A few years later, Jehoshaphat visited Ahab in the town of Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cows for Jehoshaphat and the people with him. Ahab encouraged Jehoshaphat to join in an attack on the city of Ramoth Gilead.
Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?" Ahab was the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah. Jehoshaphat answered, "Yes, you and I will be as one—my men will be as yours in battle.
So Ahab called a meeting of the prophets. There were about 400 prophets at that time. Ahab asked the prophets, "Should we go and attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" The prophets answered Ahab, "Yes, because God will let you defeat Ramoth Gilead."
King Ahab answered, "Yes, there is another prophet. His name is Micaiah son of Imlah. But I hate him. He never says anything good about me when he speaks for the Lord. He always says things that I don't like." Jehoshaphat said, "The king shouldn't say things like that!"
At that time the two kings were sitting on their thrones, with their royal robes on, at the judgment place near the gates of Samaria. All the prophets were standing before them, prophesying.
One of the prophets was named Zedekiah son of Kenaanah. Zedekiah made some iron horns and said to Ahab, "The Lord says, 'You will use these iron horns to fight against the army of Aram. You will defeat them and destroy them.'"
All the other prophets agreed with Zedekiah and said, "Your army should march now to go fight against the Arameans at Ramoth Gilead. You will win the battle. The Lord will let you defeat them."
While this was happening, the officer went to find Micaiah. When he found him, the officer told him, "All the other prophets have said that the king will succeed, so you should say the same thing."
Micaiah went and stood before King Ahab. The king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go and attack the Arameans at Ramoth Gilead or not?" Micaiah answered, "Yes, go and be successful! You will take the city."
So Micaiah answered, "I can see the army of Israel scattered all over the hills, like sheep with no one to lead them. This is what the Lord says, 'These men have no leaders. Let them go home in peace.'"
Micaiah said, "Hear the message from the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne. All of heaven's army was standing around him, some on his left side and some on his right side.
The Lord said, 'Which of you will go fool Ahab into attacking the Arameans at Ramoth Gilead so that he will be killed?' The angels discussed many different plans.
He answered, 'I will go out and become a spirit of lies in the mouths of Ahab's prophets—they will all speak lies.' So the Lord said, 'Yes, that will fool Ahab. Go out and do that!'"
Then the prophet Zedekiah went to Micaiah and hit him on the face. Zedekiah said, "How is it that the Spirit of the Lord left me to speak through you?"
Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "Disguise yourself when you go into battle, but wear your own clothes. And I will disguise myself." The king of Israel went into battle dressed like an ordinary soldier.
The king of Aram had 32 chariot commanders. He gave them this command, "Don't go after anyone except the king of Israel, no matter how important they are!"
During the battle, the commanders saw King Jehoshaphat and thought he was the king of Israel. So they went to kill him. Jehoshaphat started shouting, and the Lord helped him. God made the chariot commanders turn away from Jehoshaphat.
Then a soldier pulled back on his bow and shot an arrow into the air. By chance it hit the king of Israel between two pieces of his armor. King Ahab said to his chariot driver, "I've been hit! Turn the chariot around and take me off the battlefield!"
The armies continued fighting. King Ahab leaned against the side of his chariot to hold himself up, facing the Arameans. He watched until evening. Then, just as the sun was setting, he died.