5. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?”They said, “Go up; for God will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
6. But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we may inquire of him?”
7. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.”Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t let the king say so.”
8. Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, “Get Micaiah the son of Imla quickly.”
9. Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah each sat on his throne, arrayed in their robes, and they were sitting in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
10. Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made himself horns of iron and said, “the Lord says, ‘With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.’”
11. All the prophets prophesied so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.”
12. The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Let your word therefore, please be like one of theirs, and speak good.”
13. Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives, I will say what my God says.”
14. When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?”He said, “Go up, and prosper. They shall be delivered into your hand.”
15. The king said to him, “How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the Lord’s name?”
16. 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.’”
17. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?”
18. Micaiah said, “Therefore hear the Lord’s word: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
19. The Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?’ One spoke saying in this way, and another saying in that way.
20. A spirit came out, stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’“The Lord said to him, ‘How?’