rsv 1Kings:22:3-28 SEEK
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And the king of Israel said to his servants , "
Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us ,
and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria ?"
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And he said to Jehosh '
aphat , "
Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead ?"
And Jehosh '
aphat said to the king of Israel , "
I am as you are ,
my people as your people ,
my horses as your horses ."
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And Jehosh '
aphat said to the king of Israel , "
Inquire first for the word of the LORD ."
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Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together ,
about four hundred men ,
and said to them , "
Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead ,
or shall I forbear ?"
And they said , "
Go up ;
for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king ."
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But Jehosh '
aphat said , "
Is there not here another prophet of the LORD of whom we may inquire ?"
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And the king of Israel said to Jehosh '
aphat , "
There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD ,
Micai '
ah the son of Imlah ;
but I hate him ,
for he never prophesies good concerning me ,
but evil ."
And Jehosh '
aphat said , "
Let not the king say so ."
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Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said , "
Bring quickly Micai '
ah the son of Imlah ."
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Now the king of Israel and Jehosh '
aphat the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones ,
arrayed in their robes ,
at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Sama '
ria ;
and all the prophets were prophesying before them .
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And Zedeki '
ah the son of Chena '
anah made for himself horns of iron ,
and said , "
Thus says the LORD , `
With these you shall push the Syrians until they are destroyed .'"
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And all the prophets prophesied so ,
and said , "
Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph ;
the LORD will give it into the hand of the king ."
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And the messenger who went to summon Micai '
ah said to him , "
Behold ,
the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king ;
let your word be like the word of one of them ,
and speak favorably ."
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But Micai '
ah said , "
As the LORD lives ,
what the LORD says to me ,
that I will speak ."
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And when he had come to the king ,
the king said to him , "
Micai '
ah ,
shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle ,
or shall we forbear ?"
And he answered him , "
Go up and triumph ;
the LORD will give it into the hand of the king ."
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But the king said to him , "
How many times shall I adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD ?"
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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 each return to his home in peace .'"
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And the king of Israel said to Jehosh '
aphat , "
Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me ,
but evil ?"
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And Micai '
ah said , "
Therefore hear the word of the LORD :
I saw the LORD sitting on his throne ,
and all the host of heaven standing beside him on his right hand and on his left ;
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and the LORD said , `
Who will entice Ahab ,
that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead ?'
And one said one thing ,
and another said another .
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Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD ,
saying , `
I will entice him .'
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And the LORD said to him , `
By what means ?'
And he said , `
I will go forth ,
and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets .'
And he said , `
You are to entice him ,
and you shall succeed ;
go forth and do so .'
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Now therefore behold ,
the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets ;
the LORD has spoken evil concerning you ."
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Then Zedeki '
ah the son of Chena '
anah came near and struck Micai '
ah on the cheek ,
and said , "
How did the Spirit of the LORD go from me to speak to you ?"
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And Micai '
ah said , "
Behold ,
you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself ."
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And the king of Israel said , "
Seize Micai '
ah ,
and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Jo '
ash the king '
s son ;
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and say , `
Thus says the king , "
Put this fellow in prison ,
and feed him with scant fare of bread and water ,
until I come in peace ."'"
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And Micai '
ah said , "
If you return in peace ,
the LORD has not spoken by me ."
And he said , "
Hear ,
all you peoples !"