The big picture
2 Chronicles 18 opens in verse 1 with “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not…”, and closes in verse 34 with “And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his…” Repeated or prominent terms include king, LORD, Israel, Jehoshaphat, Micaiah. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
2 Chronicles · King James Version · 342 Chronicles 18:1-7
1–7: Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with…
2 Chronicles 18:1–7 opens with “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.” and reaches “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 18 develops its own movement around king, LORD, Israel, Jehoshaphat, Micaiah, with particular weight carried by Jehoshaphat, king, Ahab.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.” Naming Ahab and Jehoshaphat keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for…” Naming Ahab and Ramoth keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
2 Chronicles 18:1-7
King James Version1Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.
2And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.
3And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt thou go with me to Ramoth-gilead? And he answered him, I am as thou art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.
4And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray thee, at the word of the LORD to day.
5Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king’s hand.
6But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
7And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of the LORD : but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
2 Chronicles 18:8-14
8–14: The king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch…
2 Chronicles 18:8–14 opens with “And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son…” and reaches “And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 18 develops its own movement around king, LORD, Israel, Jehoshaphat, Micaiah, with particular weight carried by king, Micaiah, LORD.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and…” Naming Israel and Jehoshaphat keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Chronicles 18:8-14
King James Version8And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.
9And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied before them.
10And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith the LORD , With these thou shalt push Syria until they be consumed.
11And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth-gilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
12And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him, saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of theirs, and speak thou good.
13And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith, that will I speak.
14And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into your hand.
2 Chronicles 18:15-21
15–21: The king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say…
2 Chronicles 18:15–21 opens with “And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth…” and reaches “And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the \+nd…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 18 develops its own movement around king, LORD, Israel, Jehoshaphat, Micaiah, with particular weight carried by LORD, entice, Israel.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 4 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of…” The question slows the passage down. Notice who is being pressed to answer, what the question assumes, and whether the next lines provide a response.
“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said…” Naming Israel keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
2 Chronicles 18:15-21
King James Version15And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD ?
16Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.
17And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?
18Again he said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD ; I saw the LORD sitting upon his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and on his left.
19And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one spake saying after this manner, and another saying after that manner.
20Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD , and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?
21And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the \+nd Lord\+nd said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.
2 Chronicles 18:22-28
22–28: Therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of…
2 Chronicles 18:22–28 opens with “Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and…” and reaches “So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 18 develops its own movement around king, LORD, Israel, Jehoshaphat, Micaiah, with particular weight carried by king, LORD, Micaiah.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken…” The line’s distinctive content terms include LORD, evil, lying. Its relationship to verses 23 shows what work it does in this passage.
2 Chronicles 18:22-28
King James Version22Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against thee.
23Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak unto thee?
24And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.
25Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king’s son;
26And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
27And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.
28So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead.
2 Chronicles 18:29-34
29–34: The king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and…
2 Chronicles 18:29–34 opens with “And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle…” and reaches “And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 2 Chronicles 18 develops its own movement around king, LORD, Israel, Jehoshaphat, Micaiah, with particular weight carried by king, Israel, battle.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy…” Naming Israel and Jehoshaphat keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel…” This familiar narrative signal moves the clock forward. What follows is a new scene, consequence, or answer to an earlier tension.
2 Chronicles 18:29-34
King James Version29And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.
30Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.
31And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.
32For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again from pursuing him.
33And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the host; for I am wounded.
34And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the sun going down he died.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
2 Chronicles 18:1 begins with “Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.”
Where the chapter turns
2 Chronicles 18:17 forms a natural hinge: “And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?”
The final note
2 Chronicles 18:34 leaves the reader with “And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words king, LORD, Israel, Jehoshaphat, Micaiah, gilead help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What responsibility accompanies Abraham's election?
Verse 19 connects his household's calling with keeping the Lord's way through justice and judgment.
What is the moral center of his intercession?
That righteous and wicked should not be treated indiscriminately.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.