2. A few years later Jehoshaphat went to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle as a great feast to honor Jehoshaphat and the people with him. He encouraged Jehoshaphat to attack Ramoth in Gilead.
3. Ahab king of Israel asked Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth in Gilead?”Jehoshaphat answered, “I will go with you, and my soldiers are yours. We will join you in the battle.”
4. Jehoshaphat also said to Ahab, “But first we should ask if this is the Lord’s will.”
5. So King Ahab called four hundred prophets together and asked them, “Should we go to war against Ramoth in Gilead or not?”They answered, “Go, because God will hand them over to you.”
6. But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here? Let’s ask him what we should do.”
7. Then King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “There is one other prophet. We could ask the Lord through him, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything good about me, but always something bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”Jehoshaphat said, “King Ahab, you shouldn’t say that!”
8. So Ahab king of Israel told one of his officers to bring Micaiah to him at once.
9. Ahab king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah had on their royal robes and were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor, near the entrance to the gate of Samaria. All the prophets were standing before them speaking their messages.
10. Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made some iron horns. He said to Ahab, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will use these horns to fight the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ ”
11. All the other prophets said the same thing, “Attack Ramoth in Gilead and win, because the Lord will hand the Arameans over to you.”
12. The messenger who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, “All the other prophets are saying King Ahab will win. You should agree with them and give the king a good answer.”
13. But Micaiah answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what my God says.”
14. When Micaiah came to Ahab, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth in Gilead or not?”Micaiah answered, “Attack and win! They will be handed over to you.”