Bible verse by verse

[_LittleNipper]

1 Kings 22:1-53 For three years there was no war between Aram and Israel. Then during the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel. During the visit, the king of Israel said to his officials, “Do you realize that the town of Ramoth-gilead belongs to us? And yet we’ve done nothing to recapture it from the king of Aram!” Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?”

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” 5 Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.” The king of Israel summoned the prophets, about 400 of them, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?”

They all replied, “Yes, go right ahead! The Lord will give the king victory.”Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question.” The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat that there is one more man but he hate him, as he never prophesies anything but trouble for Ahab ---- named Micaiah son of Imlah.

Jehoshaphat what to hear what Micaiah had to say. Ahab had Micaiah quickly summoned. King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed to the nines, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab’s prophets were prophesying there in front of them. One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, “This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!” All the other prophets agreed that to an attack on Ramoth-gilead would be victorious ----saying that the Lord will give the king victory.

Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, “Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success." Micaiah replied, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what the Lord tells me to say.” Micaiah arrived before Ahab and asked Micaiah, if they should go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?

Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!” The king replied sharply, “How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth to me when you speak for the Lord?” Micaiah told him, “In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.’”

“Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.” Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left. And the Lord asked retorically, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’

“There were many suggestions, and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!’ “‘How will you do this?’ the Lord asked. “And the spirit replied, ‘I will go out and inspire all of Ahab’s prophets to speak lies.’ “‘You will succeed,’ said the Lord. ‘Go ahead and do it.’

“So you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all your prophets. For the Lord has pronounced your doom.” Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. “Since when did the Spirit of the Lord leave me to speak to you?” he demanded. Micaiah replied, “You will find out soon enough when you are trying to hide in some secret room!”

Ahab ordered Micaiah's arrest . “Take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash. Give them this order from the king: ‘Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!’” Micaiah replied, “If you return safely, it will mean that the Lord has not spoken through me!” Then he added to those standing around, “Everyone mark my words!” King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his 52 chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!” So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat called out, the chariot commanders realized he was no whom they sought and they stopped chasing him.

An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops and hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. “Turn the horses and get me out of here!” Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. “I’m badly wounded!” The battle raged all that day, and the king remained propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. The blood from his wound ran down to the floor of his chariot, and as evening arrived he bleed to death. As the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: “We’re done for! Run for your lives!” Ahab was taken to Samaria and buried there. His chariot was washed beside the pool of Samaria, and dogs came and licked his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed, just as the Lord had promised.

The rest of the events in Ahab’s reign and everything he did, including the story of the ivory palace and the towns he built, are recorded in the book of the Chronicles of the kings Kings of Israel. So Ahab son Ahaziah became the next king. Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to rule over Judah in the 4th year of King Ahab’s reign in Israel. Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem 25 years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi.

Jehoshaphat was a good king, following the example of his father, Asa. He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. During his reign, however, he failed to remove all the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. The rest of the events in Jehoshaphat’s reign, the extent of his power, and the wars he waged are recorded in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah. He banished from the land the rest of the male and female ritual pagan prostitutes, who still continued their practices from the days of his father, Asa. (There was no king in Edom at that time, only a deputy.)

Jehoshaphat also built a fleet of trading ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But the ships never set sail, for they met with disaster in their home port of Ezion-geber. At one time Ahaziah son of Ahab had suggested to Jehoshaphat, “Let my men sail with your men in the ships.” But Jehoshaphat refused the request. When Jehoshaphat died, he was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Jehoram became the next king. Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the 17th year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria 2 years. He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel to sin. He served Baal and worshiped him, provoking the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel, just as his father had done.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)


1 And they sit still three years, there is no war between Aram and Israel,

2 and it cometh to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat king of Judah cometh down unto the king of Israel,

3 and the king of Israel saith unto his servants, `Have ye not known that ours [is] Ramoth-Gilead? and we are keeping silent from taking it out of the hand of the king of Aram!'

4 And he saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Dost thou go with me to battle [to] Ramoth-Gilead?' and Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `As I am, so thou; as my people, so thy people; as my horses, so thy horses.'

5 And Jehoshaphat saith unto the king of Israel, `Seek, I pray thee, to-day, the word of Jehovah;'

6 and the king of Israel gathereth the prophets, about four hundred men, and saith unto them, `Do I go against Ramoth-Gilead to battle, or do I forbear?' and they say, `Go up, and the Lord doth give [it] into the hand of the king.'

7 And Jehoshaphat saith, `Is there not here a prophet of Jehovah besides, and we seek by him?'

8 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Yet -- one man to seek Jehovah by him, and I have hated him, for he doth not prophesy concerning me good, but evil -- Micaiah son of Imlah;' and Jehoshaphat saith, `Let not the king say so.'

9 And the king of Israel calleth unto a certain eunuch, and saith, `Hasten Micaiah son of Imlah.'

10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah are sitting, each on his throne, clothed with garments, in a threshing-floor, at the opening of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets are prophesying before them.

11 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By these thou dost push the Aramaeans till they are consumed;'

12 and all the prophets are prophesying so, saying, `Go up to Ramoth-Gilead, and prosper, and Jehovah hath given [it] into the hand of the king.'

13 And the messenger who hath gone to call Micaiah hath spoken unto him, saying, `Lo, I pray thee, the words of the prophets, with one mouth, [are] good towards the king; let it be, I pray thee, thy word as the word of one of them -- and thou hast spoken good.'

14 And Micaiah saith, `Jehovah liveth; surely that which Jehovah saith unto me -- it I speak.'

15 And he cometh in unto the king, and the king saith unto him, `Micaiah, do we go unto Ramoth-Gilead, to battle, or do we forbear?' and he saith unto him, `Go up, and prosper, and Jehovah hath given [it] into the hand of the king.'

16 And the king saith unto him, `How many times am I adjuring thee that thou speak nothing unto me but truth in the name of Jehovah?'

17 And he saith, `I have seen all Israel scattered on the hills as sheep that have no shepherd, and Jehovah saith, These have no master; they turn back each to his house in peace.'

18 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat, `Have I not said unto thee, He doth not prophesy of me good, but evil?'

19 And he saith, `Therefore, hear a word of Jehovah; I have seen Jehovah sitting on His throne, and all the host of the heavens standing by Him, on His right and on His left;

20 and Jehovah saith, Who doth entice Ahab, and he doth go up and fall in Ramoth-Gilead? and this one saith thus, and that one is saying thus.

21 `And the spirit goeth out, and standeth before Jehovah, and saith, I -- I do entice him; and Jehovah saith unto him, By what?

22 and he saith, I go out, and have been a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets; and He saith, Thou dost entice, and also thou art able; go out and do so.

23 And now, lo, Jehovah hath put a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and Jehovah hath spoken concerning thee -- evil.'

24 And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah draweth nigh, and smiteth Micaiah on the cheek, and saith, `Where [is] this -- he hath passed over -- the Spirit of Jehovah -- from me to speak with thee?'

25 And Micaiah saith, `Lo, thou art seeing on that day, when thou goest in to the innermost chamber to be hidden.'

26 And the king of Israel saith, `Take Micaiah, and turn him back unto Amon head of the city, and unto Joash son of the king,

27 and thou hast said, Thus said the king, Place ye this one in the house of restraint, and cause him to eat bread of oppression, and water of oppression, till my coming in peace.'

28 And Micaiah saith, `If thou at all return in peace -- Jehovah hath not spoken by me;' and he saith, `Hear, O peoples, all of them.'

29 And the king of Israel goeth up, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, to Ramoth-Gilead.

30 And the king of Israel saith unto Jehoshaphat to disguise himself, and to go into battle, `And thou, put on thy garments.' And the king of Israel disguiseth himself, and goeth into battle.

31 And the king of Aram commanded the heads of the charioteers whom he hath -- thirty and two -- saying, `Ye do not fight with small or with great, but with the king of Israel by himself.'

32 And it cometh to pass, at the heads of the charioteers seeing Jehoshaphat, that they said, `He [is] only the king of Israel;' and they turn aside to him to fight, and Jehoshaphat crieth out,

33 and it cometh to pass, at the heads of the charioteers seeing that he [is] not the king of Israel, that they turn back from after him.

34 And a man hath drawn with a bow, in his simplicity, and smiteth the king of Israel between the joinings and the coat of mail, and he saith to his charioteer, `Turn thy hand, and take me out from the camp, for I have become sick.'

35 And the battle increaseth on that day, and the king hath been caused to stand in the chariot, over-against Aram, and he dieth in the evening, and the blood of the wound runneth out unto the midst of the chariot,

36 and he causeth the cry to pass over through the camp, at the going in of the sun, saying, `Each unto his city, and each unto his land.'

37 And the king dieth, and cometh into Samaria, and they bury the king in Samaria;

38 and [one] rinseth the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs lick his blood -- when the armour they had washed -- according to the word of Jehovah that He spake.

39 And the rest of the matters of Ahab, and all that he did, and the house of ivory that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?

40 And Ahab lieth with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigneth in his stead.

41 And Jehoshaphat son of Asa hath reigned over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel,

42 Jehoshaphat [is] a son of thirty and five years in his reigning, and twenty and five years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother [is] Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

43 And he walketh in all the way of Asa his father, he hath not turned aside from it, to do that which [is] right in the eyes of Jehovah; only the high places have not turned aside, yet are the people sacrificing and making perfume in high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat maketh peace with the king of Israel;

45 and the rest of the matters of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he got, and with which he fought, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah?

46 And the remnant of the whoremongers who were left in the days of Asa his father he took away out of the land;

47 and there is no king in Edom; he set up a king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships at Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, and they went not, for the ships were broken in Ezion-Geber.

49 Then said Ahaziah son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, `Let my servants go with thy servants in the ships;' and Jehoshaphat was not willing.

50 And Jehoshaphat lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David his father, and Jehoram his son reigneth in his stead.

51 Ahaziah son of Ahab hath reigned over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigneth over Israel two years,

52 and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, and walketh in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin,

53 and serveth the Baal, and boweth himself to it, and provoketh Jehovah, God of Israel, according to all that his father had done.

[_Mittens]

“Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.” Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left. And the Lord asked retorically, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q24z4XcJ ... F&index=20

[_Bret Ripley]

I have found that as Christians pull closer to Christ, they become more understanding of the value of biblical inerrancy.

The notion of biblical inerrancy is a misguided one. For a quick example, compare Luke chapter 1 which places Mary's pregnancy during the reign of Herod (died 4 bce) and Luke chapter 2 which places Jesus' birth during the census of Quirinius (8 ce). In chapter 3 Luke seems to have the earlier date in mind when he notes that Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his ministry in the 15th year of Tiberius' rule (28 ce). Luke's reference to the census of Quirinius in chapter 2 is at odds with his own timeline (and also with the account in Matthew).

[_Gunnar]

Whether LittleNipper or any other Christian Fundamentalist likes it or not, there are very few claims that are more thoroughly and conclusively discredited than the claim of Biblical inerrancy. Even many, if not most, Christians acknowledge that.

I have found that as Christians pull closer to Christ, they become more understanding of the value of biblical inerrancy.

That is only because you define "pulling closer to Christ" as pulling closer to your own dogmatic and bigoted viewpoint.

I mean honestly, see Matthew 7:13
English Standard Version
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

The problem with quoting that as justification for your particular religious views is that nearly every other Christian who disagrees with you can cite the very same scripture to justify rejecting your particular interpretation of the scriptures.

[_Bazooka]

The problem with quoting that as justification for your particular religious views is that nearly every other Christian who disagrees with you can cite the very same scripture to justify rejecting your particular interpretation of the scriptures.

117 pages and Nipper is yet to see this.
I'm not holding my breath....

[_maklelan]

I have found that as Christians pull closer to Christ, they become more understanding of the value of biblical inerrancy.

And I have found that the more people assert the value of biblical inerrancy, the less they can demonstrate that they are thinking adults.

And you seem to be arguing with me.

Because you are laughably wrong and grotesquely misguided.

I mean honestly, see Matthew 7:13
English Standard Version
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.

Obviously, there is no safety in popularity were it comes to God and His Word.

Tell that to the homosexuals all over the United States who cannot secure equal rights in their relationships because the bigotry and idiocy of fundamentalist Christianity holds so much sway in the government. Your privilege has so staggeringly and thoroughly blinded you that you think you're a victim. It's absolutely astonishing.

[_maklelan]

“Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.” Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left. And the Lord asked retorically, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q24z4XcJ ... F&index=20

Yeah, the Hebrew nowhere says or suggests that he asked "rhetorically." That's pure and utter nonsense your translation has introduced just to try to absolve God of his responsibility for requesting someone deceive a human to their death. What dogmatic and ignorant nonsense.

[_Mittens]

Would you call this nonsense when Joseph Smith changed this story in the Bible and told Abraham to lie ?

Abraham 2:

22 And it came to pass when I was come near to enter into Egypt, the Lord said unto me: Behold, Sarai, thy wife, is a very fair woman to look upon;

23 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see her, they will say—She is his wife; and they will kill you, but they will save her alive; therefore see that ye do on this wise:

24 Let her say unto the Egyptians, she is thy sister, and thy soul shall live.

25 And it came to pass that I, Abraham, told Sarai, my wife, all that the Lord had said unto me—Therefore say unto them, I pray thee, thou art my sister, that it may be well with me for thy sake, and my soul shall live because of thee.

[Guest]

“Didn’t I tell you?” the king of Israel exclaimed to Jehoshaphat. “He never prophesies anything but trouble for me.” Micaiah continued, “Listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven around him, on his right and on his left. And the Lord asked retorically, ‘Who can entice Ahab to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so he can be killed?’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q24z4XcJ ... F&index=20

Yeah, the Hebrew nowhere says or suggests that he asked "rhetorically." That's pure and utter nonsense your translation has introduced just to try to absolve God of his responsibility for requesting someone deceive a human to their death. What dogmatic and ignorant nonsense.

God can and in fact Ahab does. You sure know how to dig a hole for yourself. You don't believe in Bible inerrancy, and yet when I present the gist of the story, you get all bent out of shape because it's not an exact translation. This is what I see being implied. It really shouldn't matter at all to you. You pick and choose what your willing to believe anyway. Just imagine it's another Creation, Flood, and Exodus Tale and you will make yourself feel better.

[_Gunnar]

The problem with quoting that as justification for your particular religious views is that nearly every other Christian who disagrees with you can cite the very same scripture to justify rejecting your particular interpretation of the scriptures.

117 pages and Nipper is yet to see this.
I'm not holding my breath....

You're right, of course. We both have long been aware that LittleNipper only sees what he wants to see.