¹⁹ Now summon^(A) the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel.^(B) And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”^(C)

⁶ So the king of Israel brought together the prophets—about four hundred men—and asked them, “Shall I go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or shall I refrain?”

“Go,”^(A) they answered, “for the Lord will give it into the king’s hand.”^(B)

⁷ But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet^(C) of the Lord here whom we can inquire^(D) of?”

⁸ The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate^(E) him because he never prophesies anything good^(F) about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.

⁹ So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, “Bring Micaiah son of Imlah at once.”

¹⁰ Dressed in their royal robes, the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting on their thrones at the threshing floor^(G) by the entrance of the gate of Samaria, with all the prophets prophesying before them. ¹¹ Now Zedekiah^(H) son of Kenaanah had made iron horns^(I) and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’”

²² “‘By what means?’ the Lord asked.

“‘I will go out and be a deceiving^(A) spirit in the mouths of all his prophets,’ he said.

“‘You will succeed in enticing him,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’

²³ “So now the Lord has put a deceiving^(B) spirit in the mouths of all these prophets^(C) of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster^(D) for you.”

²⁴ Then Zedekiah^(E) son of Kenaanah went up and slapped^(F) Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from^[a] the Lord go when he went from me to speak^(G) to you?” he asked.

²⁵ Micaiah replied, “You will find out on the day you go to hide^(H) in an inner room.”