l deliver it into the hand of the king."

And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spoke unto him, saying,
"Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the king with
one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of one of them,
and speak thou good."

And Micaiah said, "As the Lord liveth, what the Lord saith unto me,
that will I speak."

{379}

And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, "Micaiah,
shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we forbear?" And he
answered him, "Go up, and prosper; and the Lord shall deliver it into
the hand of the king."

And the king said unto him, "How many times shall I adjure thee that
thou speak unto me nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord?"

And he said, "I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep
that have no shepherd: and the Lord said, 'These have no master; let
them return 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 concerning me, but evil?"

And he said, "Therefore hear thou 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 hand and on his left. And the Lord said, 'Who shall entice
Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said on
this manner; and another on that manner. And there came forth 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 forth, and will be a lying spirit in the
mouth of all his prophets.'

"And he said, 'Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go
forth, and do so.'

"Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying {380} spirit in the
mouth of all these thy prophets; and the Lord hath spoken evil
concerning thee."

Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah on 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."

And the king of Israel said, "Take Micaiah, and carry him back unto
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 come in
peace.'"

And Micaiah said, "If thou return at all in peace, t