ow a Wicked King Met His Death_.

(One of the wickedest kings who ever sat upon a throne was Ahab. This
story tells how, while fighting in company with Jehoshaphat, he met his
death in battle, and how the terrible prophecy of Elijah was fulfilled.
With his customary trickiness, he tried to escape notice in the battle,
by making his ally, the king of Judah, conspicuous. An archer, however,
drawing his bow at a venture, struck the king between the joints of his
armor, and inflicted a mortal wound.)

[Footnote: The story of the houses of Ahab and Jehu are told more
fully in "Tales of Elijah and Elisha," to be found in this volume.]

And they continued three years without war between Syria and Israel.
And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of
Judah came down to the king of Israel. And the king of Israel said
unto his servants, "Know ye that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are
still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?"

And he said unto Jehoshaphat, "Wilt thou go with me to battle to
Ramoth-gilead?"

And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "I am as thou art, my
people as thy people, my horses as thy horses."

And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, "Inquire first, I pray
thee, for the word of the Lord."

Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, {378} about
four hundred men, and said unto them, "Shall I go against
Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear?"

And they said, "Go up; for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of
the king."

But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of the Lord
besides, that we may inquire of him?"

And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "There is yet one man by
whom we may inquire of the Lord, Micaiah the son of Imlah: but I hate
him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil."

And Jehoshaphat said, "Let not the king say so." Then the king of
Israel called an officer, and said, "Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of
Imlah."

Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on
his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance
of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said,
"Thus saith the Lord, 'With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until
they be consumed.'"

And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead,
and prosper: for the Lord shal