Page:JPS-1917-Universal.djvu/460

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.
22.1
FIRST KINGS

humbleth himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.'

22And they continued three years without war between Aram and Israel. 2And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3And the king of Israel said unto his servants: 'Know ye that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Aram?' 4And he said unto Jehoshaphat: 'Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead?' And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel: 'I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.'

5And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel: 'Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the Lord to-day.' 6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them: 'Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?' And they said: 'Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.' 7But Jehoshaphat said: 'Is there not here besides a prophet of the Lord, that we might inquire of him?' 8And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat: 'There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah; but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.' And Jehoshaphat said: 'Let not the king say so.' 9Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said: 'Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imlah.' 10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in a threshing-floor, at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them. 11And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said: 'Thus saith the Lord: With these shalt thou gore the Arameans, until they be consumed.' 12And 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.'

13And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying: 'Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with one mouth, let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them, and speak thou good.' 14And Micaiah said: 'As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak.' 15And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him: 'Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?' And he answered him: 'Go up, and prosper; and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king.' 16And the king said unto him: 'How many times shall I adjure thee that thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?' 17And he said: 'I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd; and the Lord said: These have no master; let them return every man to his house in peace.' 18And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: 'Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?' 19And he said: 'Therefore hear thou the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on his left. 20And the Lord said: Who shall entice Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead. And one said: On this manner; and another said:

438