Micaiah Warns Ahab about Disaster
(2 Chronicles 18.2-27)1 For the next three years there was peace between Israel and Syria. 2 During the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah went to visit King Ahab of Israel.
3 Ahab asked his officials, “Why haven't we tried to get Ramoth in Gilead back from the Syrians? It belongs to us.” 4 Then he asked Jehoshaphat, “Would you go to Ramoth with me and attack the Syrians?”
“Just tell me what to do,” Jehoshaphat answered. “My army and horses are at your command. 5 But first, let's ask the Lord.”
6 Ahab sent for about 400 prophets and asked, “Should I attack the Syrians at Ramoth?”
“Yes!” the prophets answered. “The Lord will help you defeat them.”
7 But Jehoshaphat said, “Just to make sure, is there another of the Lord's prophets we can ask?”
8 “We could ask Micaiah son of Imlah,” Ahab said. “But I hate Micaiah. He always has bad news for me.”
“Don't say that!” Jehoshaphat replied. 9 Then Ahab sent someone to bring Micaiah as soon as possible.
10 All this time, Ahab and Jehoshaphat were dressed in their royal robes and were seated on their thrones at the threshing place near the gate of Samaria. They were listening to the prophets tell them what the Lord had said.
11 Zedekiah son of Chenaanah was one of the prophets. He had made some horns out of iron and shouted, “Ahab, the Lord says you will attack the Syrians like a bull with iron horns and wipe them out!”
12 All the prophets agreed that Ahab should attack the Syrians at Ramoth, and they promised that the Lord would help him defeat them.
13 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah whispered, “Micaiah, all the prophets have good news for Ahab. Now go and say the same thing.”
14 “I'll say whatever the living Lord tells me to say,” Micaiah replied.
15 Then Micaiah went to Ahab, and Ahab asked, “Micaiah, should I attack the Syrians at Ramoth?”
“Yes!” Micaiah answered. “The Lord will help you defeat them.”
16 “Micaiah, I've told you over and over to tell me the truth!” Ahab shouted. “What does the Lord really say?”
17 He answered, “In a vision I saw Israelite soldiers walking around in the hills like sheep without a shepherd to guide them. The Lord said, ‘This army has no leader. They should go home and not fight.’ ”
18 Ahab turned to Jehoshaphat and said, “I told you he would bring bad news!”
19 Micaiah replied:
Listen to this! I also saw the Lord seated on his throne with every creature in heaven gathered around him. 20 The Lord asked, “Who can trick Ahab and make him go to Ramoth where he will be killed?”
They talked about it for a while, 21 then finally a spirit came forward and said to the Lord, “I can trick Ahab.”
“How?” the Lord asked.
22 “I'll make Ahab's prophets lie to him.”
“Good!” the Lord replied. “Now go and do it.”
23 This is exactly what has happened, Ahab. The Lord made all your prophets lie to you, and he knows you will soon be destroyed.
24 Zedekiah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him on the face. Then he asked, “Do you really think the Lord would speak to you and not to me?”
25 Micaiah answered, “You'll find out on the day you have to hide in the back room of some house.”
26 Ahab shouted, “Arrest Micaiah! Take him to Prince Joash and Governor Amon of Samaria. 27 Tell them to put him in prison and to give him nothing but bread and water until I come back safely.”
28 Micaiah said, “If you do come back, I was wrong about what the Lord wanted me to say.” Then he told the crowd, “Don't forget what I said!”
Ahab Dies at Ramoth
(2 Chronicles 18.28-34)29 Ahab and Jehoshaphat led their armies to Ramoth in Gilead. 30 Before they went into battle, Ahab said, “Jehoshaphat, I'll disguise myself, but you wear your royal robe.” Then Ahab disguised himself and went into battle.
31 The king of Syria had ordered his 32 chariot commanders to attack only Ahab. 32 So when they saw Jehoshaphat in his robe, they thought he was Ahab and started to attack him. But when Jehoshaphat shouted out to them, 33 they realized he wasn't Ahab, and they left him alone.
34 However, during the fighting a soldier shot an arrow without even aiming, and it hit Ahab where two pieces of his armor joined. He shouted to his chariot driver, “I've been hit! Get me out of here!”
35 The fighting lasted all day, with Ahab propped up in his chariot so he could see the Syrian troops. He bled so much that the bottom of the chariot was covered with blood, and by evening he was dead.
36 As the sun was going down, someone in Israel's army shouted to the others, “Retreat! Go back home!”
37 Ahab's body was taken to Samaria and buried there. 38 Some workers washed his chariot near a spring in Samaria, and prostitutes washed themselves in his blood. Dogs licked Ahab's blood off the ground, just as the Lord had warned.
39 Everything else Ahab did while he was king, including the towns he strengthened and the palace he built and furnished with ivory, is written in The History of the Kings of Israel. 40 Ahab died, and his son Ahaziah became king.
King Jehoshaphat of Judah
(2 Chronicles 20.31—21.1)41 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king of Judah in Ahab's fourth year as king of Israel. 42 Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king, and he ruled from Jerusalem for 25 years. His mother was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
43-46 Jehoshaphat obeyed the Lord, just as his father Asa had done, and during his rule he was at peace with the king of Israel.
He got rid of the rest of the prostitutes from the local shrines, but he did not destroy the shrines, and they were still used as places for offering sacrifices.
Everything else Jehoshaphat did while he was king, including his brave deeds and military victories, is written in The History of the Kings of Judah.
47 The country of Edom had no king at the time, so a lower official ruled the land.
48 Jehoshaphat had seagoing ships built to sail to Ophir for gold. But they were wrecked at Ezion-Geber and never sailed. 49 Ahaziah son of Ahab offered to let his sailors go with Jehoshaphat's sailors, but Jehoshaphat refused.
50 Jehoshaphat died and was buried beside his ancestors in Jerusalem, and his son Jehoram became king.
King Ahaziah of Israel
51 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king of Israel in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat's rule in Judah, and he ruled two years from Samaria.
52 Ahaziah disobeyed the Lord, just as his father, his mother, and Jeroboam had done. They all led Israel to sin. 53 Ahaziah worshiped Baal and made the Lord God of Israel very angry, just as his father had done.
Savienība ar Jūdu pret Arāmu
(2L 18:1–11)1 Trīs gadus nebija kara starp Arāmu un Israēlu. 2 Trešajā gadā Jūdas ķēniņš Jehošāfāts ieradās pie Israēla ķēniņa. 3 Israēla ķēniņš sacīja saviem kalpiem: “Vai zināt, ka Rāmot-Gileāda pieder mums? Bet mēs klusējam un neatņemam to Arāmas ķēniņam!” 4 Jehošāfātam viņš sacīja: “Vai tu nāksi man līdzi karot par Rāmot-Gileādu?” Jehošāfāts atbildēja Israēla ķēniņam: “Es darīšu kā tu, mana tauta kā tava tauta un mani zirgi kā tavi zirgi!” 5 Bet Jehošāfāts sacīja Israēla ķēniņam: “Taujā vispirms pēc Kunga vārda!” 6 Tad Israēla ķēniņš sapulcināja praviešus, ap četri simti vīru, un prasīja tiem: “Vai man iet karot pret Rāmot-Gileādu vai likties mierā?” Tie atbildēja: “Ej, jo Kungs to nodos ķēniņa rokā!” 7 Bet Jehošāfāts sacīja: “Vai šeit nav vēl kāds Kunga pravietis, kam mēs varētu vaicāt?” 8 Israēla ķēniņš sacīja Jehošāfātam: “Ir vēl viens, ar kuru mēs varētu izvaicāt Kungu, bet es viņu ienīstu, viņš nekad nepravieto man labu, tik ļaunu vien! Tas ir Miha, Jimlas dēls.” Jehošāfāts sacīja: “Lai ķēniņš tā nerunā!” 9 Tad Israēla ķēniņš pasauca kādu augstmani un sacīja: “Ved ātri šurp Mihu, Jimlas dēlu!” 10 Israēla ķēniņš un Jehošāfāts ķēniņa tērpos sēdēja katrs savā tronī Samarijas vārtu laukumā, un visi pravieši tiem pravietoja. 11 Kanaāna dēls Cedekija bija darinājis sev dzelzs ragus un sacīja: “Tā saka Kungs: ar šiem tu badīsi aramiešus, līdz tie būs pagalam!” 12 Un visi pravieši pravietoja: “Ej uz Rāmot-Gileādu, tev veiksies, un Kungs to nodos ķēniņa rokā!”
Miha pasludina sakāvi
(2L 18:12–27)13 Sūtnis, kurš nāca saukt Mihu, sacīja viņam: “Redzi, pravieši vienā mutē runā ķēniņam labu, saki taču tu arī kā viņi – runā labu!” 14 Bet Miha atbildēja: “Kungs ir dzīvs! Ko Kungs man sacīs, to es viņam runāšu!” 15 Kad viņš ienāca pie ķēniņa, ķēniņš viņam prasīja: “Miha, vai mums iet karot pret Rāmot-Gileādu vai likties mierā?” Tas atbildēja: “Dodies karot, un tev veiksies, un Kungs to nodos ķēniņa rokā.” 16 Ķēniņš viņam sacīja: “Cik reižu man jāliek tev zvērēt, ka tu man neteiksi neko kā vien patiesību Kunga vārdā?” 17 Tad viņš sacīja: “Es redzēju visu Israēlu izklīdinātu pa kalniem kā avis bez gana. Un Kungs sacīja: šiem nav vadoņa, lai viņi atgriežas katrs savā namā ar mieru!”
18 Israēla ķēniņš sacīja Jehošāfātam: “Vai es tev neteicu, ka viņš man nepravieto labu, tik ļaunu vien!?” 19 Miha sacīja: “Tad nu klausies Kunga vārdu! Es redzēju Kungu sēžam tronī, un viss debesu karapulks stāvēja pie viņa labās un kreisās rokas. 20 Un Kungs sacīja: kurš pievils Ahābu, lai viņš iet karot pret Rāmot-Gileādu un tur krīt? Un viens runāja šā, otrs tā. 21 Tad viens gars iznāca, nostājās Kunga priekšā un sacīja: es viņu pievilšu! Un Kungs tam vaicāja: kā? 22 Tas atbildēja: es iešu un kļūšu par melu garu visu viņa praviešu mutēs! Un viņš sacīja: pievil viņu, tu to spēsi, ej un dari! 23 Un, redzi, Kungs ir ielicis melu garu visu tavu praviešu mutēs, Kungs tev ir lēmis ļaunu!”
24 Tad pienāca Cedekija, Kanaāna dēls, sita Miham pa seju un sacīja: “Vai tad Kunga Gars ir aizgājis no manis, lai runātu ar tevi?” 25 Miha sacīja: “To tu redzēsi tajā dienā, kad bēgsi no vienas iekštelpas otrā, lai paslēptos!” 26 Israēla ķēniņš sacīja: “Ņemiet Mihu un vediet viņu pie pilsētas pārvaldnieka Āmona un ķēniņa dēla Joāša, 27 un sakiet: tā saka ķēniņš: lieciet viņu cietumā un dodiet viņam bada maizi un slāpju ūdeni, līdz es pārnākšu ar mieru!” 28 Miha sacīja: “Ja tu tiešām atgriezīsies ar mieru, tad Kungs caur mani nav runājis!” Un viņš sacīja: “Klausieties, visas tautas!”
Ahāba nāve
(2L 18:28–34)29 Israēla ķēniņš un Jūdas ķēniņš Jehošāfāts devās karot pret Rāmot-Gileādu. 30 Israēla ķēniņš sacīja Jehošāfātam: “Es iešu kaujā pārģērbies, bet tu apvelc savas drēbes.” Israēla ķēniņš devās kaujā pārģērbies. 31 Bet Arāmas ķēniņš pavēlēja saviem trīsdesmit diviem kararatu virsniekiem: “Necīnieties ne ar mazu, ne lielu, bet tikai ar Israēla ķēniņu!” 32 Kad kararatu virsnieki ieraudzīja Jehošāfātu, tie teica: “Tiešām, šis ir Israēla ķēniņš!” – un tie viņu aplenca, lai cīnītos, bet Jehošāfāts kliedza. 33 Tad kararatu virsnieki redzēja, ka viņš nav Israēla ķēniņš, un atstājās no viņa.
34 Bet kāds vīrs uzvilka loku uz labu laimi un trāpīja Israēla ķēniņam starp vēdera un krūšu bruņām. Tas sacīja kararatu braucējam: “Griez apkārt un ved mani prom no kaujas lauka, jo esmu ievainots.” 35 Kauja todien bija jo sīva, ķēniņu turēja kararatos ar vaigu pret aramiešiem, bet vakarā viņš nomira, un asinis no viņa brūces satecēja kararatos. 36 Saulei rietot, pa visu karapulku sauca: “Ikviens uz savu pilsētu! Ikviens uz savu zemi!” 37 Tā ķēniņš nomira, un viņu aizveda apbedīt uz Samariju. 38 Kad Samarijas dīķī skaloja kararatus, suņi laizīja viņa asinis un turpat mazgājās maukas, kā bija sacījis Kunga vārds.
39 Bet pārējie Ahāba darbi un viss, ko viņš veica, un ziloņkaula nams, ko viņš uzcēla, – vai tad par to nav rakstīts Israēla ķēniņu Laiku grāmatā? 40 Ahābs apgūlās pie tēviem, un pēc viņa sāka valdīt viņa dēls Ahazjāhu.
Jehošāfāts valda pār Jūdu
(2L 20:31–21:1)41 Jehošāfāts, Āsas dēls, sāka valdīt pār Jūdu Israēla ķēniņa Ahāba ceturtajā gadā. 42 Jehošāfātam bija trīsdesmit pieci gadi, kad viņš sāka valdīt, un viņš valdīja Jeruzālemē divdesmit piecus gadus. Viņa mātes vārds bija Azūba, Šilhī meita. 43 Viņš staigāja sava tēva Āsas ceļus, nenogriezās no tiem un darīja to, kas taisns Kunga acīs. 44 Tomēr augstieņu altāris netika sagrauts, tauta joprojām upurēja un kvēpināja augstienēs. 45 Jehošāfātam ar Israēla ķēniņu bija miers.
46 Bet pārējie Jehošāfāta darbi, viņa varonība un cīņas – vai tad par to nav rakstīts Jūdas ķēniņu Laiku grāmatā? 47 Viņš iznīcināja no zemes tempļu prostitūtas , kas vēl bija palikušas kopš viņa tēva Āsas dienām.
48 Bet Edomā nebija ķēniņa, tikai ķēniņa vietnieks. 49 Jehošāfāts taisīja tāljūras kuģus, lai brauktu uz Ofīru pēc zelta, bet tie turp neaizbrauca, jo Ecjon-Geberā kuģi tika sadragāti. 50 Tad Ahazjāhu, Ahāba dēls, sacīja Jehošāfātam: “Lai mani kalpi kuģo kopā ar taviem kalpiem.” Bet Jehošāfāts nepiekrita.
51 Jehošāfāts apgūlās pie tēviem, un viņu apbedīja viņa tēva Dāvida pilsētā, un pēc viņa sāka valdīt viņa dēls Jehorāms.
Ahazjāhu valda pār Israēlu
52 Jūdas ķēniņa Jehošāfāta septiņpadsmitajā valdīšanas gadā Samarijā pār Israēlu sāka valdīt Ahazjāhu, Ahāba dēls, un valdīja divus gadus. 53 Viņš darīja to, kas netīkams Kungam, un staigāja sava tēva un mātes ceļus un Jārobāma, Nebāta dēla, ceļus, likdams grēkot Israēlam. 54 Viņš kalpoja Baalam, zemojās tam un sadusmoja Kungu, Israēla Dievu, darīdams visu, ko bija darījis viņa tēvs.
