I - Chapter 22

1There was a lull of three years, with no war between Aram and Yisrael.

אוַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים אֵין מִלְחָמָה בֵּין אֲרָם וּבֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2In the third year, King Yehoshafat of Yehuda came to visit the king of Yisrael.

vai-HEE ba-sha-NAH ha-sh'-lee-SHEET va-YAY-red y'-ho-sha-FAT me-lekh y'-hu-DAH el ME-lekh yis-ra-AYL

בוַיְהִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית וַיֵּרֶד יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

3The king of Yisrael said to his courtiers, “You know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and yet we do nothing to recover it from the hands of the king of Aram.”

גוַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־עֲבָדָיו הַיְדַעְתֶּם כִּי־לָנוּ רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַאֲנַחְנוּ מַחְשִׁים מִקַּחַת אֹתָהּ מִיַּד מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם׃

4And he said to Yehoshafat, “Will you come with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Yehoshafat answered the king of Yisrael, “I will do what you do; my troops shall be your troops, my horses shall be your horses.”

דוַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֲתֵלֵךְ אִתִּי לַמִּלְחָמָה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּמוֹנִי כָמוֹךָ כְּעַמִּי כְעַמֶּךָ כְּסוּסַי כְּסוּסֶיךָ׃

5But Yehoshafat said further to the king of Yisrael, “Please, first inquire of Hashem.”

הוַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל דְּרָשׁ־נָא כַיּוֹם אֶת־דְּבַר יְהֹוָה׃

6So the king of Yisrael gathered the Neviim, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Shall I march upon Ramoth-gilead for battle, or shall I not?” “March,” they said, “and Hashem will deliver [it] into Your Majesty's hands.”

ווַיִּקְבֹּץ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַנְּבִיאִים כְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם הַאֵלֵךְ עַל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָד לַמִּלְחָמָה אִם־אֶחְדָּל וַיֹּאמְרוּ עֲלֵה וְיִתֵּן אֲדֹנָי בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

7Then Yehoshafat asked, “Isn't there another Navi of Hashem here through whom we can inquire?”

זוַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט הַאֵין פֹּה נָבִיא לַיהֹוָה עוֹד וְנִדְרְשָׁה מֵאוֹתוֹ׃

8And the king of Yisrael answered Yehoshafat, “There is one more man through whom we can inquire of Hashem; but I hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only misfortune—Michaihu son of Imlah.” But King Yehoshafat said, “Don't say that, Your Majesty.”

חוַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט עוֹד אִישׁ־אֶחָד לִדְרֹשׁ אֶת־יְהֹוָה מֵאֹתוֹ וַאֲנִי שְׂנֵאתִיו כִּי לֹא־יִתְנַבֵּא עָלַי טוֹב כִּי אִם־רָע מִיכָיְהוּ בֶּן־יִמְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אַל־יֹאמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ כֵּן׃

9So the king of Yisrael summoned an officer and said, “Bring Michaihu son of Imlah at once.”

טוַיִּקְרָא מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־סָרִיס אֶחָד וַיֹּאמֶר מַהֲרָה מִיכָיְהוּ בֶן־יִמְלָה׃

10The king of Yisrael and King Yehoshafat of Yehuda were seated on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, on the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Shomron; and all the Neviim were prophesying before them.

יוּמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה יֹשְׁבִים אִישׁ עַל־כִּסְאוֹ מְלֻבָּשִׁים בְּגָדִים בְּגֹרֶן פֶּתַח שַׁעַר שֹׁמְרוֹן וְכָל־הַנְּבִיאִים מִתְנַבְּאִים לִפְנֵיהֶם׃

11Tzidkiyahu son of Chenaanah had provided himself with iron horns; and he said, “Thus said Hashem: With these you shall gore the Arameans till you make an end of them.”

יאוַיַּעַשׂ לוֹ צִדְקִיָּה בֶן־כְּנַעֲנָה קַרְנֵי בַרְזֶל וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה בְּאֵלֶּה תְּנַגַּח אֶת־אֲרָם עַד־כַּלֹּתָם׃

12And all the other Neviim were prophesying similarly, “March upon Ramoth-gilead and triumph! Hashem will deliver it into Your Majesty's hands.”

יבוְכָל־הַנְּבִאִים נִבְּאִים כֵּן לֵאמֹר עֲלֵה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וְהַצְלַח וְנָתַן יְהֹוָה בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

13The messenger who had gone to summon Michaihu said to him: “Look, the words of the Neviim are with one accord favorable to the king. Let your word be like that of the rest of them; speak a favorable word.”

יגוְהַמַּלְאָךְ אֲשֶׁר־הָלַךְ לִקְרֹא מִיכָיְהוּ דִּבֶּר אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה־נָא דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִיאִים פֶּה־אֶחָד טוֹב אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ יְהִי־נָא דבריך [דְבָרְךָ] כִּדְבַר אַחַד מֵהֶם וְדִבַּרְתָּ טּוֹב׃

14“As Hashem lives,” Michaihu answered, “I will speak only what Hashem tells me.”

ידוַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ חַי־יְהֹוָה כִּי אֶת־אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי אֹתוֹ אֲדַבֵּר׃

15When he came before the king, the king said to him, “Michaihu, shall we march upon Ramoth-gilead for battle, or shall we not?” He answered him, “March and triumph! Hashem will deliver [it] into Your Majesty's hands.”

טווַיָּבוֹא אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלָיו מִיכָיְהוּ הֲנֵלֵךְ אֶל־רָמֹת גִּלְעָד לַמִּלְחָמָה אִם־נֶחְדָּל וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו עֲלֵה וְהַצְלַח וְנָתַן יְהֹוָה בְּיַד הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

16The king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of Hashem?”

טזוַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הַמֶּלֶךְ עַד־כַּמֶּה פְעָמִים אֲנִי מַשְׁבִּעֶךָ אֲשֶׁר לֹא־תְדַבֵּר אֵלַי רַק־אֱמֶת בְּשֵׁם יְהֹוָה׃

17Then he said, “I saw all Yisrael scattered over the hills like sheep without a shepherd; and Hashem said, ‘These have no master; let everyone return to his home in safety.'”

יזוַיֹּאמֶר רָאִיתִי אֶת־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל נְפֹצִים אֶל־הֶהָרִים כַּצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר אֵין־לָהֶם רֹעֶה וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה לֹא־אֲדֹנִים לָאֵלֶּה יָשׁוּבוּ אִישׁ־לְבֵיתוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם׃

18“Didn't I tell you,” said the king of Yisrael to Yehoshafat, “that he would not prophesy good fortune for me, but only misfortune?”

יחוַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֲלוֹא אָמַרְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ לוֹא־יִתְנַבֵּא עָלַי טוֹב כִּי אִם־רָע׃

19But [Michaihu] said, “I call upon you to hear the word of Hashem! I saw Hashem seated upon His throne, with all the host of heaven standing in attendance to the right and to the left of Him.

יטוַיֹּאמֶר לָכֵן שְׁמַע דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה רָאִיתִי אֶת־יְהֹוָה יֹשֵׁב עַל־כִּסְאוֹ וְכָל־צְבָא הַשָּׁמַיִם עֹמֵד עָלָיו מִימִינוֹ וּמִשְּׂמֹאלוֹ׃

20Hashem asked, ‘Who will entice Achav so that he will march and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' Then one said thus and another said thus,

כוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה מִי יְפַתֶּה אֶת־אַחְאָב וְיַעַל וְיִפֹּל בְּרָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַיֹּאמֶר זֶה בְּכֹה וְזֶה אֹמֵר בְּכֹה׃

21until a certain spirit came forward and stood before Hashem and said, ‘I will entice him.' ‘How?' Hashem asked him.

כאוַיֵּצֵא הָרוּחַ וַיַּעֲמֹד לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אֲפַתֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלָיו בַּמָּה׃

22And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his Neviim.' Then He said, ‘You will entice and you will prevail. Go out and do it.'

כבוַיֹּאמֶר אֵצֵא וְהָיִיתִי רוּחַ שֶׁקֶר בְּפִי כָּל־נְבִיאָיו וַיֹּאמֶר תְּפַתֶּה וְגַם־תּוּכָל צֵא וַעֲשֵׂה־כֵן׃

23So Hashem has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these Neviim of yours; for Hashem has decreed disaster upon you.”

כגוְעַתָּה הִנֵּה נָתַן יְהֹוָה רוּחַ שֶׁקֶר בְּפִי כָּל־נְבִיאֶיךָ אֵלֶּה וַיהֹוָה דִּבֶּר עָלֶיךָ רָעָה׃

24Thereupon Tzidkiyahu son of Chenaanah stepped up and struck Michaihu on the cheek, and demanded, “Which way did the spirit of Hashem pass from me to speak with you?”

כדוַיִּגַּשׁ צִדְקִיָּהוּ בֶן־כְּנַעֲנָה וַיַּכֶּה אֶת־מִיכָיְהוּ עַל־הַלֶּחִי וַיֹּאמֶר אֵי־זֶה עָבַר רוּחַ־יְהֹוָה מֵאִתִּי לְדַבֵּר אוֹתָךְ׃

25And Michaihu replied, “You'll find out on the day when you try to hide in the innermost room.”

כהוַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ הִנְּךָ רֹאֶה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא אֲשֶׁר תָּבֹא חֶדֶר בְּחֶדֶר לְהֵחָבֵה׃

26Then the king of Yisrael said, “Take Michaihu and turn him over to Ammon, the city's governor, and to Prince Yoash,

כווַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל קַח אֶת־מִיכָיְהוּ וַהֲשִׁיבֵהוּ אֶל־אָמֹן שַׂר־הָעִיר וְאֶל־יוֹאָשׁ בֶּן־הַמֶּלֶךְ׃

27and say, ‘The king's orders are: Put this fellow in prison, and let his fare be scant bread and scant water until I come home safe.'”

כזוְאָמַרְתָּ כֹּה אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ שִׂימוּ אֶת־זֶה בֵּית הַכֶּלֶא וְהַאֲכִילֻהוּ לֶחֶם לַחַץ וּמַיִם לַחַץ עַד בֹּאִי בְשָׁלוֹם׃

28To which Michaihu retorted, “If you ever come home safe, Hashem has not spoken through me.” He said further, “Listen, all you peoples!”

כחוַיֹּאמֶר מִיכָיְהוּ אִם־שׁוֹב תָּשׁוּב בְּשָׁלוֹם לֹא־דִבֶּר יְהֹוָה בִּי וַיֹּאמֶר שִׁמְעוּ עַמִּים כֻּלָּם׃

29So the king of Yisrael and King Yehoshafat of Yehuda marched upon Ramoth-gilead.

כטוַיַּעַל מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ־יְהוּדָה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד׃

30The king of Yisrael said to Yehoshafat, “Disguise yourself and go into the battle; but you, wear your robes.” So the king of Yisrael went into the battle disguised.

לוַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט הִתְחַפֵּשׂ וָבֹא בַמִּלְחָמָה וְאַתָּה לְבַשׁ בְּגָדֶיךָ וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיָּבוֹא בַּמִּלְחָמָה׃

31Now the king of Aram had instructed his thirty-two chariot officers: “Don't attack anyone, small or great, except the king of Yisrael.”

לאוּמֶלֶךְ אֲרָם צִוָּה אֶת־שָׂרֵי הָרֶכֶב אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁנַיִם לֵאמֹר לֹא תִּלָּחֲמוּ אֶת־קָטֹן וְאֶת־גָּדוֹל כִּי אִם־אֶת־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְבַדּוֹ׃

32So when the chariot officers saw Yehoshafat, whom they took for the king of Yisrael, they turned upon him to attack him, and Yehoshafat cried out.

לבוַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת שָׂרֵי הָרֶכֶב אֶת־יְהוֹשָׁפָט וְהֵמָּה אָמְרוּ אַךְ מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וַיָּסֻרוּ עָלָיו לְהִלָּחֵם וַיִּזְעַק יְהוֹשָׁפָט׃

33And when the chariot officers became aware that he was not the king of Yisrael, they turned back from pursuing him.

לגוַיְהִי כִּרְאוֹת שָׂרֵי הָרֶכֶב כִּי־לֹא־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא וַיָּשׁוּבוּ מֵאַחֲרָיו׃

34Then a man drew his bow at random and he hit the king of Yisrael between the plates of the armor; and he said to his charioteer, “Turn the horses around and get me behind the lines; I'm wounded.”

לדוְאִישׁ מָשַׁךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת לְתֻמּוֹ וַיַּכֶּה אֶת־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין הַדְּבָקִים וּבֵין הַשִּׁרְיָן וַיֹּאמֶר לְרַכָּבוֹ הֲפֹךְ יָדְךָ וְהוֹצִיאֵנִי מִן־הַמַּחֲנֶה כִּי הָחֳלֵיתִי׃

35The battle raged all day long, and the king remained propped up in the chariot facing Aram; the blood from the wound ran down into the hollow of the chariot, and at dusk he died.

להוַתַּעֲלֶה הַמִּלְחָמָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הָיָה מָעֳמָד בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה נֹכַח אֲרָם וַיָּמָת בָּעֶרֶב וַיִּצֶק דַּם־הַמַּכָּה אֶל־חֵיק הָרָכֶב׃

36As the sun was going down, a shout went through the army: “Every man to his own town! Every man to his own district.”

לווַיַּעֲבֹר הָרִנָּה בַּמַּחֲנֶה כְּבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֵאמֹר אִישׁ אֶל־עִירוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶל־אַרְצוֹ׃

37So the king died and was brought to Shomron. They buried the king in Shomron,

לזוַיָּמָת הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיָּבוֹא שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת־הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן׃

38and they flushed out the chariot at the pool of Shomron. Thus the dogs lapped up his blood and the whores bathed [in it], in accordance with the word that Hashem had spoken.

לחוַיִּשְׁטֹף אֶת־הָרֶכֶב עַל בְּרֵכַת שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיָּלֹקּוּ הַכְּלָבִים אֶת־דָּמוֹ וְהַזֹּנוֹת רָחָצוּ כִּדְבַר יְהֹוָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֵּר׃

39The other events of Achav's reign, and all his actions—the ivory palace that he built and all the towns that he fortified—are all recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Yisrael.

לטוְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי אַחְאָב וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וּבֵית הַשֵּׁן אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה וְכָל־הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה הֲלוֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

40Achav slept with his fathers, and his son Achazyahu succeeded him as king.

מוַיִּשְׁכַּב אַחְאָב עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּמְלֹךְ אֲחַזְיָהוּ בְנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃

41Yehoshafat son of Asa had become king of Yehuda in the fourth year of King Achav of Yisrael.

מאוִיהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן־אָסָא מָלַךְ עַל־יְהוּדָה בִּשְׁנַת אַרְבַּע לְאַחְאָב מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

42Yehoshafat was thirty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Yerushalayim for twenty-five years. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

מביְהוֹשָׁפָט בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה בְּמָלְכוֹ וְעֶשְׂרִים וְחָמֵשׁ שָׁנָה מָלַךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָם וְשֵׁם אִמּוֹ עֲזוּבָה בַּת־שִׁלְחִי׃

43He followed closely the course of his father Asa and did not deviate from it, doing what was pleasing to Hashem.

מגוַיֵּלֶךְ בְּכָל־דֶּרֶךְ אָסָא אָבִיו לֹא־סָר מִמֶּנּוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה׃

44However, the shrines did not cease to function; the people still sacrificed and offered at the shrines.

מדאַךְ הַבָּמוֹת לֹא־סָרוּ עוֹד הָעָם מְזַבְּחִים וּמְקַטְּרִים בַּבָּמוֹת׃

45And further, Yehoshafat submitted to the king of Yisrael.

מהוַיַּשְׁלֵם יְהוֹשָׁפָט עִם־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

46As for the other events of Yehoshafat's reign and the valor he displayed in battle, they are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Yehuda.

מווְיֶתֶר דִּבְרֵי יְהוֹשָׁפָט וּגְבוּרָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה וַאֲשֶׁר נִלְחָם הֲלֹא־הֵם כְּתוּבִים עַל־סֵפֶר דִּבְרֵי הַיָּמִים לְמַלְכֵי יְהוּדָה׃

47He also stamped out the remaining male prostitutes who had survived in the land from the time of his father Asa.)

מזוְיֶתֶר הַקָּדֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאַר בִּימֵי אָסָא אָבִיו בִּעֵר מִן־הָאָרֶץ׃

48There was no king in Edom; a viceroy acted as king.

מחוּמֶלֶךְ אֵין בֶּאֱדוֹם נִצָּב מֶלֶךְ׃

49Yehoshafat constructed Tarshish ships to sail to Ophir for gold. But he did not sail because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

מטיְהוֹשָׁפָט עשר [עָשָׂה] אֳנִיּוֹת תַּרְשִׁישׁ לָלֶכֶת אוֹפִירָה לַזָּהָב וְלֹא הָלָךְ כִּי־נשברה [נִשְׁבְּרוּ] אֳנִיּוֹת בְּעֶצְיוֹן גָּבֶר׃

50Then Achazyahu son of Achav proposed to Yehoshafat, “Let my servants sail on the ships with your servants”; but Yehoshafat would not agree.

נאָז אָמַר אֲחַזְיָהוּ בֶן־אַחְאָב אֶל־יְהוֹשָׁפָט יֵלְכוּ עֲבָדַי עִם־עֲבָדֶיךָ בָּאֳנִיּוֹת וְלֹא אָבָה יְהוֹשָׁפָט׃

51Yehoshafat slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of his father David, and his son Yehoram succeeded him as king.

נאוַיִּשְׁכַּב יְהוֹשָׁפָט עִם־אֲבֹתָיו וַיִּקָּבֵר עִם־אֲבֹתָיו בְּעִיר דָּוִד אָבִיו וַיִּמְלֹךְ יְהוֹרָם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו׃

52[Meanwhile,] Achazyahu son of Achav had become king of Yisrael, in Shomron, in the seventeenth year of King Yehoshafat of Yehuda; he reigned over Yisrael two years.

נבאֲחַזְיָהוּ בֶן־אַחְאָב מָלַךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן בִּשְׁנַת שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה לִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה וַיִּמְלֹךְ עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁנָתָיִם׃

53He did what was displeasing to Hashem, following in the footsteps of his father and his mother, and in those of Yerovam son of Nebat who had caused Yisrael to sin.

נגוַיַּעַשׂ הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה וַיֵּלֶךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ אָבִיו וּבְדֶרֶךְ אִמּוֹ וּבְדֶרֶךְ יָרָבְעָם בֶּן־נְבָט אֲשֶׁר הֶחֱטִיא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

54He worshiped Baal and bowed down to him; he vexed Hashem, the God of Yisrael, just as his father had done.

נדוַיַּעֲבֹד אֶת־הַבַּעַל וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לוֹ וַיַּכְעֵס אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה אָבִיו׃