CLARITY EDITION · OLD TESTAMENT
2 Chronicles 18
Chapter 18 of 36
Chapter Overview
What happens in 2 Chronicles 18
Jehoshaphat makes the mistake of allying with wicked King Ahab of Israel. Together they plan to attack Ramoth-gilead. The prophet Micaiah warns that Ahab will die in battle, but Ahab ignores the warning. Ahab disguises himself but is killed by a random arrow.
Scripture
2 Chronicles 18
Jehoshaphat Allies with Ahab
Study note
Though Jehoshaphat was a good king, he made a dangerous alliance with King Ahab of Israel through marriage. When Ahab invited him to attack Ramoth-gilead, Jehoshaphat agreed, saying 'I am as you are, and my people as your people.' But Jehoshaphat wisely asked that they first seek God's guidance.
1 Jehoshaphat became very rich and honored. He made a marriage alliance with King Ahab of Israel. Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.
2 A few years later, he went to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab killed many sheep and cattle to prepare a big feast for him and his people. Then Ahab tried to talk Jehoshaphat into attacking the city of Ramoth-gilead with him. 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 he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.
3 King Ahab of Israel asked King Jehoshaphat of Judah, "Will you go with me to fight at Ramoth-gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered, "I'm on your side. My soldiers are your soldiers. We will fight together." And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
The False Prophets and Micaiah
Study note
Ahab gathered 400 prophets who all said to go to battle. But Jehoshaphat asked for a true prophet of the Lord. Ahab reluctantly called for Micaiah, whom he hated because Micaiah always prophesied bad news. The messenger who went to get Micaiah urged him to agree with the other prophets, but Micaiah insisted on speaking only what God told him.
4 But Jehoshaphat also told the king of Israel, "First, let's ask the Lord what he thinks." And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
5 So the king of Israel gathered 400 prophets and asked, "Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead or not?" They all said, "Go ahead! God will give you the victory." Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.
6 But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not another prophet of the Lord we could ask?" But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?
7 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "There is one more prophet we could ask, but I cannot stand him because he never has anything good to say about me. He always brings bad news. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah." Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not talk that way." And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
8 So the king of Israel called one of his officers and told him, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah here right away." And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.
9 The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their thrones, wearing their royal robes, in an open area by the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were speaking their messages in front of them. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
10 A prophet named Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns. He said, "The Lord says: 'You will use these to push the Syrians until they are all gone.'" And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.
11 All the other prophets said the same thing: "Attack Ramoth-gilead and win! The Lord will hand it over to you." And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
12 The messenger who went to get Micaiah told him, "All the other prophets are telling the king good things. Please agree with them and give a good report." And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake 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 speak thou good.
13 But Micaiah said, "I promise by the living Lord that I will only say what my God tells me to say." And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
Micaiah's True Prophecy
Study note
At first, Micaiah sarcastically told the kings to go ahead and attack. But when pressed for the truth, he described a vision of Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd — meaning Ahab would die. He then described a scene in heaven where God allowed a lying spirit to deceive Ahab's prophets. The prophet Zedekiah slapped Micaiah, and Ahab had Micaiah thrown in prison.
14 When Micaiah came before the king, the king asked, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth-gilead or not?" Micaiah answered, "Go right ahead and attack! You will win, and they will be handed over to you." And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
15 But the king said, "How many times do I have to make you swear to tell me only the truth in the Lord's name?" And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?
16 Then Micaiah said, "I saw all of Israel scattered across the mountains like sheep that have no shepherd. And the Lord said, 'These people have no leader. Let everyone go home in peace.'" Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
17 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "See? I told you he never says anything good about me. It is always bad news." And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
18 Micaiah went on, "Then listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven standing on his right and left." Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
19 "The Lord asked, 'Who will trick Ahab king of Israel into attacking Ramoth-gilead so he will be killed there?' Different ideas were offered." And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
20 "Then a spirit stepped forward, stood before the Lord, and said, 'I will trick him.' The Lord asked, 'How will you do it?'" Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?
21 "The spirit said, 'I will go and put lies in the mouths of all his prophets.' The Lord said, 'That will work. Go ahead and do it.'" And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.
22 "So the Lord has put lies in the mouths of all your prophets here. The Lord has planned disaster for you." Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
23 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah walked up and slapped Micaiah on the face. He said, "How did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?" Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
24 Micaiah answered, "You will find out the day you run and hide in a back room." And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
25 Israel's king said, "Take Micaiah back to Amon the city chief and to Joash the king's son." Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
26 "Tell them the king says, 'Lock this man in prison and give him nothing but bread and water until I come back safely.'" And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
27 Micaiah said, "If you come back safely, then the Lord has not spoken through me." Then he called out, "Remember my words, everyone!" And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
Ahab's Death in Battle
Study note
Ahab disguised himself for battle and told Jehoshaphat to wear his royal robes — essentially using Jehoshaphat as a decoy. The Syrian king had ordered his soldiers to target only the king of Israel. They initially pursued Jehoshaphat, thinking he was Ahab, but Jehoshaphat cried out and God turned them away. A random arrow struck Ahab between the joints of his armor. He propped himself up in his chariot all day but died at sunset.
28 So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to attack Ramoth-gilead. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
29 The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "I will put on a disguise and go into battle, but you should wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel put on a disguise, and they went into the fight. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
30 Now the king of Syria had told his chariot commanders, "Do not waste your time fighting anyone else. Go after the king of Israel." Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.
31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he must be the king of Israel, so they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him. God led them away from him. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
32 When the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him. For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.
33 But someone pulled back his bow and shot an arrow without aiming. It hit the king of Israel right between the pieces of his armor. The king told his chariot driver, "Turn around and get me out of here! I have been hit." And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
34 The battle went on fiercely all day long. The king of Israel held himself up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, until sunset. As the sun went down, he died. And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.
Key Themes
Themes in 2 Chronicles 18
The danger of ungodly alliancesTrue prophets speak God's truth even when unpopularGod's sovereignty even over deceptionCompromising convictions leads to disaster
Apply This Today
Living 2 Chronicles 18
Jehoshaphat allied with wicked Ahab despite warnings from a true prophet. Aligning yourself with people who reject God's ways — in business, relationships, or decisions — can put you in harm's way. Listen to those who speak God's truth, even when it is uncomfortable.
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