2 Crônicas 18

ARC · Chapter 18/36

1Tinha pois Josaphat riquezas e gloria em abundancia: e aparentou-se com Achab.

2E ao cabo d'alguns annos desceu elle para Achab a Samaria; e Achab matou ovelhas e bois em abundancia, para elle e para o povo que vinha com elle: e o persuadiu a subir com elle a Ramoth-gilead.

3Porque Achab, rei d'Israel, disse a Josaphat rei de Judah: Irás tu commigo a Ramoth-gilead? e elle lhe disse: Como tu és, serei eu; e o meu povo, como o teu povo; seremos comtigo n'esta guerra.

4Disse mais Josaphat ao rei d'Israel: Consulta hoje, peço-te, a palavra do Senhor.

5Então o rei d'Israel ajuntou os prophetas, quatrocentos homens, e disse-lhes: Iremos á guerra contra Ramoth-gilead, ou deixal-o-hei? E elles disseram: Sobe; porque Deus a dará na mão do rei

6Disse porém Josaphat: Não ha ainda aqui propheta algum do Senhor, para que o consultemos?

7Então o rei d'Israel disse a Josaphat: Ainda ha um homem por quem podemos consultar ao Senhor; porém eu o aborreço; porque nunca prophetiza de mim bem, senão sempre mal; este é Micha, filho de Imla. E disse Josaphat: Não falle o rei assim

8Então chamou o rei d'Israel um eunucho, e disse: Traze aqui depressa a Micha filho de Imla.

9E o rei d'Israel, e Josaphat rei de Judah estavam assentados cada um no seu throno, vestidos de vestiduras, e estavam assentados na praça á entrada da porta de Samaria, e todos os prophetas prophetizavam na sua presença.

10E Zedekias, filho de Canana, fez para si uns cornos de ferro, e disse: Assim diz o Senhor: Com estes escornearás aos syros, até de todo os consumires.

11E todos os prophetas prophetizavam o mesmo, dizendo: Sobe a Ramoth-gilead, e prosperarás; porque o Senhor a dará na mão do rei.

12E o mensageiro, que foi chamar a Micha, lhe fallou, dizendo: Eis-que as palavras dos prophetas, a uma bocca, são boas para com o rei: seja pois tambem a tua palavra como a d'um d'elles, e falla o que é bom.

13Porém Micha disse: Vive o Senhor, que o que meu Deus me disser, isso fallarei.

14Vindo pois ao rei, o rei lhe disse: Micha, iremos a Ramoth-gilead á guerra, ou deixal-o-hei? E elle disse: Subi, e prosperareis; e serão dados na vossa mão.

15E o rei lhe disse: Até quantas vezes te conjurarei, para que me não falles senão a verdade no nome do Senhor?

16Então disse elle: Vi a todo o Israel disperso pelos montes, como ovelhas que não teem pastor: e disse o Senhor: Estes não teem senhor; torne cada um em paz para sua casa.

17Então o rei d'Israel disse a Josaphat: Não te disse eu, que este não prophetizaria de mim bem, porém mal

18Disse mais: Pois ouvi a palavra do Senhor: Vi ao Senhor assentado no seu throno, e a todo o exercito celestial em pé á sua mão direita, e á sua esquerda.

19E disse o Senhor: Quem persuadirá a Achab rei d'Israel, a que suba, e caia em Ramoth-gilead? disse mais: Um diz d'esta maneira, e outro diz d'outra.

20Então saiu um espirito e se apresentou diante do Senhor, e disse: Eu o persuadirei. E o Senhor lhe disse: Com que?

21E elle disse: Eu sairei, e serei um espirito de mentira na bocca de todos os seus prophetas. E disse o Senhor: Tu o persuadirás, e tambem prevalecerás; sae, e faze-o assim.

22Agora pois, eis que o Senhor enviou um espirito de mentira na bocca d'estes teus prophetas: e o Senhor fallou o mal a teu respeito.

23Então Zedekias, filho de Canana, se chegou, e feriu a Micha no queixo; e disse: Porque caminho passou de mim o Espirito do Senhor para fallar a ti?

24E disse Micha: Eis que o verás n'aquelle dia, quando andares de camara em camara, para te esconderes.

25Então disse o rei d'Israel; Tomae a Micha, e tornae a leval-o a Amon, o governador da cidade, e a Joás filho do rei.

26E direis: Assim diz o rei: Mettei este homem na casa do carcere; e sustentae-o com pão de angustia, e com agua d'angustia, até que eu volte em paz.

27E disse Micha: Se é que tornares em paz, o Senhor não tem fallado por mim. Disse mais: Ouvi, povos todos!

28Subiram pois o rei d'Israel e Josaphat rei de Judah, a Ramoth-gilead.

29E disse o rei d'Israel a Josaphat: Disfarçando-me eu, então entrarei na peleja; tu porém veste as tuas vestiduras. Disfarçou-se pois o rei d'Israel, e entraram na peleja.

30Deu ordem porém o rei da Syria aos capitães dos carros que tinha, dizendo: Não pelejareis nem contra pequeno, nem contra grande: senão só contra o rei d'Israel.

31Succedeu pois que, vendo os capitães dos carros a Josaphat, disseram: Este é o rei d'Israel, e o cercaram para pelejarem; porém Josaphat clamou, e o Senhor o ajudou. E Deus os desviou d'elle.

32Porque succedeu que, vendo os capitães dos carros, que não era o rei d'Israel, tornaram de seguil-o.

33Então um homem armou o arco na sua simplicidade, e feriu o rei d'Israel entre as junturas e a couraça: então disse ao carreteiro: Vira a tua mão, e tira-me do exercito, porque estou mui ferido.

34E aquelle dia cresceu a peleja, mas o rei d'Israel susteve-se em pé no carro defronte dos syros até á tarde; e morreu ao tempo do pôr do sol

📖 Chapter study

Summary

Jehoshaphat forms a marriage alliance with the family of King Ahab of Israel and agrees to help him in a war against Syria. Although 400 false prophets announce victory, the true prophet Micaiah correctly predicts Ahab's defeat and death, which happens exactly as foretold.

Explanation

This chapter, which also appears with similar detail in 1 Kings 22, shows the dangerous consequences of Jehoshaphat allying himself with Ahab, one of the most wicked kings in Israel's history. The prophetic court scene is dramatic: hundreds of false prophets, moved by a deceiving spirit permitted by God as judgment on Ahab, guarantee victory, while Micaiah, the only true prophet present, is humiliated and imprisoned for announcing the unpopular truth of the coming defeat. Micaiah's willingness to speak the truth even knowing he would be persecuted for it, saying 'even what my God saith, that will I speak,' is a powerful example of prophetic integrity in the face of overwhelming social and political pressure.

Fun facts

  • Micaiah's vision describing God permitting a 'lying spirit' to deceive the false prophets raises complex theological questions about divine sovereignty and judgment, discussed extensively by biblical commentators throughout the centuries.
  • Ahab tries to disguise himself in battle to escape his foretold fate, but dies struck by an arrow shot 'at a venture' by an ordinary soldier, a detail that reinforces the biblical idea that no human disguise can escape what God has determined.

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Crônicas 18:1With wealth and prestige now secure, Jehoshaphat forms a family bond with Ahab, king of Israel — a marriage alliance that will cause trouble in the chapters to come.
  2. 2 Crônicas 18:2Years later, Jehoshaphat visits Ahab in Samaria, who throws a huge feast with many animals slaughtered and persuades him to join a war against Ramoth-gilead.
  3. 2 Crônicas 18:3Ahab invites Jehoshaphat to war, and he accepts without hesitation, promising that his people and his army will stand with Israel in this battle.
  4. 2 Crônicas 18:4Before moving forward, Jehoshaphat wisely asks that they first inquire of the word of the Lord about this war.
  5. 2 Crônicas 18:5Ahab gathers four hundred court prophets, who answer in chorus that God will deliver Ramoth-gilead into the king’s hand — a conveniently unanimous response.
  6. 2 Crônicas 18:6Jehoshaphat is suspicious of this unanimous answer and asks whether there is not a genuine prophet of the Lord there whom they might truly inquire of.
  7. 2 Crônicas 18:7Ahab admits that such a prophet exists, Micaiah, but confesses that he hates him because he never prophesies anything good about him, only bad.
  8. 2 Crônicas 18:8Reluctant as he is, Ahab sends an officer to fetch Micaiah quickly.
  9. 2 Crônicas 18:9The two kings, dressed in royal robes, sit on thrones at the open square by the gate of Samaria, while the four hundred prophets go on prophesying before them.
  10. 2 Crônicas 18:10One of these prophets, Zedekiah, makes iron horns as a staged prop and announces that with them the king will completely push back the Syrians.
  11. 2 Crônicas 18:11All the other prophets repeat the same optimistic message: going up to war will succeed, because the Lord will hand victory to the king.
  12. 2 Crônicas 18:12The messenger sent to fetch Micaiah warns him on the way that all the prophets are telling the king good news, so it would be wise for him to fall in line too.
  13. 2 Crônicas 18:13Micaiah refuses that advice outright, swearing that he will speak only exactly what God tells him, nothing more.
  14. 2 Crônicas 18:14Standing before the king, Micaiah repeats, with obvious irony, the same optimistic answer as the other prophets — a response that reads as sarcastic in context.
  15. 2 Crônicas 18:15Sensing the irony, Ahab himself presses Micaiah to swear that he will speak nothing but the truth in the name of the Lord.
  16. 2 Crônicas 18:16Only then does Micaiah reveal the real vision: all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, because their king will die in this war.
  17. 2 Crônicas 18:17Ahab turns to Jehoshaphat as if to say, “I told you so”: this prophet never prophesies anything good about him.
  18. 2 Crônicas 18:18Micaiah continues describing the vision: he saw the Lord sitting on His throne, surrounded by the whole host of heaven, standing on His right and on His left.
  19. 2 Crônicas 18:19In that vision, the Lord asks who will persuade Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead, and the heavenly voices offer different suggestions.
  20. 2 Crônicas 18:20A spirit steps forward and offers to do the job, and the Lord asks how he intends to persuade the king.
  21. 2 Crônicas 18:21Here is one of the most difficult theological images in the book: a spirit offers to be “a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets,” and God allows it, in order to lure Ahab into the battle where he will die. It is the contrast between these prophets who say only what the king wants to hear and Micaiah, the only one who speaks the truth even knowing he will be imprisoned for it.
  22. 2 Crônicas 18:22Micaiah closes the vision by explaining it directly to Ahab: it was the Lord who allowed this lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets, because He has already decreed disaster against him.
  23. 2 Crônicas 18:23Zedekiah reacts by striking Micaiah on the cheek, asking with contempt which way the Spirit of the Lord went from him to speak with Micaiah.
  24. 2 Crônicas 18:24Micaiah answers that Zedekiah will find out the truth on the day he tries to hide from room to room, running from the consequences.
  25. 2 Crônicas 18:25Ahab orders Micaiah arrested and handed over to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s own son.
  26. 2 Crônicas 18:26The order is clear: put Micaiah in prison and feed him only bread and water of affliction until the king returns safely from the war.
  27. 2 Crônicas 18:27Micaiah answers with confidence: if the king truly returns in peace, that will prove the Lord has not spoken through him — and he asks everyone present to take note of that wager.
  28. 2 Crônicas 18:28Despite the prophetic warning, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat move forward and go up together to war at Ramoth-gilead.
  29. 2 Crônicas 18:29Ahab disguises himself before the battle precisely to escape the prophecy against him, but he is struck anyway by an arrow shot “at a venture,” with no specific aim. The irony is clear: not even the most careful disguise escapes what has already been spoken.
  30. 2 Crônicas 18:30The king of Syria gives a specific order to his chariot commanders: attack no one, small or great, except the king of Israel himself.
  31. 2 Crônicas 18:31The Syrian commanders mistake Jehoshaphat for the king of Israel and surround him to attack; Jehoshaphat cries out for help, and God delivers him by turning the attack aside.
  32. 2 Crônicas 18:32Once the Syrian commanders realize he is not the king of Israel, they stop chasing him and call off the attack.
  33. 2 Crônicas 18:33A soldier with no particular target shoots an arrow that strikes Ahab exactly in a gap in his armor — badly wounded, he asks his chariot driver to carry him out of the battle.
  34. 2 Crônicas 18:34The battle rages on all day; Ahab props himself up in his chariot, facing the Syrians, until he dies at sunset.

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