he Lord hath not
spoken by me." And he said, "Hear, ye peoples, all of you."

So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to
Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, "I will
disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes."

And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.
Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty and two captains of his
chariots, saying, "Fight neither with small nor great, save only with
the king of Israel."

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat, that they said, "Surely it is the king of Israel"; and
they turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots {381} saw that
it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing
him. And a certain archer drew his bow at a venture, and smote the
king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said
unto the driver of his chariot, "Turn thine hand, and carry me out of
the host; for I am sore wounded."

And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his
chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out
of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. And there went a cry
throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, "Every
man to his city, and every man to his country."

So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king
in Samaria. And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and
the dogs licked up his blood; according to the word of the Lord which
he spoke.

{382}

AHAZIAH.

_The Brief Reign of an Evil King_.

Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the
seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned two
years over Israel. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the
Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his
mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherein he made
Israel to sin. And he served Baal, and worshiped him, and provoked to
anger the Lord, the God of Israel, according to all that his father
had done.

And Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah
fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in
Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them,
"Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of
this