²⁵ And further, I gave them rules which were not good and orders in which there was no life for them;

⁵ Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh."

⁶ Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, "Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?" They said, "Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king."

⁷ But Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of him?"

⁸ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil." Jehoshaphat said, "Don't let the king say so."

⁹ Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, "Quickly get Micaiah the son of Imlah."

¹⁰ Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

¹¹ Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.'"

¹² All the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper; for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king."

¹³ The messenger who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, "See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good."

¹⁴ Micaiah said, "As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak."

¹⁵ When he had come to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" He answered him, "Go up and prosper; and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king."

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 name of Yahweh?"

¹⁷ He said, "I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh 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 word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.

²⁰ Yahweh said, 'Who shall 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 Yahweh, and said, 'I will entice him.'

²² Yahweh 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, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and Yahweh 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 Spirit of Yahweh 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, Yahweh has not spoken by me." He said, "Listen, all you people!"