1 And Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance; and he allied himself with Ahab by marriage.2 And after {certain} years he went down to Ahab, to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that were with him, and urged him to go up against Ramoth-Gilead.3 And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-Gilead? And he said to him, I am as thou, and my people as thy people; and {I will be} with thee in the war.4 And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, this day of the word of Jehovah.5 And the king of Israel assembled the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, Shall we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, and God will give it into the king's hand.6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, that we might inquire of him?7 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 always evil: {it is} Micah the son of Imlah. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.8 Then the king of Israel called a chamberlain, and said, Fetch quickly Micah the son of Imlah.9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, having put on their robes, sat each on his throne; and they sat in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.10 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.11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper; for Jehovah will give it into the king's hand.12 And the messenger that went to call Micah spoke to him saying, Behold, the words of the prophets {declare} good to the king with one assent: let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and declare good.13 And Micah said, As Jehovah liveth, even what my God shall say, that will I declare.14 And he came to the king. And the king said to him, Micah, shall we go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper; and they will be given into your hands.15 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?16 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.17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he prophesies no good concerning me, but evil?18 And he said, Hear ye therefore the word of Jehovah: I saw Jehovah sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left;19 and Jehovah said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead? And one spoke saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.20 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith?21 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.22 And now, behold, Jehovah has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets; and Jehovah has spoken evil concerning thee.23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micah upon the cheek, and said, Which way now went the Spirit of Jehovah from me to speak to thee?24 And Micah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go from chamber to chamber to hide thyself.25 And the king of Israel said, Take ye Micah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;26 and ye shall 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 return in peace.27 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!28 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-Gilead.29 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 they went into the battle.30 And the king of Syria commanded the captains of his chariots saying, Fight neither with small nor great, but with the king of Israel only.31 And it came to pass when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, That is the king of Israel; and they surrounded him to fight; and Jehoshaphat cried out, and Jehovah helped him; and God diverted them from him.32 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.33 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 the charioteer, Turn thy hand and drive me out of the camp; for I am wounded.34 And the battle increased that day; and the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even; and about the time of the going down of the sun he died.

1 En toe Josafat rykdom en eer in oorvloed gehad het, het hy hom verswaer met Agab.2 En n verloop van enkele jare het hy afgetrek na Agab, na Samar¡a, en Agab het vir hom en die manskappe wat by hom was, skape en beeste in menigte geslag en hom aangehits om teen Ramot in G¡lead op te trek.3 Toe sê Agab, die koning van Israel, vir Josafat, die koning van Juda: Sal u met my saam na Ramot in G¡lead trek? En hy antwoord hom: Ek is soos u, en my volk soos u volk, en ons sal saam met u in die oorlog wees.4 Verder het Josafat aan die koning van Israel gesê: Raadpleeg tog eers die woord van die HERE.5 Toe laat die koning van Israel die profete, vier honderd man, bymekaarkom en sê vir hulle: Sal ons teen Ramot in G¡lead trek om te veg, of sal ek dit laat staan? En hulle antwoord: Trek op, en God sal dit in die hand van die koning gee.6 Maar Josafat sê: Is hier nie nog 'n profeet van die HERE, dat ons deur hom kan raadpleeg nie?7 En die koning van Israel antwoord Josafat: Daar is nog een man om die HERE deur hom te raadpleeg; maar ,k haat hom, want hy profeteer oor my niks goeds nie, maar altyd onheil; dit is Miga, die seun van Jimla. En Josafat sê: Die koning moet nie so spreek nie!8 Daarop roep die koning van Israel 'n hofdienaar en sê: Gaan haal gou vir Miga, die seun van Jimla.9 Onderwyl die koning van Israel en Josafat, die koning van Juda, elkeen op sy troon sit, beklee met koninklike klere, en hulle op 'n dorsvloer sit by die ingang van die poort van Samar¡a, en al die profete voor hulle profeteer,10 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.11 En so het al die profete 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.12 Toe sê die boodskapper wat gegaan het om Miga te roep, vir hom d¡t: Kyk, die woorde van die profete is uit een mond goed vir die koning: laat jou woord nou tog wees soos die van een van hulle, en spreek goeie dinge.13 Maar Miga sê: So waar as die HERE leef, wat God my sal sê, dit sal ek spreek!14 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 ek dit laat staan? En hy antwoord: Trek op, en u sal voorspoedig wees, en hulle sal in julle hand gegee word.15 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?16 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.17 Toe sê die koning van Israel vir Josafat: Het ek u nie gesê hy profeteer oor my niks goeds nie, maar onheil?18 Verder sê hy: Daarom, hoor die woord van die HERE: Ek het die HERE sien sit op sy troon, terwyl al die hemelse leërskare aan sy regter-- en sy linkerhand staan.19 En die HERE het gesê: Wie sal Agab, die koning van Israel, oorhaal, dat hy kan optrek en val by Ramot in G¡lead? En die een het so gesê, en die ander weer so.20 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?21 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.22 En nou, kyk, die HERE het 'n leuengees in die mond van hierdie profete van u gegee, terwyl die HERE tog onheil oor u gespreek het.23 Daarop kom Sedek¡a, die seun van Kena„na, nader en hy slaan Miga op die kakebeen en sê: Langs watter weg het die Gees van die HERE van my af weggegaan om met jou te spreek?24 En Miga antwoord: Kyk, jy sal dit sien op dieselfde dag as jy van kamer tot kamer sal gaan om jou weg te steek.25 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.26 En julle 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.27 Daarop sê Miga: As u ooit behoue tuiskom, dan het die HERE nie deur my gespreek nie. Verder sê hy: Volke, luister almal saam!28 En die koning van Israel en Josafat, die koning van Juda, het opgetrek na Ramot in G¡lead.29 En die koning van Israel het aan 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 hulle het in die geveg gegaan.30 En die koning van Aram het die owerstes van sy strydwaens bevel gegee en gesê: Julle moet nie klein of groot beveg nie, net die koning van Israel alleen.31 En sodra die owerstes van die waens Josafat sien, sê hulle: Dit is die koning van Israel! En hulle het hom omsingel om te veg; maar Josafat het geskreeu, en die HERE het hom gehelp, en God het hulle van hom af weggelok.32 En toe die owerstes van die waens sien dat dit nie die koning van Israel was nie, draai hulle agter hom weg.33 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 die drywer: Ruk om en bring my uit die leër uit, want ek is gewond.34 En die geveg het die dag toegeneem, terwyl die koning hom staande hou in die strydwa teenoor die Arameërs tot die aand toe; maar teen sononder het hy gesterwe.