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.
Ehangano laAhab naJosafat Elondwelo laMikaia
1 Ova mwena omido nhatu. Inamu kala oita pokati kaAram naIsrael. 2 Ndelenee momudo omutitatu Josafat, ohamba yaJuda, ya ya kohamba yaIsrael. 3 Nohamba yaIsrael ya lombwela ovapiya vayo, tai ti: “Mu shi shii tuu nokutya, Ramot shomuGilead oshetu? Ndele fye ohatu kala omutumba ndele hatu mwena, ndele itatu shi kufa mo momake ohamba yaAram?” 4 Opo nee ye ta ti kuJosafat: “To uya tuu pamwe naame, tu homone Ramot shomuGilead?” Ndele Josafat ta nyamukula ohamba yaIsrael: “Aame ngaashi ove, ovanhu vange ngaashi ovanhu voye, eenghambe dange ngaashi eenghambe doye.” 5 Ndele Josafat okwa lombwela vali ohamba yaIsrael: “Pula tete Omwene, ota ti shike?” 6 Opo nee ohamba yaIsrael ya ifana ovaxunganeki ve fike pomafele ane, ndele tai va pula: “Nandi ka homone tuu Ramot shomuGilead ile nandi shi efe?” Ndele venya va nyamukula: “Inda, u ke shi homone, osheshi Kalunga ote ke ku pa efindano.” 7 Ndelenee Josafat ta ti: “Kape na vali omuxunganeki umwe e tu pulile kOmwene?” 8 Ahab okwa nyamukula, ta ti: “Oku na vali umwe, Mikaia yaJimla, ndelenee ame ohandi mu tondo, osheshi ye ita xunganekele nge nande ouwa, ndelenee alushe owii.” Josafat okwa nyamukula: “Ino popya ngaho!” 9 Opo nee ohamba yaIsrael ya ifana elenga layo ndele tai ti: “Inda, u ka tale ko diva Mikaia yaJimla.”
10 Fimbo ohamba yaIsrael naJosafat, ohamba yaJuda, keshe imwe, ya kala omutumba kolukalwapangelo layo koshipale poshivelo shaSamaria, ndele da li da djala oikutu youhamba, novaxunganeki aveshe tava xunganeke moipafi yado, 11 Sedekia yaKenaana okwe li ningila eembinga doshivela ndele ta ti: “Omwene ta ti ngaha: ‘Naadi ove to ka twa Ovaarami fiyo we va mana po.’ ” 12 Novaxunganeki aveshe osho va xunganeka ndele tava ti: “Fikama, u homone Ramot shomuGilead, ndele to ka mona elao, nOmwene ote ke shi yandja momake ohamba.” 13 Opo nee omutumwa ou a ya a ka tale Mikaia, okwe mu lombwela: “Tala ovaxunganeki aveshe va xunganekela ohamba ouwa. Ondjovo yoye yo nai kale ngaashi eendjovo davo, u xunganeke oinima iwa.” 14 Ndelenee Mikaia ta ti: “Oshili, ngaashi Omwene e nomwenyo, oshili, osho Omwene te shi lombwele nge, osho handi ka popya.”
15 Eshi e uya kohamba, ohamba tai ti kuye: “Mikaia, fye naJosafat, natu ka homone tuu Ramot shomuGilead ile ahowe?” Ndele ye ota nyamukula: “Heeno, homoneni, osheshi oshili tamu ka findana; Omwene ote mu pe efindano.” 16 Nohamba Ahab tai ti kuye: “Nge to popi naame medina lOmwene, popya oshili. Olungapi ndi na oku ku lombwela?” 17 Opo nee a nyamukula: “Ame nda mona Ovaisraeli aveshe va halakanifwa keemhunda ngaashi eedi dihe namufita. NOmwene okwa tya: ‘Vo vehe na vali omuwiliki, nava shune nombili komaumbo avo.’ ” 18 Opo Ahab okwa tya kuJosafat: “Inandi ku lombwela kutya, winya iha xunganekele nge ouwa, alushe owii ashike?” 19 Mikaia ta ti vali: “Pwilikina ondjovo yOmwene: Ame nda mona Omwene e li omutumba kolukalwapangelo laye meulu, novaengeli aveshe va kala ofika puye. 20 NOmwene okwa pula: ‘Olyelye ta ka weweleka Ahab, opo a ka homone ye a ka file muRamot?’ Ndele ovaengeli ova nyamukula shi lili nashi lili. 21 Opo nee omhepo ye uya pOmwene, ndele ya tya: ‘Ame ohandi ka weweleka Ahab.’ 22 NOmwene okwa pula: ‘Ngahelipi?’ Ndele omhepo oye mu lombwela: ‘Ame ohandi ka ya ndi ninge omhepo yoipupulu momakanya ovaxunganeki vaye aveshe.’ Ndele Omwene okwe mu lombwela: ‘Inda u ke mu weweleke, osheshi oto ka findana.’ ” 23 Ndele Mikaia okwe mu lombwela, ta ti: “Eshi sha ningwa osheshi. Omwene okwa ninga ovaxunganeki voye ve ku fufye, ashike Ye mwene okwa tokola e ku tumine omupya.” 24 Opo nee Sedekia a yambuka nokwa denga Mikaia enghava moshipala, nde ta ti: “Onaini hano Omhepo yOmwene ya dja mo mwaame i uye i popye mwoove?” 25 Ndele Mikaia okwa nyamukula: “Tala, ove oto ke shi mona shito mefiku to ka hondama meendjuwo kofindo.” 26 Ndelenee ohamba Ahab ya lombwele elenga: “Kwateni Mikaia, mu mu twale kuAmon, ngoloneya woshilando, nokuJoas, omona wohamba. 27 Ndele u noku va lombwela ve mu tule modolongo, vo ve mu pe omungome nomeva ongaho, fiyo ame handi aluka inandi mona oshiponga.” 28 Mikaia okwa nyamukula: “Ngeenge to aluka ino mona oshiponga, otashi ti Omwene ina popya mwaame.” Nokwa tya vali: “Keshe umwe na ude eshi nda popya!”
Efyo laAhab
29 Opo nee ohamba yaIsrael naJosafat, ohamba yaJuda, da ya kuRamot shomuGilead. 30 Nohamba yaIsrael ya lombwela Josafat: “Ame ohandi djalulula, ndi lidimbike ndele handi ka ya kolwoodi. Ove kala po wa djala oshikutu shoye shouhamba.” Ohamba yaIsrael ya djalulula ndele tai i kolwoodi. 31 Nohamba yaAram ya li ya lombwela ovakulunhu omilongo nhatu navavali vomatemba oita ndele tai ti: “Inamu lwifa vamwe ve lili, ngeenge elenga ile omufyoona, lwifeni ohamba yaIsrael aike.” 32 Novakulunhu vomatemba oita eshi va mona Josafat, ova diladila: “Oye ohamba yaIsrael, ndele va hovela oku mu lwifa.” Opo nee Josafat okwa kuwa. 33 Ovakulunhu vomatemba oita eshi va mona nokutya, ke fi ohamba yaIsrael, ova dja po puye. 34 Ndelenee omulumenhu umwe ou a li a shila outa waye nokwa umba ko ongaho, okwa yasha ohamba yaIsrael pokati komwiya noshivela shoponhulo. Opo nee yo ya lombwela omushingi wetemba laye: “Alula etemba, u kufe nge molwoodi, osheshi nda yashwa.” 35 Ndele efiku olo olwoodi la ninga linene, onghee hano ohamba ya kala ofika metemba layo loita nokutaalela Ovaarami. Onguloshi oyo oya fya. Nohonde yomoshiveta ya xungukila metemba. 36 Ndele etango eshi la ningina momatemba aeshe ovakwaita mwa udika eingido: “Omulumenhu keshe na ye koshilongo shaye!” 37 Osho ngaha ohamba ya fya, ndele ya twalwa kuSamaria. Nohamba ya pakwa muSamaria. 38 Ndele eshi va kosha etemba petale laSamaria, eembwa da lafa ohonde yayo, fimbo eembwada tadi likosho muyo, paendjovo odo Omwene e di popya.
39 Noinima imwe tai hepaulula Ahab naashishe e shi ninga nongulu oyo yeembinga deendjaba e i tunga, inai shangelwa mbela membo lomafimbo eehamba daIsrael? 40 Ndele Ahab okwa ka nangala pooxe, nomona waye Ahasia okwa ninga ohamba ponhele yaye.
Josafat ohamba yaJuda naAhasia ohamba yaIsrael
41 Ndele Josafat yaAsa okwa ninga ohamba yaJuda momudo omutine waAhab, ohamba yaIsrael. 42 Ndele Josafat okwa pangela Juda. Omido daye da li omilongo nhatu nanhano eshi a ninga ohamba, nokwa pangela omido omilongo mbali nanhano muJerusalem. Nedina laina la li Asuba yaSilhi. 43 Nokwa enda mwaaishe nondjila yaxe Asa, ina yapuka mo nande muyo, nokwa ninga osho sha yuka momesho Omwene. Ashike oikulundu yeealtari inai ngumauna po. Ovanhu va yamba natango koikulundu nokutwimina ko. 44 Ndele Josafat okwa ninga ombili nohamba yaIsrael. 45 Noinima imwe tai hepaulula Josafat noilonga yaye yeenghono e i ninga, nhumbi a kala moita, inai shangelwa mbela membo lefimbo leehamba daJuda? 46 Nokwa mana po moshilongo oshixupe shovalumwanhufu va li va fiwa mo pomafiku axe Asa.
47 Pefimbo linya inamu kala ohamba muEdom. Omuponhele okwa li omupangeli. 48 Josafat okwe lihongifila eeskepa daTarsis di ye kuOfir okukonga ko oshingoldo. Ndelenee inadi ya ko, osheshi eeskepa da tekela puEsion-Geber. 49 Opo nee Ahasia yaAhab ta ti kuJosafat: “Ovapiya vange nava ende pamwe novapiya vaye meeskepa,” ndelenee Josafat ina hala. 50 Ndele Josafat okwa ka nangala pooxe nokwa pakwa pooxe moshilando shaxe David. Nomona waye Jehoram okwa ninga ohamba ponhele yaye.
51 Ahasia yaAhab okwa ninga ohamba yaIsrael muSamaria momudo omutimulongo nomutiheyali waJosafat, ohamba yaJuda, nokwa pangela Israel omido mbali. 52 Ndele ye okwa ninga osho inashi yuka momesho Omwene, ye okwa enda nondjila yaxe nondjila yaina nondjila yaJerobeam yaNebat, ou a hongaula Ovaisraeli okunyona. 53 Nokwa longela Baal ndele te linyongamene kusho nokwa handukifa Omwene, Kalunga kaIsrael, ngaashi xe a ningile.
