?19 And he said, Hear therefore the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him, on his right hand and on his left;20 and Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? And one said after this manner, and another said after that manner.21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him.22 And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice {him}, and also succeed: go forth, and do so.23 And now, behold, Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning thee.24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micah upon the cheek, and said, Where now went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak to thee?25 And Micah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thyself.26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micah and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;27 and thou shalt say, Thus says the king: Put this {man} in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.28 And Micah said, If thou return at all in peace, Jehovah has not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O peoples, all of you!29 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead.30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.31 And the king of Syria commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots saying, Fight neither with small nor great, but with the king of Israel only.32 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely that is the king of Israel; and they turned against him to fight; and Jehoshaphat cried out.33 And it came to pass that when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.34 And a man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the fastenings and the corslet. And he said to his charioteer, Turn thy hand, and drive me out of the camp; for I am wounded.35 And the battle increased that day; and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and he died at even; and the blood of the wound ran out into the hollow of the chariot.36 And there went the cry throughout the host at the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!37 And the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked his blood, where the harlots bathed: according to the word of Jehovah, which he had spoken.39 And the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?40 And Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.42 Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem; and his mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.43 And he walked in all the way of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of Jehovah.44 Only, the high places were not removed: the people offered and burned incense still on the high places.45 And Jehoshaphat was at peace with the king of Israel.46 And the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might which he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?47 And the remainder of the sodomites, which were left in the days of his father Asa, he put away from out of the land.48 And there was no king in Edom: a deputy reigned.49 Jehoshaphat made Tarshish-ships to go to Ophir for gold; but they went not, for the ships were broken at Ezion-geber.50 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab to Jehoshaphat, Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.51 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David his father; and Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.52 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; and he reigned two years over Israel.53 And he did evil in the sight of Jehovah, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.54 And he served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked Jehovah the God of Israel to anger, according to all that his father had done.

1 Hulle het toe drie jaar lank stil gesit, dat daar geen oorlog was tussen Aram en Israel nie.2 Maar in die derde jaar het Josafat, die koning van Juda, afgekom na die koning van Israel.3 En die koning van Israel vra sy dienaars: Weet julle dat Ramot in G¡lead aan ons behoort? En ons sit stil sonder om dit uit die hand van die koning van Aram te neem!4 Daarna sê hy vir Josafat: Sal u saam met my in die oorlog trek na Ramot in G¡lead? En Josafat antwoord die koning van Israel: Ek is soos u, my volk soos u volk, my perde soos u perde.5 Verder het Josafat aan die koning van Israel gesê: Raadpleeg tog eers die woord van die HERE.6 Toe laat die koning van Israel die profete bymekaarkom, omtrent vier honderd man, en hy sê aan hulle: Sal ek teen Ramot in G¡lead trek om te veg of dit laat staan? En hulle antwoord: Trek op, en die HERE sal dit in die hand van die koning gee.7 Maar Josafat sê: Is hier nie nog 'n profeet van die HERE, dat ons deur hom kan raadpleeg nie?8 En die koning van Israel antwoord Josafat: Daar is nog een man om deur hom die HERE te raadpleeg; maar ,k haat hom, omdat hy oor my niks goeds profeteer nie, maar onheil: Miga, die seun van Jimla. En Josafat sê: Die koning moet nie so spreek nie!9 Daarop roep die koning van Israel 'n hofdienaar en sê: Gaan haal Miga gou, die seun van Jimla.10 Onderwyl die koning van Israel en Josafat, die koning van Juda, elkeen op sy troon sit, bekleed met koninklike klere, op 'n dorsvloer by die ingang van die poort van Samar¡a, en al die profete voor hulle profeteer,11 het Sedek¡a, die seun van Kena„na, vir hom ysterhorings gemaak en gesê: So spreek die HERE: Hiermee sal u die Arameërs stoot totdat hulle vernietig is.12 En al die profete het so geprofeteer en gesê: Trek op na Ramot in G¡lead en u sal voorspoedig wees, en die HERE sal dit in die hand van die koning gee.13 Toe sê die boodskapper wat gegaan het om Miga te roep, vir hom d¡t: Kyk tog, die woorde van die profete is uit een mond goed vir die koning: laat jou woord tog wees soos die woord van een van hulle, en spreek goeie dinge.14 Maar Miga sê: So waar as die HERE leef, voorwaar, wat die HERE vir my sê, dit sal ek spreek!15 Toe hy by die koning kom, sê die koning vir hom: Miga, sal ons na Ramot in G¡lead trek om te veg, of sal ons dit laat staan? En hy antwoord hom: Trek op, en u sal voorspoedig wees, en die HERE sal dit in die hand van die koning gee.16 En die koning sê vir hom: Hoeveel maal moet ek jou besweer dat jy niks as die waarheid in die Naam van die HERE tot my moet spreek nie?17 Daarop antwoord hy: Ek het die hele Israel gesien, verstrooid op die berge soos skape wat geen wagter het nie. En die HERE het gesê: Hulle het geen heer nie; laat hulle elkeen in vrede teruggaan na sy huis.18 Toe sê die koning van Israel vir Josafat: Het ek u nie gesê nie -- hy profeteer oor my niks goeds nie, maar onheil?19 Verder sê hy: Daarom, hoor die woord van die HERE: Ek het die HERE sien sit op sy troon terwyl al die hemelse leërskare by Hom staan, aan sy regter-- en aan sy linkerhand.20 En die HERE het gesê: Wie sal Agab oorhaal, dat hy kan optrek en val by Ramot in G¡lead? En die een het so gesê, en die ander weer so.21 Toe kom die gees vorentoe en gaan voor die aangesig van die HERE staan en sê: Ek sal hom oorhaal. En die HERE vra hom: Waarmee?22 En hy sê: Ek sal uitgaan en 'n leuengees word in die mond van al sy profete. En Hy sê: Jy sal oorhaal, ja, jy sal ook oorwin; gaan uit en doen so.23 En nou, kyk, die HERE het 'n leuengees in die mond van al hierdie profete van u gegee, en die HERE het onheil oor u gespreek.24 Daarop kom Sedek¡a, die seun van Kena„na, nader en hy slaan Miga op die kakebeen en sê: Hoe dan het die Gees van die HERE van my af weggegaan om met jou te spreek?25 En Miga antwoord: Kyk, jy sal dit sien op dieselfde dag as jy van kamer tot kamer sal gaan om jou weg te steek.26 Maar die koning van Israel sê: Neem Miga en bring hom terug by Amon, die owerste van die stad, en by Joas, die seun van die koning.27 En jy moet sê: So spreek die koning: Sit hierdie man in die gevangenis en spysig hom met brood van verdrukking en water van verdrukking totdat ek behoue tuiskom.28 Daarop sê Miga: As u ooit behoue tuiskom, dan het die HERE nie deur my gespreek nie. Verder sê hy: Volke, luister almal saam!29 En die koning van Israel en Josafat, die koning van Juda, het opgetrek na Ramot in G¡lead.30 En die koning van Israel het vir Josafat gesê: Ek sal my onkenbaar maak en in die geveg kom; trek u maar u eie klere aan. So het die koning van Israel hom dan onkenbaar gemaak en in die geveg gegaan.31 En die koning van Aram het aan die owerstes van sy twee en dertig strydwaens bevel gegee en gesê: Julle moet nie klein of groot beveg nie, net die koning van Israel alleen.32 En sodra die owerstes van die waens Josafat sien, sê hulle: Dit is sekerlik die koning van Israel! En hulle het weggeswaai om teen hom te veg; maar Josafat het geskreeu.33 En toe die owerstes van die waens sien dat dit nie die koning van Israel was nie, draai hulle agter hom weg.34 Toe het 'n man in sy eenvoudigheid die boog gespan en die koning van Israel getref tussen die aanhegsels en die pantser. Daarop sê hy aan sy drywer: Ruk om en bring my uit die leër uit, want ek is gewond.35 En die geveg het die dag toegeneem, terwyl die koning hom staande hou in die strydwa teenoor die Arameërs; maar in die aand het hy gesterwe, en die bloed van die wond het in die wa se bak gevloei.36 En teen sonsondergang gaan 'n geskreeu deur die leër: Elkeen na sy stad en elkeen na sy land toe!37 En die koning het dood in Samar¡a aangekom, en die koning is in Samar¡a begrawe.38 En toe hulle die wa uitspoel by die dam van Samar¡a, het die honde sy bloed gelek terwyl die hoere hulle daarin was, volgens die woord van die HERE wat Hy gespreek het.39 En die verdere geskiedenis van Agab en alles wat hy gedoen het, en die ivoorhuis wat hy gebou het, en al die stede wat hy gebou het, is dit nie beskrywe in die Kroniekboek van die konings van Israel nie?40 En Agab het ontslaap met sy vaders, en sy seun Ah sia het in sy plek koning geword.41 En Josafat, die seun van Asa, het koning geword oor Juda in die vierde jaar van Agab, die koning van Israel.42 Josafat was vyf en dertig jaar oud toe hy koning geword het, en hy het vyf en twintig jaar in Jerusalem geregeer; en die naam van sy moeder was Asuba, die dogter van Silhi.43 En hy het geheel en al in die weg van sy vader Asa gewandel -- daarvan het hy nie afgewyk nie -- deur te doen wat reg was in die oë van die HERE.44 Net die hoogtes is nie afgeskaf nie; die volk het nog op die hoogtes geoffer en rook laat opgaan.45 En Josafat het vrede gesluit met die koning van Israel.46 En die verdere geskiedenis van Josafat en sy magtige dade wat hy gedoen het, en hoe hy oorlog gevoer het, is dit nie beskrywe in die Kroniekboek van die konings van Juda nie?47 Ook die skandseuns wat uit die dae van sy vader Asa nog oor was, het hy uit die land uitgeroei.48 Daar was toe nie 'n koning in Edom nie; 'n plaasvervanger was regeerder.49 Josafat het Tarsis-skepe gebou om in Ofir goud te gaan haal; maar hulle het nie gegaan nie, want die skepe het in seon-Geber skipbreuk gely.50 Toe sê Ah sia, die seun van Agab, vir Josafat: Laat my dienaars saam met u dienaars op die skepe gaan. Maar Josafat wou nie.51 En Josafat het ontslaap met sy vaders en is by sy vaders begrawe in die stad van sy vader Dawid; en sy seun Joram het koning geword in sy plek.52 Ah sia, die seun van Agab, het koning geword oor Israel in Samar¡a in die sewentiende jaar van Josafat, die koning van Juda, en het twee jaar oor Israel geregeer.53 En hy het gedoen wat verkeerd was in die oë van die HERE -- hy het gewandel in die weg van sy vader en in die weg van sy moeder en in die weg van Jerobeam, die seun van Nebat, wat Israel laat sondig het. [ (I Kings 22:54) En hy het Ba„l gedien en voor hom neergebuig en die HERE, die God van Israel, geterg, net soos sy vader gedoen het. ]