16. The king said to him, “How many times do I have to adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the Lord’s name?”
17. He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These have no master. Let them each return to his house in peace.’”
18. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
19. Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the Lord’s word. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20. The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One said one thing; and another said another.
21. A spirit came out and stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
22. The Lord said to him, ‘How?’He said, ‘I will go out and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’He said, ‘You will entice him, and will also prevail. Go out and do so.’
23. Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the Lord has spoken evil concerning you.”
24. Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the Lord’s Spirit go from me to speak to you?”
25. Micaiah said, “Behold, you will see on that day, when you go into an inner room to hide yourself.”
26. The king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son.
27. Say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.”’”
28. Micaiah said, “If you return at all in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” He said, “Listen, all you people!”
29. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
30. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but you put on your robes.” The king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
31. Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, “Don’t fight with small nor great, except only with the king of Israel.”
32. When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely that is the king of Israel!” and they came over to fight against him. Jehoshaphat cried out.
33. When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.