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Summary

Jehoshaphat king of Judah makes a marriage alliance with King Ahab of Israel. Ahab wants to go to war at Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat says he will go too. Prophets all say they'll win. One makes horns of iron. Jehoshaphat asks if there are any other prophets. Ahab says only Miciah, but he only ever prophesies evil. Miciah at first says they'll win but Ahab asks him to speak the truth and then he says they'll lose. He then goes on to say God asked who would entice Ahab to go and fight and lying spirit says he will give the prophets false messages to give Ahab false assurance. Miciah also says that Ahab will die in battle and God told the spirit he would succeed. Ahab throws Miciah in prison. Ahab goes to battle in disguise but asks Jehoshaphat to go as himself. The Syrians initially think Jehoshaphat is Ahab and pursue him but they realise their mistake and God helps Jehoshaphat escape. An archer shoots Ahab at random and he slowly dies while watching the battle.

Questions

• How come Jehoshaphat is so attached to Ahab?
• Why does Jehoshaphat ignore Miciah?
• Why does Miciah prophesy falsely to begin with even after he says to the person who summoned him he would only speak what the Lord said?
• Are evil spirits among the heavenly hosts (like Satan in Job)?
• Was the lying spirit an evil spirit or an angel who lied?
• It says the archer drew his bow at random, God also foretold it. This must mean that God is in control of chance occurrences and uses them to achieve his will