The kingdom
Ahab and Jehoshaphat at Ramoth in Gilead
Israelite King Ahab and Judahite King Jehoshaphat plan a campaign against Ramoth in Gilead. Despite the warning from the prophet Michah, who reveals a lying spirit in the mouths of the other prophets, they go to war. Ahab disguises himself but is struck by an arrow at random and dies, just as the Lord had foretold.
1 Kings 22,1-38
1For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel.
וַיֵּשְׁב֖וּ שָׁלֹ֣שׁ שָׁנִ֑ים אֵ֚ין מִלְחָמָ֔ה בֵּ֥ין אֲרָ֖ם וּבֵ֥ין יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ
2But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah came down to the king of Israel.
וַיְהִ֖י בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֑ית וַיֵּ֛רֶד יְהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
3The king of Israel said to his servants, "You know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, yet we do nothing to take it back from the hand of the king of Aram."
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַיְדַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־לָ֖נוּ רָמֹ֣ת גִּלְעָ֑ד וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ מַחְשִׁ֔ים מִקַּ֣חַת אֹתָ֔הּ מִיַּ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אֲרָֽם׃
4So he said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight for Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat answered the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט הֲתֵלֵ֥ךְ אִתִּ֛י לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה רָמֹ֣ת גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֽוֹשָׁפָט֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כָּמ֧וֹנִי כָמ֛וֹךָ כְּעַמִּ֥י כְעַמֶּ֖ךָ כְּסוּסַ֥י כְּסוּסֶֽיךָ׃
5Then Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "Please seek the word of the LORD first."
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל דְּרָשׁ־נָ֥א כַיּ֖וֹם אֶת־דְּבַ֥ר יְהוָֽה׃
6So the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and asked them, "Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I hold back?" They answered, "Go up, and the Lord will give it into the king's hand."
וַיִּקְבֹּ֨ץ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל אֶֽת־הַנְּבִיאִים֮ כְּאַרְבַּ֣ע מֵא֣וֹת אִישׁ֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם הַאֵלֵ֞ךְ עַל־רָמֹ֥ת גִּלְעָ֛ד לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אִם־אֶחְדָּ֑ל וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ עֲלֵ֔ה וְיִתֵּ֥ן אֲדֹנָ֖י בְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
7But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there no prophet of the LORD here besides these, that we may inquire of him?"
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט הַאֵ֨ין פֹּ֥ה נָבִ֛יא לַיהוָ֖ה ע֑וֹד וְנִדְרְשָׁ֖ה מֵאוֹתֽוֹ׃
8The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man through whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah son of Imlah, but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good about me, only evil." Jehoshaphat said, "The king should not say that."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ׀ אֶֽל־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֡ט ע֣וֹד אִישׁ־אֶחָ֡ד לִדְרֹשׁ֩ אֶת־יְהוָ֨ה מֵאֹת֜וֹ וַאֲנִ֣י שְׂנֵאתִ֗יו כִּ֠י לֹֽא־יִתְנַבֵּ֨א עָלַ֥י טוֹב֙ כִּ֣י אִם־רָ֔ע מִיכָ֖יְהוּ בֶּן־יִמְלָ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ יְה֣וֹשָׁפָ֔ט אַל־יֹאמַ֥ר הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ כֵּֽן׃
9So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, "Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once."
וַיִּקְרָא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶל־סָרִ֖יס אֶחָ֑ד וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַהֲרָ֖ה מִיכָ֥יְהוּ בֶן־יִמְלָֽה׃
10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, robed in their royal garments, at the threshing floor by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them.
וּמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֡ל וִֽיהוֹשָׁפָ֣ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֡ה יֹשְׁבִים֩ אִ֨ישׁ עַל־כִּסְא֜וֹ מְלֻבָּשִׁ֤ים בְּגָדִים֙ בְּגֹ֔רֶן פֶּ֖תַח שַׁ֣עַר שֹׁמְר֑וֹן וְכָ֨ל־הַנְּבִיאִ֔ים מִֽתְנַבְּאִ֖ים לִפְנֵיהֶֽם׃
11Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns for himself, and he declared, "This is what the LORD says: With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed."
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ ל֛וֹ צִדְקִיָּ֥ה בֶֽן־כְּנַעֲנָ֖ה קַרְנֵ֣י בַרְזֶ֑ל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵ֛לֶּה תְּנַגַּ֥ח אֶת־אֲרָ֖ם עַד־כַּלֹּתָֽם׃
12All the other prophets were prophesying the same: "Go up to Ramoth Gilead and you will succeed, for the LORD will give it into the king's hand."
וְכָל־הַנְּבִאִ֔ים נִבְּאִ֥ים כֵּ֖ן לֵאמֹ֑ר עֲלֵ֞ה רָמֹ֤ת גִּלְעָד֙ וְהַצְלַ֔ח וְנָתַ֥ן יְהוָ֖ה בְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
13Meanwhile the messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, "Look, the prophets speak with one voice, and it is favorable to the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably."
וְהַמַּלְאָ֞ךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַ֣ךְ ׀ לִקְרֹ֣א מִיכָ֗יְהוּ דִּבֶּ֤ר אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִנֵּה־נָ֞א דִּבְרֵ֧י הַנְּבִיאִ֛ים פֶּֽה־אֶחָ֥ד ט֖וֹב אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ יְהִֽי־נָ֣א *דבריך **דְבָרְךָ֗ כִּדְבַ֛ר אַחַ֥ד מֵהֶ֖ם וְדִבַּ֥רְתָּ טּֽוֹב׃
14But Micaiah said, "As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak only what the LORD tells me."
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מִיכָ֑יְהוּ חַי־יְהוָ֕ה כִּ֠י אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֨ר יֹאמַ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י אֹת֥וֹ אֲדַבֵּֽר׃
15When he came to the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, shall we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall we hold back?" He answered, "Go up and you will succeed, for the LORD will give it into the king's hand."
וַיָּבוֹא֮ אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֵלָ֗יו מִיכָ֙יְהוּ֙ הֲנֵלֵ֞ךְ אֶל־רָמֹ֥ת גִּלְעָ֛ד לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה אִם־נֶחְדָּ֑ל וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ עֲלֵ֣ה וְהַצְלַ֔ח וְנָתַ֥ן יְהוָ֖ה בְּיַ֥ד הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
16The king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?"
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַד־כַּמֶּ֥ה פְעָמִ֖ים אֲנִ֣י מַשְׁבִּעֶ֑ךָ אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹֽא־תְדַבֵּ֥ר אֵלַ֛י רַק־אֱמֶ֖ת בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃
17Then Micaiah said, "I saw all Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said, 'These have no master. Let each one go home in peace.'"
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ נְפֹצִ֣ים אֶל־הֶהָרִ֔ים כַּצֹּ֕אן אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם רֹעֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ לֹֽא־אֲדֹנִ֣ים לָאֵ֔לֶּה יָשׁ֥וּבוּ אִישׁ־לְבֵית֖וֹ בְּשָׁלֽוֹם׃
18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good about me, only evil?"
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֑ט הֲלוֹא֙ אָמַ֣רְתִּי אֵלֶ֔יךָ לֽוֹא־יִתְנַבֵּ֥א עָלַ֛י ט֖וֹב כִּ֥י אִם־רָֽע׃
19Micaiah continued, "Then hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD seated on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing around him, on his right and on his left.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לָכֵ֖ן שְׁמַ֣ע דְּבַר־יְהוָ֑ה רָאִ֤יתִי אֶת־יְהוָה֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ וְכָל־צְבָ֤א הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עָלָ֔יו מִימִינ֖וֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלֽוֹ׃
20And the LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' One suggested this, another that.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֗ה מִ֤י יְפַתֶּה֙ אֶת־אַחְאָ֔ב וְיַ֕עַל וְיִפֹּ֖ל בְּרָמֹ֣ת גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיֹּ֤אמֶר זֶה֙ בְּכֹ֔ה וְזֶ֥ה אֹמֵ֖ר בְּכֹֽה׃
21Finally a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' 'How?' the LORD asked.
וַיֵּצֵ֣א הָר֗וּחַ וַֽיַּעֲמֹד֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲנִ֣י אֲפַתֶּ֑נּוּ וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יְהוָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו בַּמָּֽה׃
22He answered, 'I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.' The LORD said, 'You will succeed in enticing him. Go and do it.'
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֵצֵא֙ וְהָיִ֙יתִי֙ ר֣וּחַ שֶׁ֔קֶר בְּפִ֖י כָּל־נְבִיאָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר תְּפַתֶּה֙ וְגַם־תּוּכָ֔ל צֵ֖א וַעֲשֵׂה־כֵֽן׃
23So now the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The LORD has decreed disaster for you."
וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה נָתַ֤ן יְהוָה֙ ר֣וּחַ שֶׁ֔קֶר בְּפִ֖י כָּל־נְבִיאֶ֣יךָ אֵ֑לֶּה וַֽיהוָ֔ה דִּבֶּ֥ר עָלֶ֖יךָ רָעָֽה׃
24Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah came up to Micaiah and struck him on the cheek and demanded, "Which way did the spirit of the LORD go when he left me to speak to you?"
וַיִּגַּשׁ֙ צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ בֶֽן־כְּנַעֲנָ֔ה וַיַּכֶּ֥ה אֶת־מִיכָ֖יְהוּ עַל־הַלֶּ֑חִי וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אֵי־זֶ֨ה עָבַ֧ר רֽוּחַ־יְהוָ֛ה מֵאִתִּ֖י לְדַבֵּ֥ר אוֹתָֽךְ׃
25Micaiah answered, "You will find out on the day you go hiding from room to room."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מִיכָ֔יְהוּ הִנְּךָ֥ רֹאֶ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא אֲשֶׁ֥ר תָּבֹ֛א חֶ֥דֶר בְּחֶ֖דֶר לְהֵחָבֵֽה׃
26The king of Israel then ordered, "Take Micaiah and hand him over to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son,
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל קַ֚ח אֶת־מִיכָ֔יְהוּ וַהֲשִׁיבֵ֖הוּ אֶל־אָמֹ֣ן שַׂר־הָעִ֑יר וְאֶל־יוֹאָ֖שׁ בֶּן־הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
27and say, 'This is what the king says: Put this man in prison and give him only meager rations of bread and water until I return safely.'"
וְאָמַרְתָּ֗ כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ שִׂ֥ימוּ אֶת־זֶ֖ה בֵּ֣ית הַכֶּ֑לֶא וְהַאֲכִילֻ֨הוּ לֶ֤חֶם לַ֙חַץ֙ וּמַ֣יִם לַ֔חַץ עַ֖ד בֹּאִ֥י בְשָׁלֽוֹם׃
28Micaiah said, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." And he added, "Hear this, all you peoples!"
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מִיכָ֔יְהוּ אִם־שׁ֤וֹב תָּשׁוּב֙ בְּשָׁל֔וֹם לֹֽא־דִבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה בִּ֑י וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שִׁמְע֖וּ עַמִּ֥ים כֻּלָּֽם׃
29So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.
וַיַּ֧עַל מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל וְיהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֖ה רָמֹ֥ת גִּלְעָֽד׃
30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will go into battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
וַיֹּאמֶר֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֗ט הִתְחַפֵּשׂ֙ וָבֹ֣א בַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתָּ֖ה לְבַ֣שׁ בְּגָדֶ֑יךָ וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיָּב֖וֹא בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃
31Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel."
וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֡ם צִוָּ֣ה אֶת־שָׂרֵי֩ הָרֶ֨כֶב אֲשֶׁר־ל֜וֹ שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹ֚א תִּלָּ֣חֲמ֔וּ אֶת־קָטֹ֖ן וְאֶת־גָּד֑וֹל כִּ֛י אִֽם־אֶת־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבַדּֽוֹ׃
32When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "Surely this is the king of Israel," and they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out,
וַיְהִ֡י כִּרְאוֹת֩ שָׂרֵ֨י הָרֶ֜כֶב אֶת־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֗ט וְהֵ֤מָּה אָֽמְרוּ֙ אַ֣ךְ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל ה֔וּא וַיָּסֻ֥רוּ עָלָ֖יו לְהִלָּחֵ֑ם וַיִּזְעַ֖ק יְהוֹשָׁפָֽט׃
33and when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.
וַיְהִ֗י כִּרְאוֹת֙ שָׂרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב כִּֽי־לֹא־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל ה֑וּא וַיָּשׁ֖וּבוּ מֵאַחֲרָֽיו׃
34But someone drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king said to his charioteer, "Turn around and get me out of the fighting, for I am wounded."
וְאִ֗ישׁ מָשַׁ֤ךְ בַּקֶּ֙שֶׁת֙ לְתֻמּ֔וֹ וַיַּכֶּה֙ אֶת־מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בֵּ֥ין הַדְּבָקִ֖ים וּבֵ֣ין הַשִּׁרְיָ֑ן וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לְרַכָּב֗וֹ הֲפֹ֥ךְ יָדְךָ֛ וְהוֹצִיאֵ֥נִי מִן־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה כִּ֥י הָחֳלֵֽיתִי׃
35The battle grew fierce that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. That evening he died, and the blood from his wound ran onto the floor of the chariot.
וַתַּעֲלֶ֤ה הַמִּלְחָמָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ הָיָ֧ה מָעֳמָ֛ד בַּמֶּרְכָּבָ֖ה נֹ֣כַח אֲרָ֑ם וַיָּ֣מָת בָּעֶ֔רֶב וַיִּ֥צֶק דַּֽם־הַמַּכָּ֖ה אֶל־חֵ֥יק הָרָֽכֶב׃
36As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: "Every man to his own city, every man to his own land!"
וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר הָרִנָּה֙ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה כְּבֹ֥א הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁ לֵאמֹ֑ר אִ֥ישׁ אֶל־עִיר֖וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶל־אַרְצֽוֹ׃
37So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there.
וַיָּ֣מָת הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיָּב֖וֹא שֹׁמְר֑וֹן וַיִּקְבְּר֥וּ אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ בְּשֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃
38They washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, where the prostitutes bathed—just as the LORD had declared.
וַיִּשְׁטֹ֨ף אֶת־הָרֶ֜כֶב עַ֣ל ׀ בְּרֵכַ֣ת שֹׁמְר֗וֹן וַיָּלֹ֤קּוּ הַכְּלָבִים֙ אֶת־דָּמ֔וֹ וְהַזֹּנ֖וֹת רָחָ֑צוּ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃