1. Jehoshaphat was now very rich and famous. He signed a treaty with King Ahab of Israel by arranging the marriage of his son and Ahab's daughter.
2. One day, Jehoshaphat went to visit Ahab in his capital city of Samaria. Ahab slaughtered sheep and cattle and prepared a big feast to honour Jehoshaphat and the officials with him. Ahab talked about attacking the city of Ramoth in Gilead,
3. and finally asked, “Jehoshaphat, would you go with me to attack Ramoth?”“Yes,” Jehoshaphat answered. “My army is at your command.
4. But first let's ask the Lord what to do.”
5. Ahab sent for four hundred prophets and asked, “Should I attack the city of Ramoth?”“Yes!” the prophets answered. “God will help you capture the city.”
6. But Jehoshaphat said, “Just to make sure, is there another of the Lord's prophets we can ask?”
7. “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.
8. Then Ahab sent someone to bring Micaiah as soon as possible.
9. 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, listening to the prophets tell them what the Lord had said.
10. 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!”
11. All the prophets agreed that Ahab should attack the Syrians at Ramoth and promised that the Lord would help him defeat them.
12. 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.”
13. “I'll say whatever the living Lord my God tells me to say,” Micaiah replied.
14. Then Micaiah went up to Ahab, who asked, “Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth?”“Yes!” Micaiah answered. “The Lord will help you capture the city.”