18:1 Jehoshaphat was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made an alliance by marriage with Ahab, 18:2 and after several years 1 went down to visit 2 Ahab in Samaria. 3 Ahab slaughtered many sheep and cattle to honor Jehoshaphat and those who came with him. 4 He persuaded him to join in an attack 5 against Ramoth Gilead. 18:3 King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle.” 6 18:4 Then Jehoshaphat added, 7 “First seek an oracle from the Lord.” 8 18:5 So the king of Israel assembled 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?” 9 They said, “Attack! God 10 will hand it over to the king.” 18:6 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there not a prophet of the Lord still here, that we may ask him?” 18:7 The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom we can seek the Lord’s will. 11 But I despise 12 him because he does not prophesy prosperity for me, but always 13 disaster. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. 14 Jehoshaphat said, “The king should not say such things!”
1 tn Heb “at the end of years.”
2 tn The word “visit” is supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
3 map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.
4 tn Heb “and Ahab slaughtered for him sheep and cattle in abundance, and for the people who were with him.”
5 tn Heb “to go up.”
6 tn Heb “Like me, like you; and like your people, my people; and with you in battle.”
7 tn Heb “and Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel.”
8 tn Heb “the word of the
9 tn Heb “Should we go against Ramoth Gilead for war or should I refrain?”
10 tn Though Jehoshaphat had requested an oracle from “the
11 tn Heb “to seek the
12 tn Or “hate.”
13 tn Heb “all his days.”
14 tn The words “his name is” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.