Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

Jehoshaphat had amassed great wealth and honor. He formed an alliance with Ahab, king of Israel, who showered him with gifts of sheep and oxen, and also provided generously for his people.

Ahab asked Jehoshaphat to join forces with him in battle at Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat agreed to go, saying he would stand alongside the king of Israel as a loyal ally.

Jehoshaphat cautioned Ahab to first seek guidance from God through the prophets. The king of Israel gathered 400 prophets and asked for their counsel. They unanimously urged him to go to battle, declaring that God would give them victory.

Jehoshaphat sensed that there must be another prophet who could provide a more nuanced perspective on the situation. He reminded Ahab that there was still one prophet who might offer a different viewpoint – Micaiah son of Imla. However, Ahab had previously disdained Micaiah's prophecies as always unfavorable.

The king of Israel ordered his officers to bring Micaiah before him. Jehoshaphat and the king sat on their thrones in an empty space at the city gate, surrounded by the prophets who were prophesying in unison. Zedekiah son of Chenaanah presented the king with iron horns, saying they would allow him to gore Syria until it was destroyed.

All the prophets spoke as one, urging Ahab to go to battle and promising victory. The messenger sent to summon Micaiah suggested that he too should prophesy favorably for the sake of unity. But Micaiah declared his commitment to speak only what God had revealed to him.

Micaiah arrived before the king and was asked if they should go to battle or retreat. He responded with a conditional promise: "Go up, prosper; they will be delivered into your hand." However, when pressed by Ahab for a guarantee of truth, Micaiah revealed his true vision: he saw all Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd, with God declaring that each person could return home in peace.

Ahab felt betrayed by this message, accusing Micaiah of prophesying evil against him. Jehoshaphat cautioned the king to listen carefully to what Micaiah had seen: the Lord sitting on his throne, surrounded by the host of heaven, and asking who would deceive Ahab into going to battle.

The Spirit of God revealed that He had put a deceitful spirit in the mouths of the prophets, urging them to speak evil against the king. Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, one of the prophets, struck Micaiah on the cheek, taunting him about the Spirit's departure.

Micaiah foretold that on the day of Ahab's defeat, he would see Zedekiah hiding in an inner chamber. The king ordered Micaiah to be imprisoned and fed a diet of bread and water, threatening to release him only if they returned safely from battle.

Jehoshaphat and Ahab marched toward Ramoth Gilead, with the king disguising himself to go into battle first. Jehoshaphat wore his royal robes as planned. The Syrian chariot commanders were instructed to target only the king of Israel, leaving everyone else alone.

When Jehoshaphat was mistakenly identified as the king, the charioteers surrounded him to attack, but he cried out for help and God intervened on his behalf, causing them to retreat. Once they realized it was not Ahab, they turned back from pursuing Jehoshaphat.

One of the Syrian archers shot a random arrow that struck the king between his armor plates. The battle raged until sunset, when the king of Israel died in his chariot.