The Prophet Micaiah Warns Ahab
(2 Chronicles 18.2-27)1 There was peace between Israel and Syria for the next two years, 2 but in the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to see King Ahab of Israel.
3 Ahab asked his officials, “Why is it that we have not done anything to get back Ramoth in Gilead from the king of Syria? It belongs to us!” 4 And Ahab asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth?”
“I am ready when you are,” Jehoshaphat answered, “and so are my soldiers and my cavalry. 5 But first let's consult the Lord.”
6 So Ahab called in the prophets, about four hundred of them, and asked them, “Should I go and attack Ramoth, or not?”
“Attack it,” they answered. “The Lord will give you victory.”
7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn't there another prophet through whom we can consult the Lord?”
8 Ahab answered, “There is one more, Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me; it's always something bad.”
“You shouldn't say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
9 Then Ahab called in a court official and told him to go and get Micaiah at once.
10 The two kings, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on their thrones at the threshing place just outside the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 One of them, Zedekiah son of Chenaanah, made iron horns and said to Ahab, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will fight the Syrians and totally defeat them.’” 12 All the other prophets said the same thing. “March against Ramoth and you will win,” they said. “The Lord will give you victory.”
13 Meanwhile, the official who had gone to get Micaiah said to him, “All the other prophets have prophesied success for the king, and you had better do the same.”
14 But Micaiah answered, “By the living Lord I promise that I will say what he tells me to!”
15 When he appeared before King Ahab, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should King Jehoshaphat and I go and attack Ramoth, or not?”
“Attack!” Micaiah answered. “Of course you'll win. The Lord will give you victory.”
16 But Ahab replied, “When you speak to me in the name of the Lord, tell the truth! How many times do I have to tell you that?”
17 Micaiah answered, “I can see the army of Israel scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said, ‘These men have no leader; let them go home in peace.’”
18 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn't I tell you that he never prophesies anything good for me? It's always something bad!”
19 Micaiah went on: “Now listen to what the Lord says! I saw the Lord sitting on his throne in heaven, with all his angels standing beside him. 20 The Lord asked, ‘Who will deceive Ahab so that he will go and be killed at Ramoth?’ Some of the angels said one thing, and others said something else, 21 until a spirit stepped forward, approached the Lord, and said, ‘I will deceive him.’ 22 ‘How?’ the Lord asked. The spirit replied, ‘I will go and make all of Ahab's prophets tell lies.’ The Lord said, ‘Go and deceive him. You will succeed.’”
23 And Micaiah concluded: “This is what has happened. The Lord has made these prophets of yours lie to you. But he himself has decreed that you will meet with disaster!”
24 Then the prophet Zedekiah went up to Micaiah, slapped his face, and asked, “Since when did the Lord's spirit leave me and speak to you?”
25 “You will find out when you go into some back room to hide,” Micaiah replied.
26 Then King Ahab ordered one of his officers, “Arrest Micaiah and take him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Prince Joash. 27 Tell them to throw him in prison and to put him on bread and water until I return safely.”
28 “If you return safely,” Micaiah exclaimed, “then the Lord has not spoken through me!” And he added, “Listen, everyone, to what I have said!”
The Death of Ahab
(2 Chronicles 18.28-34)29 Then King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to attack the city of Ramoth in Gilead. 30 Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself, but you wear your royal garments.” So the king of Israel went into battle in disguise.
31 The king of Syria had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders to attack no one else except the king of Israel. 32 So when they saw King Jehoshaphat, they all thought that he was the king of Israel, and they turned to attack him. But when he cried out, 33 they realized that he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped their attack. 34 By chance, however, a Syrian soldier shot an arrow which struck King Ahab between the joints of his armor. “I'm wounded!” he cried out to his chariot driver. “Turn around and pull out of the battle!”
35 While the battle raged on, King Ahab remained propped up in his chariot, facing the Syrians. The blood from his wound ran down and covered the bottom of the chariot, and at evening he died. 36 Near sunset the order went out through the Israelite ranks: “Each of you go back to your own country and city!”
37 So died King Ahab. His body was taken to Samaria and buried. 38 His chariot was cleaned up at the pool of Samaria, where dogs licked up his blood and prostitutes washed themselves, as the Lord had said would happen.
39 Everything else that King Ahab did, including an account of his palace decorated with ivory and of all the cities he built, is recorded in The History of the Kings of Israel. 40 At his death his son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
King Jehoshaphat of Judah
(2 Chronicles 20.31—21.1)41 In the fourth year of the reign of King Ahab of Israel, Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah 42 at the age of thirty-five, and he ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. 43 Like his father Asa before him, he did what was right in the sight of the Lord; but the places of worship were not destroyed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there. 44 Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.
45 Everything else that Jehoshaphat did, all his bravery and his battles, are recorded in The History of the Kings of Judah. 46 He got rid of all the male and female prostitutes serving at the pagan altars who were still left from the days of his father Asa.
47 The land of Edom had no king; it was ruled by a deputy appointed by the king of Judah.
48 King Jehoshaphat had ocean-going ships built to sail to the land of Ophir for gold; but they were wrecked at Eziongeber and never sailed. 49 Then King Ahaziah of Israel offered to let his men sail with Jehoshaphat's men, but Jehoshaphat refused the offer.
50 Jehoshaphat died and was buried in the royal tombs in David's City, and his son Jehoram succeeded him as king.
King Ahaziah of Israel
51 In the seventeenth year of the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel, and he ruled in Samaria for two years. 52 He sinned against the Lord, following the wicked example of his father Ahab, his mother Jezebel, and King Jeroboam, who had led Israel into sin. 53 He worshiped and served Baal, and like his father before him, he aroused the anger of the Lord, the God of Israel.
Omuprofete Mikaja ma rongo Ahab
(2Eku 18:2-27)1 Oure wozombura ndatu pa kara ohange pokati ka Israel na Sirie. 2 Nungwari mombura oitjatatu Josafat, ombara ya Juda, weya okuhakaena na Ahab, ombara ya Israel.
3 Ahab wa pura kovahongore ve na tja: “Okutjavi tji twa hirimana uriri nokuhinokukotora otjihuro Ramot mOgilead okutjisa ko kombara ya Sirie? Otjo otjetu nu!” 4 Nu Ahab wa pura ku Josafat na tja: “Mo vanga okuyenda puna ami okukarwisa Ramot?”
Josafat wa zira a tja: “Ove tji we rirongere, ami wina me rirongere puna otjimbumba tjandje tjovita na puna ovakavire wina. 5 Nungwari rutenga pura ku Muhona nao.”
6 Ahab otja woronganisa ovaprofete mbu mave ngara omasere yane, e ve pura na tja: “Hi yende okukarwisa otjihuro Ramot?”
Nowo va zira nave tja: “Ketjirwise! Muhona me ku pe outoṋi.”
7 Nungwari Josafat wa pura na tja: “Kape na omuprofete warwe ngu ma sora okutupurira ku Muhona are?”
8 Ahab we mu zira a tja: “Pena umwe, ingwi Mikaja, omuzandu wa Imla. Nungwari ami mbe mu tonda, eye tjinga e he ndji ukire otjiṋa otjiwa, aruhe tjinga e ndji ukira oviwonga uriri.”
Josafat we mu zira a tja: “O tja nao, kako!”
9 Ombara Ahab opa isanena omukarere ombondo wondjuwo youhona ne mu raere kutja a kaete Mikaja tjimanga.
10 Ozombara azeyembari za haama kovihavero vyazo vyouhona potjitondero pendje yomuvero wa Samaria aza zara otupera twazo twouhona; novaprofete avehe va ukira momurungu wazo. 11 Umwe wovaprofete mba wena Sidkija, omuzandu wa Kenana, we riungurira ozonya zovitenda, na tja ku Ahab: “Muhona ma tja nai: ‘Ove mo rwisa Ovasirie nozonya otja inḓa, nga tji we ve yandeke.’ ” 12 Ovaprofete avehe varwe va hungira tjingetjo nave tja: “Karwise Ramot, nove moka toṋa. Muhona me ku pe outoṋi.”
13 Omukarere ngwi ombondo ngwa ya okukapaha Mikaja wa tja nai ku ye: “Ovaprofete avehe varwe va profetera ombara ouṋingandu, nove tjita otja ovakweṋu wina.”
14 Nungwari Mikaja wa zira na tja: “Tjimbe tja Muhona omunamuinyo, ami me hungire imbi Muhona mbi me ndji raere.”
15 Neye tje ya kombara Ahab, eye we mu pura na tja ku ye: “Mikaja, ami nombara Josafat ngatu karwise Ramot?”
Mikaja wa zira a tja: “Twendeye, nu mamu ka toṋa. Muhona me mu pe outoṋi.”
16 Nungwari Ahab we mu zira nai: “Ami hi ku raere ovikando vingapi kutja u hungire ouatjiri porwe ku ami mena ra Muhona?”
17 Mikaja wa zira na tja: “Ami mba muna Ovaisrael avehe ava rimbara kozondunda tjimuna ozonḓu nḓe hi nomurise. Nu Muhona wa tja: ‘Ovandu mba kave nomunane; ve esa ve yende kozoyawo mohange.’ ”
18 Ahab wa tja nai ku Josafat: “Ami mbe ku raera kutja Mika kemee ndji ukire otjiṋa otjiwa aruhe, me ndji ukire oviwonga uriri.”
19 Mikaja wa hungira komurungu na tja: “Nambano puratena ku imbi Muhona mbi ma hungire! Ami mba munu Muhona a haama kotjihavero tje tjouhona meyuru, ovaengeri ve avehe ava kurama posi ye. 20 Muhona wa pura a tja: ‘Owaṋi ngu ma popo Ahab kutja a kaṱire mOramot?’ Ovaengeri tjiva va hungira otjiṋa tjimwe, nu imba ovakwao va hungira otjiṋa tjarwe, 21 nga ombepo imwe tji ya kayenda komurungu, ai ya ku Muhona nai tja: ‘Ami me mu popo.’ Muhona we i pura a tja: ‘Mo mu popo komuhingo uṋe?’ 22 Ombepo ya zira ai tja: ‘Ami me katjita kutja ovaprofete va Ahab avehe ve kore ovizeze.’ Muhona wa tja ku yo: ‘Twende nu u kemupope. Ove moka toṋa.’ ”
23 Nu Mikaja wa mana okuhungira na tja nai ku Ahab: “Pa tjitwa nai. Muhona wa yandjera kutja ovaprofete voye ve ku korere ovizeze. Nungwari Muhona omuini we ku yengera otjiwonga.”
24 Sidkija, omuzandu wa Kenana, wa ya ku Mikaja ne mu tono orupyu kotjitama, na tja ku ye: “Ombepo ya Muhona ya ze mo vi mu ami nai kahungira na ove?”
25 Mikaja wa zira nai: “Ove mo rimunine omuini meyuva ndo tji mo kerihoreka metuwo romokwara.”
26 Ombara Ahab wa rakiza komukarere we umwe na tja: “Kambura Mikaja u mu tware ku Amon, ingwi ongooneya yotjihuro, na ku Joas, omuzandu wombara. 27 Ve raera kutja ve mu twe motjovakamburwa, nu ve mu pe omboroto nomeva uriri, nga tji mba kotoka nokuhinatjipo.”
28 Mikaja wa zira a tja: “Tji wa kotoka nokuhinatjipo, okutja Muhona ka hungirire notjinyo tjandje.” Neye wina wa weza na tja nai: “Auhe weṋu nga puratene ku inga ngu mba hungire.”
Onḓiro ya Ahab
(2Eku 18:28-34)29 Ahab, ombara ya Israel, na Josafat, ombara ya Juda, otji va karwisa otjihuro Ramot mOgilead. 30 Ahab wa tja nai ku Josafat: “Tji matu i kovita, ami me riteturura, nungwari ove mo i awa zara otja ombara.” Ombara ya Israel otji ya ya kovita aye riteturura.
31 Ombara ya Sirie ya rakizire kovatye womatemba wayo wovita omirongo vitatu na yevari kutja ave ha nanene omundu warwe motjirwa, posi yombara ya Israel aiyerike. 32 Nowo tji va muna ombara Josafat, avehe va tjangovasi eye onguri ombara ya Israel, nave mu rwisa. Nungwari Josafat tja ura, 33 owo otji va muna kutja kangu ri ngwi ombara ya Israel, notji va isa okumurwisa. 34 Nungwari Omusirie omurwe wa yumba otjiku ohei na yaha ombara Ahab pomahakaeneno wombanda ye yotjitenda nekwamo. Ahab wa ravaera komuhinge wetemba re rovita a tja: “Mba yahwa!” Tjazumba arire tja raere omuhinge ngwi kutja a pitise etemba motjirwa.
35 Otjirwa ngunda atja handja, ombara Ahab wa haama osemba metemba re rovita a hungamasana nOvasirie. Ombinḓu motjito tje ya ziza, nai urisa etemba pehi moukoto. Nongurova eye otja koka. 36 Kuṱa komahitiro weyuva kwa za ombuze kOvaisrael ndja tja nai: “Omurumendu auhe nga yaruke kehi rawo na kotjihuro tjawo!”
37 Ombara Ahab otja koka. Norurova rwe rwa kapakwa kOsamaria. 38 Etemba re rovita ra kakoherwa poruharwi rwa Samaria, ozombwa ku za rasera ombinḓu ye; novakorondu ve rikohera mu yo otja Muhona punga a heya.
39 Oviṋa avihe vyarwe Ahab mbya tjita, ondjuwo youhona ndja tunga nomayo wozondjou, novihuro avihe mbya tunga, vya tjangwa mEkuruhungi rOzombara za Israel. 40 Ahab tja koka, omuzandu we Ahasia we mu pingena okurira ombara.
Josafat ma rire ombara mOjuda
(2Eku 20:31—21:1)41 Mombura oitjaine youhona wa Ahab, ombara ya Israel, Josafat, omuzandu wa Asa, otja rira ombara ya Juda, 42 e notjiwondo tjozombura omirongo vitatu nandano; neye wa honapara mOjerusalem oure wozombura omirongo vivari nandano. Ina wa ri Asuba, omusuko wa Silhi. 43 Otja ihe Asa ngwa ri po komurungu we, eye wina aa tjiti imbi mbya ri ovisemba komurungu wa Muhona; nungwari ka haṋene ovipunguhiro vyovisenginina, novandu otjaave punguhire ko ozombunguhiro nave twimisire ko ovyomoro omuwa. 44 Josafat wa hangana nombara ya Israel.
45 Oviṋa avihe Josafat mbya tjita, ouvanḓe we novita vye, vya tjangwa mEkuruhungi rOzombara za Juda. 46 Eye wa isa po ovakorondu avehe, ovarumendu novakazendu, mbaa ve karere povipunguhiro vyovisenginina, imbi mbya hupa po okuza koruveze rwa ihe Asa.
47 Ehi ra Edom kara ri nombara; iyari honaparerwa i omuyarukirepo ngwa zikwa i ombara ya Juda.
48 Ombara Josafat wa tungisa ozondjuwozomomeva ozonene zokuyenda kehi ra Ofir okukaeta ongoldo, nungwari ozo za tekera mOesjon-Geber naze ha kayenda komurungu. 49 Ahasia, ombara ya Israel, wa vanga okuyandja ovarumendu ve okukayenda puna ovarumendu va Josafat mondjuwoyomomeva, nungwari Josafat wa panḓa.
50 Josafat wa koka na pakwa mOtjihuro tja David; nomuzandu we Jehoram we mu pingena mouhona.
Ahasia ma rire ombara mOisrael
51 Mombura oitjamurongo na hambombari youhona wa Josafat, ombara ya Juda, Ahasia, omuzandu wa Ahab, wa rira ombara mOisrael; neye wa honapara oure wozombura mbari mOsamaria. 52 Eye wa tura ondjo komurungu wa Muhona, ama kongorere otjihorera tjourunde tjaihe Ahab notjaina Isebel notjombara Jerobeam, ngwa turisire Ovaisrael ondjo. 53 Eye we rikotamena ku Baal ne mu karere, notja pindikisa Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, tjimuna ihe ngwa ri po komurungu we.
