9. The two kings, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing place just outside the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.
10. One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab, “This is what the Lord says, ‘With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.’ ”
11. All the other prophets said the same thing. “March against Ramoth and you will win,” they said. “The Lord will give you victory.”
12. Meanwhile, the official who had gone to fetch Micaiah said to him, “All the other prophets have prophesied success for the king, and you had better do the same.”
13. But Micaiah answered, “By the living Lord, I will say what my God tells me to!”
14. When he appeared before King Ahab, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should King Jehoshaphat and I go and attack Ramoth, or not?”“Attack!” Micaiah answered. “Of course you'll win. The Lord will give you victory.”
15. But Ahab replied, “When you speak to me in the name of the Lord, tell the truth! How many times do I have to tell you that?”
16. Micaiah answered, “I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These men have no leader; let them go home in peace.’ ”
17. Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “I told you that he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad!”
18. Micaiah went on: “Now listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne in heaven, with all his angels standing beside him.
19. The Lord asked, ‘Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and get killed at Ramoth?’ Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else,
20. until a spirit stepped forward, approached the Lord, and said, ‘I will deceive him.’ ‘How?’ the Lord asked.
21. The spirit replied, ‘I will go and make all Ahab's prophets tell lies.’ The Lord said, ‘Go and deceive him. You will succeed.’ ”
22. And Micaiah concluded: “This is what has happened. The Lord has made these prophets of yours lie to you. But he himself has decreed that you will meet with disaster!”
23. Then the prophet Zedekiah went up to Micaiah, slapped his face, and asked, “Since when did the Lord's spirit leave me and speak to you?”
24. “You will find out when you go into some back room to hide,” Micaiah replied.
25. Then King Ahab ordered one of his officers, “Arrest Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash.
26. Tell them to throw him in prison and to put him on bread and water until I return safely.”