I Kings 22

vayyeshevu shalosh shanim en milkhamah ben aram uven yisra'el

There was a lull of three years, with no war between Aram and Israel.

vayehi bashanah hashelishit vayyered yehoshafat melekh-yehudah el-melekh yisra'el

In the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah came to visit the king of Israel.

vayyomer melekh-yisra'el el-avadayw hayedatem ki-lanu ramot gilad va'anakhnu makhshim miqqakhat otah miyyad melekh aram

The king of Israel said to his courtiers, “You know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and yet we do nothing to recover it from the hands of the king of Aram.”

vayyomer el-yehoshafat hatelekh itti lammilkhamah ramot gilad vayyomer yehoshafat el-melekh yisra'el kamoni khamokha ke'ammi khe'ammekha kesusay kesusekha

And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you come with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, “I will do what you do; my troops shall be your troops, my horses shall be your horses.”

vayyomer yehoshafat el-melekh yisra'el derosh-na khayyom et-devar Adonai

But Jehoshaphat said further to the king of Israel, “Please, first inquire of GOD.”

vayyiqbots melekh-yisra'el et-hannevi'im ke'arba me'ot ish vayyomer alehem ha'elekh al-ramot gilad lammilkhamah im-ekhdal vayyomeru aleh veyitten adonay beyad hammelekh

So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, “Shall I march upon Ramoth-gilead for battle, or shall I not?” “March,” they said, “and the Sovereign will deliver it into Your Majesty’s hands.”

vayyomer yehoshafat ha'en poh navi la-Adonai od venidreshah me'oto

Then Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there another prophet of GOD here through whom we can inquire?”

vayyomer melekh-yisra'el el-yehoshafat od ish-ekhad lidrosh et-Adonai me'oto va'ani senetiv ki lo-yitnabbe alay tov ki im-ra mikhayehu ben-yimlah vayyomer yehoshafat al-yomar hammelekh ken

And the king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is one more through whom we can inquire of GOD; but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only misfortune—Micaiah son of Imlah.” But King Jehoshaphat said, “Don’t say that, Your Majesty.”

vayyiqra melekh yisra'el el-saris ekhad vayyomer maharah mikhayehu ven-yimlah

So the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

umelekh yisra'el vihoshafat melekh-yehudah yoshevim ish al-kiso melubbashim begadim begoren petakh sha'ar shomeron vekhol-hannevi'im mitnabbe'im lifnehem

The king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were seated on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, on the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them.

vayya'as lo tsidqiyyah ven-kena'anah qarne varzel vayyomer koh-amar Adonai be'elleh tenaggakh et-aram ad-kallotam

Zedekiah son of Chenaanah had provided himself with iron horns; and he said, “Thus said GOD: With these you shall gore the Arameans till you make an end of them.”

vekhol-hannevi'im nibbe'im ken lemor aleh ramot gilad vehatslakh venatan Adonai beyad hammelekh

And all the other prophets were prophesying similarly, “March upon Ramoth-gilead and triumph! GOD will deliver it into Your Majesty’s hands.”

vehammalakh asher-halakh liqro mikhayehu dibber elayw lemor hinneh-na divre hannevi'im peh-ekhad tov el-hammelekh yehi-na (dvrykh) [devarekha] kidvar akhad mehem vedibbarta tov

The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him: “Look, the words of the prophets are with one accord favorable to the king. Let your word be like that of the rest of them; speak a favorable word.”

vayyomer mikhayehu khay-Adonai ki et-asher yomar Adonai elay oto adabber

“As GOD lives,” Micaiah answered, “I will speak only what GOD tells me.”

vayyavo el-hammelekh vayyomer hammelekh elayw mikhayehu hanelekh el-ramot gilad lammilkhamah im-nekhdal vayyomer elayw aleh vehatslakh venatan Adonai beyad hammelekh

When he came before the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we march upon Ramoth-gilead for battle, or shall we not?” He answered him, “March and triumph! GOD will deliver [it] into Your Majesty’s hands.”

vayyomer elayw hammelekh ad-kammeh fe'amim ani mashbi'ekha asher lo-tedabber elay raq-emet beshem Adonai

The king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of GOD?”

vayyomer ra'iti et-kol-yisra'el nefotsim el-heharim katson asher en-lahem ro'eh vayyomer Adonai lo-adonim la'elleh yashuvu ish-leveto beshalom

Then he said, “I saw all Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; and GOD said, ‘These have no master; let everyone return home in safety.’”

vayyomer melekh-yisra'el el-yehoshafat halo amarti elekha lo-yitnabbe alay tov ki im-ra

“Didn’t I tell you,” said the king of Israel to Jehoshaphat, “that he would not prophesy good fortune for me, but only misfortune?”

vayyomer lakhen shema devar-Adonai ra'iti et-Adonai yoshev al-kiso vekhol-tseva hashamayim omed alayw mimino umissemolo

But [Micaiah] said, “I call upon you to hear the word of GOD! I saw GOD seated upon a throne, with all the host of heaven standing in attendance to the right and to the left.

vayyomer Adonai mi yefatteh et-akhav veya'al veyippol beramot gilad vayyomer zeh bekhoh vezeh omer bekhoh

GOD asked, ‘Who will entice Ahab so that he will march and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said thus and another said thus,

vayyetse haruakh vayya'amod lifne Adonai vayyomer ani afattennu vayyomer Adonai elayw bammah

until a certain spirit came forward and stood before GOD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘How?’ GOD asked him.

vayyomer etse vehayiti ruakh sheqer befi kol-nevi'ayw vayyomer tefatteh vegam-tukhal tse va'aseh-khen

And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then [God] said, ‘You will entice and you will prevail. Go out and do it.’

ve'attah hinneh natan Adonai ruakh sheqer befi kol-nevi'ekha elleh va-Adonai dibber alekha ra'ah

So GOD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours; for GOD has decreed disaster upon you.”

vayyiggash tsidqiyyahu ven-kena'anah vayyakkeh et-mikhayehu al-hallekhi vayyomer e-zeh avar ruakh-Adonai me'itti ledabber otakh

Thereupon Zedekiah son of Chenaanah stepped up and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and demanded, “Which way did the spirit of GOD pass from me to speak with you?”

vayyomer mikhayehu hinnekha ro'eh bayyom hahu asher tavo kheder bekheder lehekhaveh

And Micaiah replied, “You’ll find out on the day when you try to hide in the innermost room.”

vayyomer melekh yisra'el qakh et-mikhayehu vahashivehu el-amon sar-ha'ir ve'el-yo'ash ben-hammelekh

Then the king of Israel said, “Take Micaiah and turn him over to Amon, the city’s governor, and to Prince Joash,

ve'amarta koh amar hammelekh simu et-zeh bet hakkele veha'akhiluhu lekhem lakhats umayim lakhats ad bo'i veshalom

and say, ‘The king’s orders are: Put this fellow in prison, and let his fare be scant bread and scant water until I come home safe.’”

vayyomer mikhayehu im-shov tashuv beshalom lo-dibber Adonai bi vayyomer shimu ammim kullam

To which Micaiah retorted, “If you ever come home safe, GOD has not spoken through me.” He said further, “Listen, all you peoples!”

vayya'al melekh-yisra'el vihoshafat melekh-yehudah ramot gilad

So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah marched upon Ramoth-gilead.

vayyomer melekh yisra'el el-yehoshafat hitkhappes vavo vammilkhamah ve'attah levash begadekha vayyitkhappes melekh yisra'el vayyavo bammilkhamah

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into the battle; but you, wear your robes.” So the king of Israel went into the battle disguised.

umelekh aram tsivvah et-sare harekhev asher-lo sheloshim ushenayim lemor lo tillakhamu et-qaton ve'et-gadol ki im-et-melekh yisra'el levaddo

Now the king of Aram had instructed his thirty-two chariot officers: “Don’t attack anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”

vayehi kirot sare harekhev et-yehoshafat vehemmah ameru akh melekh-yisra'el hu vayyasuru alayw lehillakhem vayyizaq yehoshafat

So when the chariot officers saw Jehoshaphat, whom they took for the king of Israel, they turned upon him to attack him, and Jehoshaphat cried out.

vayehi kirot sare harekhev ki-lo-melekh yisra'el hu vayyashuvu me'akharayw

And when the chariot officers became aware that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

ve'ish mashakh baqqeshet letummo vayyakkeh et-melekh yisra'el ben haddevaqim uven hashiryan vayyomer lerakkavo hafokh yadekha vehotsi'eni min-hammakhaneh ki hokholeti

Then another man drew his bow at random and he hit the king of Israel between the plates of the armor; and he said to his charioteer, “Turn the horses around and get me behind the lines; I’m wounded.”

vatta'aleh hammilkhamah bayyom hahu vehammelekh hayah mo'omad bammerkavah nokhakh aram vayyamot ba'erev vayyitseq dam-hammakkah el-kheq harakhev

The battle raged all day long, and the king remained propped up in the chariot facing Aram; the blood from the wound ran down into the hollow of the chariot, and at dusk he died.

vayya'avor harinnah bammakhaneh kevo hashemesh lemor ish el-iro ve'ish el-artso

As the sun was going down, a shout went through the army: “Every man to his own town! Every man to his own district.”

vayyamot hammelekh vayyavo shomeron vayyiqberu et-hammelekh beshomeron

So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria,

vayyishtof et-harekhev al berekhat shomeron vayyaloqqu hakkelavim et-damo vehazzonot rakhatsu kidvar Adonai asher dibber

and they flushed out the chariot at the pool of Samaria. Thus the dogs lapped up his blood and the whores bathed [in it], in accordance with the word that GOD had spoken.

veyeter divre akhav vekhol-asher asah uvet hashen asher banah vekhol-he'arim asher banah halo-hem ketuvim al-sefer divre hayyamim lemalkhe yisra'el

The other events of Ahab’s reign, and all his actions—the ivory palace that he built and all the towns that he fortified—are all recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

vayyishkav akhav im-avotayw vayyimlokh akhazyahu veno takhtayw

Ahab rested with his ancestors, and his son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.

vihoshafat ben-asa malakh al-yehudah bishnat arba le'akhav melekh yisra'el

Jehoshaphat son of Asa had become king of Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab of Israel.

yehoshafat ben-sheloshim vekhamesh shanah bemolkho ve'esrim vekhamesh shanah malakh birushalai͏m veshem immo azuvah bat-shilkhi

Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

vayyelekh bekhol-derekh asa aviv lo-sar mimmennu la'asot hayyashar be'ene Adonai

He followed closely the course of his father Asa and did not deviate from it, doing what was pleasing to GOD.

akh habbamot lo-saru od ha'am mezabbekhim umeqatterim babbamot

However, the shrines did not cease to function; the people still sacrificed and offered at the shrines.

vayyashlem yehoshafat im-melekh yisra'el

And further, Jehoshaphat submitted to the king of Israel.

veyeter divre yehoshafat ugevurato asher-asah va'asher nilkham halo-hem ketuvim al-sefer divre hayyamim lemalkhe yehudah

As for the other events of Jehoshaphat’s reign and the valor he displayed in battle, they are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Judah.

veyeter haqqadesh asher nishar bime asa aviv bi'er min-ha'arets

(He also stamped out the remaining consecrated workers who had survived in the land from the time of his father Asa.)

umelekh en be'edom nitsav melekh

There was no king in Edom; a viceroy acted as king.

yehoshafat (shr) [asah] oniyyot tarshish lalekhet ofirah lazzahav velo halakh ki-[nishberu] (nshvrh) oniyyot be'etsyon gaver

Jehoshaphat constructed Tarshish ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But he did not sail because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

az amar akhazyahu ven-akhav el-yehoshafat yelekhu avaday im-avadekha bo'oniyyot velo avah yehoshafat

Then Ahaziah son of Ahab proposed to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants sail on the ships with your servants”; but Jehoshaphat would not agree.

vayyishkav yehoshafat im-avotayw vayyiqqaver im-avotayw be'ir david aviv vayyimlokh yehoram beno takhtayw

Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his forefather David, and his son Jehoram succeeded him as king.

akhazyahu ven-akhav malakh al-yisra'el beshomeron bishnat sheva esreh lihoshafat melekh yehudah vayyimlokh al-yisra'el shenatayim

[Meanwhile,] Ahaziah son of Ahab had become king of Israel, in Samaria, in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah; he reigned over Israel two years.

vayya'as hara be'ene Adonai vayyelekh bederekh aviv uvederekh immo uvederekh yarovam ben-nevat asher hekheti et-yisra'el

He did what was displeasing to GOD, following in the footsteps of his father and his mother, and in those of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had caused Israel to sin.

vayya'avod et-habba'al vayyishtakhaveh lo vayyakhes et-Adonai elohe yisra'el kekhol asher-asah aviv

He worshiped Baal and bowed down to him; he provoked the anger of the ETERNAL, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.