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2 Chronicles 18

2 Chronicles book home•Chapter 18 of 36•34 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

2 Chronicles 18 Overview

Jehoshaphat has riches and honor but joins himself by affinity with Ahab. At Samaria Ahab persuades him to go to Ramoth-gilead. Four hundred prophets promise success, but Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of the LORD, leading to Micaiah’s appearance. Micaiah predicts disaster and describes a heavenly scene involving a lying spirit in Ahab’s prophets. Ahab disguises himself in battle while Jehoshaphat wears royal robes; Jehoshaphat cries out and is delivered, but Ahab is struck by a seemingly random arrow and dies.

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Before you read 2 Chronicles 18

Coming from

Chapter 17 presented Jehoshaphat’s strong reforms, teaching program, and growing power.

In this chapter

His alliance with Ahab places him in danger and exposes the difference between popular prophetic consensus and the true word of the LORD.

Leads into

Chapter 19 begins with Jehu the seer rebuking Jehoshaphat for helping the ungodly, after which the king resumes reform and establishes judges.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The heavenly vision should be read as prophetic revelation explaining judicial deception against Ahab, who has persistently rejected truth. God is not morally lying; the lying spirit is an evil agent permitted within divine judgment. Micaiah’s lonely truthfulness is emphasized against overwhelming court pressure.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Spiritual strength can be compromised by unwise alliances.

Truth 2

A large majority of religious voices does not make a message true.

Truth 3

God’s word stands even when it is politically unwelcome.

Truth 4

Ahab cannot escape judgment through disguise or strategy.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

First Kings 22 gives the parallel Micaiah narrative.

Connection 2

Deuteronomy 18:20-22 gives Israel standards for evaluating prophetic claims.

Connection 3

Second Thessalonians 2:10-12 provides a later biblical example of judicial delusion associated with rejection of truth, though the settings differ.

Connection 4

Second Chronicles 19:2 interprets Jehoshaphat’s alliance as helping the ungodly and loving those who hate the LORD.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not say God himself tells lies; the vision distinguishes the LORD from the lying spirit and presents deception as judgment.

Keep this clear 2

Do not assume numerical consensus proves prophetic truth.

Keep this clear 3

Jehoshaphat’s deliverance in battle does not make his alliance wise; the next chapter explicitly rebukes it.

Keep this clear 4

Micaiah’s vision should not be expanded into speculative demonology beyond what the text states.

Read 2 Chronicles 18 watching for…

Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab.

His request for a prophet of the LORD.

The pressure placed on Micaiah.

The contrast between four hundred prophets and one true message.

Ahab’s disguise and the ‘at a venture’ arrow.

Jehoshaphat’s cry and deliverance.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-3Jehoshaphat joins Ahab and agrees to go to Ramoth-gilead 4-11Ahab’s prophets promise victory, but Jehoshaphat asks for a prophet of the LORD 12-27Micaiah foretells defeat and Ahab’s death and is put in prison 28-34Ahab disguises himself in battle, Jehoshaphat is helped, and Ahab dies

Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead.

And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Inquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.

But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might inquire of him?

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may inquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.

And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.

And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.

And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.

And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.

And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?

Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?

Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.

And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.

Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?

And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.

Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?

And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;

And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.

And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.

And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.

And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.

STUDY THIS VERSE

2 Chronicles 18:30

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