Study Desk

In the thirty-sixth year of Asa,^(a) Israel's King Baasha went to war against Judah. He built Ramah in order to deny access to anyone—going or coming—to Judah's King Asa.

So Asa brought out the silver and gold from the treasuries of the Lord 's temple and the royal palace and sent it to Aram's King Ben-hadad, who lived in Damascus, saying,

"There's a treaty between me and you, between my father and your father. Look, I have sent you silver and gold. Go break your treaty with Israel's King Baasha so that he will withdraw from me."

Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies to the cities of Israel. They attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim,^[a] and all the storage cities^[b] of Naphtali.

When Baasha heard about it, he quit building Ramah and stopped his work.

Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and the timbers Baasha had built it with. Then he built Geba and Mizpah with them.

At that time, Hanani^(b) the seer came to King Asa of Judah and said to him, "Because you depended on the king of Aram and have not depended on the Lord your God,^(c) the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.

Were not the Cushites and Libyans a vast army with many chariots and horsemen?^(d) When you depended on Yahweh, He handed them over to you.^(e)

For the eyes of Yahweh roam throughout the earth^(f) to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His.^(g) You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on."

Asa was angry with the seer and put him in prison^[c] because of his anger over this. And Asa mistreated some of the people at that time.

Note that the events^(h) of Asa's reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a disease in his feet, and his disease became increasingly severe. Yet even in his disease he didn't seek the Lord but only the physicians.

Asa died in the forty-first year of his reign and rested with his fathers.

He was buried in his own tomb that he had made for himself in the city of David. They laid him out in a coffin that was full of spices and various mixtures of prepared ointments;⁽ⁱ⁾ then they made a great fire in his honor.^(j)

His son Jehoshaphat became king in his place^(a) and strengthened himself against Israel.

He stationed troops in every fortified city of Judah^(b) and set garrisons in the land of Judah and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured.^(c)

Now the Lord was with Jehoshaphat because he walked in the former ways of his father David.^[a] He did not seek the Baals

but sought the God of his father and walked by His commands, not according to the practices of Israel.^(d)

So the Lord established the kingdom in his hand. Then all Judah brought him tribute, and he had riches and honor in abundance.^(e)

His mind rejoiced in the Lord 's ways, and he again^(f) removed the high places and Asherah poles from Judah.^(g)

In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent his officials—Ben-hail,^[b] Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah—to teach in the cities of Judah.^(h)

The Levites with them were Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah,^[c] Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; the priests, Elishama and Jehoram, were with these Levites.

They taught throughout Judah, having the book of the Lord 's instruction with them.⁽ⁱ⁾ They went throughout the towns of Judah and taught the people.

The terror of the Lord was on all the kingdoms of the lands that surrounded Judah,^(j) so they didn't fight against Jehoshaphat.

Some of the Philistines also brought gifts and silver as tribute to Jehoshaphat, and the Arabs brought him flocks: 7,700 rams and 7,700 male goats.^(k)

Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger. He built fortresses^(l) and storage cities in Judah

and carried out great works in the towns of Judah. He had fighting men, brave warriors, in Jerusalem.

These are their numbers according to their ancestral families. For Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander and 300,000 brave warriors with him;

next to him, Jehohanan the commander and 280,000 with him;

next to him, Amasiah son of Zichri, the volunteer^(m) of the Lord , and 200,000 brave warriors with him;

from Benjamin, Eliada, a brave warrior, and 200,000 with him armed with bow and shield;

next to him, Jehozabad and 180,000 with him equipped for war.

These were the ones who served the king, besides those he stationed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.⁽ⁿ⁾

Now Jehoshaphat^(a) had riches and honor in abundance,^(b) and he made an alliance with Ahab through marriage.^[a](c)

Then after some years, he went down to visit Ahab in Samaria. Ahab sacrificed many sheep and cattle for him and for the people who were with him. Then he persuaded him to march up to Ramoth-gilead,

for Israel's King Ahab asked Judah's King Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?" He replied to him, "I am as you are, my people as your people; we will be with you in the battle."

But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, "First, please ask what the Lord 's will is."

So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, 400 men, and asked them, "Should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?" They replied, "March up, and God will hand it over to the king."

But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of Yahweh here anymore? Let's ask him."^(d)

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man who can ask Yahweh, but I hate him because he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah." "The king shouldn't say that," Jehoshaphat replied.

So the king of Israel called an officer and said, "Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!"

Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were sitting on the threshing floor at the entrance to Samaria's gate,^(e) and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.

Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made iron horns and said, "This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.'"

And all the prophets were prophesying the same, saying, "March up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king."

The messenger who went to call Micaiah instructed him, "Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably."

But Micaiah said, "As the Lord lives, I will say whatever my God says."^[b](f)

So he went to the king, and the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should I^[c] refrain?" Micaiah said, "March up and succeed, for they will be handed over to you."

But the king said to him, "How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh?"

So Micaiah said: I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd.^(g) And the Lord said, "They have no master; let each return home in peace."

So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Didn't I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster?"

Then Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the Lord . I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and the whole heavenly host was standing at His right hand and at His left hand.^(h)

And the Lord said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' So one was saying this and another was saying that.

"Then⁽ⁱ⁾ a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord , and said, ‘I will entice him.' "The Lord asked him, ‘How?'

"So he said, ‘I will go and become a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' "Then He said, ‘You will entice him and also prevail. Go and do that.'

"Now, you see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of^[d] these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you."

Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah in the face, and demanded, "Which way did the spirit from the Lord leave me to speak to you?"

Micaiah replied, "You will soon see when you go to hide yourself in an inner chamber on that day."^(j)

Then the king of Israel ordered, "Take Micaiah and return him^(k) to Amon, the governor of the city,^(l) and to Joash, the king's son,

and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prison^(m) and feed him only bread and water^[e] until I come back safely.'"

But Micaiah said, "If you ever return safely, the Lord has not spoken through me." Then he said, "Listen, all you people!"⁽ⁿ⁾

Then the king of Israel and Judah's King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.

But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire." So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.^(o)

Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel."

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, "He must be the king of Israel!" So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out^(p) and the Lord helped him. God drew them away from him.

When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to the charioteer, "Turn around and take me out of the battle,^[f] for I am badly wounded!"^(q)

The battle raged throughout that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then he died at sunset.

Jehoshaphat king of Judah returned to his home in Jerusalem in peace.

Then Jehu^(a) son of Hanani the seer went out to confront him^[a] and said to King Jehoshaphat, "Do you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord ?^(b) Because of this, the Lord 's wrath is on you.^(c)

However, some good is found in you, for you have removed the Asherah poles from the land and have decided to seek God."^(d)

Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem, and once again he went out among the people from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to Yahweh, the God of their ancestors.^(e)

He appointed judges in all the fortified cities of the land of Judah, city by city.^(f)

Then he said to the judges, "Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man, but for the Lord , who is with you in the matter of judgment.^(g)

And now, may the terror of the Lord be on you. Watch what you do, for there is no injustice or partiality or taking bribes with the Lord our God."^(h)

Jehoshaphat also appointed in Jerusalem some of the Levites and priests and some of the heads of the Israelite families for deciding the Lord 's will and for settling disputes of the residents of^[b] Jerusalem.

He commanded them, saying, "In the fear of the Lord , with integrity, and with a whole heart, you are to do the following:

for every dispute that comes to you from your brothers who dwell in their cities—whether it regards differences of bloodguilt, law, commandment, statutes, or judgments⁽ⁱ⁾—you are to warn them, so they will not incur guilt before the Lord and wrath will not come on you and your brothers.^(j) Do this, and you will not incur guilt.

"Note that Amariah, the chief priest, is over you in all matters related to the Lord , and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all matters related to the king, and the Levites are officers in your presence. Be strong; may the Lord be with those who do what is good."^(k)

After this, the Moabites and Ammonites, together with some of the Meunites,^[a](a) came to fight against Jehoshaphat.

People came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast number from beyond the Dead Sea and from Edom^[b] has come to fight against you; they are already in Hazazon-tamar"^(b) (that is, En-gedi).

Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved^(c) to seek the Lord . Then he proclaimed a fast^(d) for all Judah,

who gathered to seek the Lord . They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek Him.

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the Lord 's temple before the new courtyard.

He said: Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, are You not the God who is in heaven,^(e) and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations?^(f) Power and might are in Your hand, and no one can stand against You.

Are You not our God who drove out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel^(g) and who gave it forever to the descendants of Abraham^(h) Your friend?

They have lived in the land and have built You a sanctuary in it for Your name and have said,

"If disaster comes on us—sword or judgment, pestilence or famine⁽ⁱ⁾—we will stand before this temple and before You, for Your name is in this temple.^(j) We will cry out to You because of our distress, and You will hear and deliver."

Now here are the Ammonites, Moabites, and the inhabitants of Mount Seir.^(k) You did not let Israel invade them when Israel came out of the land of Egypt, but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.^(l)

Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of Your possession that You gave us as an inheritance.

Our God, will You not judge them?^(m) For we are powerless before this vast number that comes to fight against us. We do not know what to do, but we look to You.^[c](n)

All Judah was standing before the Lord with their infants, their wives, and their children.