1 Kings 22:13–28

¹³Then the messenger who had gone to call Micaiah instructed him, “Behold now, with one accord the words of the prophets are favorable to the king. So please let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

¹⁴But Micaiah said, “As surely as the LORD lives, I will speak whatever the LORD tells me.”

¹⁵When Micaiah arrived, the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we refrain?”

“Go up and triumph,” Micaiah replied, “for the LORD will deliver it into the hand of the king.”

¹⁶But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of the LORD?”

¹⁷So Micaiah declared:

“I saw all Israel scattered on the hills

like sheep without a shepherd.

And the LORD said, ‘These people have no master;

let each one return home in peace.’”

¹⁸Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he never prophesies good for me, but only bad?”

¹⁹Micaiah continued, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left.

²⁰And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’

And one suggested this, and another that.

²¹Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’^a

‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.

²²And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’

‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’

²³So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”

²⁴Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”

²⁵Micaiah replied, “You will soon see, on that day when you go and hide in an inner room.”

²⁶And the king of Israel declared, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, ²⁷and tell them that this is what the king says: ‘Put this man in prison and feed him only bread and water until I return safely.’”

²⁸But Micaiah replied, “If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me.” Then he added, “Take heed, all you people!”