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The war of Jehoshaphat in alliance with Ahab of Israel against Syria is described significantly similarly in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Only a few differences in individual expressions can be indicated. 2 Chronicles 18:1. And Jehoshaphat had much wealth and glory; and he became related to Ahab. 2 Chronicles 18:2. And after a few years he went to Ahab in Samaria; And Ahab killed for him many cattle, flocks and herds, and for the people who were with him, and persuaded him to go to Ramoth-gilead. 2 Chronicles 18:3. And Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead? He said to him: as you are, so am I, as are your people, so are my people: I am going with you to war! Wed. ( 1 Kings 22:2-4 ). Jehoshaphat's relationship with Ahab was that the first's son Joram was married to the second's daughter Athaliah (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Chronicles 21:6). Jehoshaphat's alliance with the wicked Ahab seems all the more imprudent because Jehoshaphat could have been warned against it by the example of his father, Asa, who was denounced by the prophet Hananiah for his alliance with the king of Syria, above (2 Chronicles 16:7). Subsequently, the seer Jehu, the son of Hananiah, denounced Jehoshaphat for this alliance, below (2 Chronicles 19:2). 2 Chronicles 18:4. And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Ask today what the Lord will say. 2 Chronicles 18:5. And the king of Israel gathered four hundred prophets and said to them: Shall we go to Ramoth-gilead in battle, or should we hold back? They said: Go, and God will deliver him into the hand of the king. 2 Chronicles 18:6. And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not yet a prophet of the Lord here? Let's ask him too. 2 Chronicles 18:7. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: There is one more man through whom you can inquire of the Lord; but I do not love him, because he does not prophesy good things about me, but constantly prophesies bad things; this is Micaiah, son of Imbelaius. And Jehoshaphat said, Don’t speak like that, king. 2 Chronicles 18:8. And the king of Israel called a eunuch and said, Go quickly and fetch Micaiah the son of Imbelaius. 2 Chronicles 18:9. The king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat each on his throne, dressed in royal robes; They sat in the square at the gates of Samaria, and all the prophets prophesied before them. 2 Chronicles 18:10. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaan made himself horns of iron and said, Thus says the Lord: With these you will slaughter the Syrians until they are destroyed. 2 Chronicles 18:11. And all the prophets prophesied the same thing, saying: Go to Ramoth-gilead; You will succeed, and the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king. Wed. ( 1 Kings 22:5-12 ). In verse 5 of 2 Chronicles, the number of prophets is determined precisely: “400 people,” while in (ZKings. 22:6) it is approximately: “about 400 people.” 2 Chronicles 18:12. The messenger who went to call Micaiah said to him: behold, the prophets unanimously predict good things for the king; let your word be the same as each of them: speak good. 2 Chronicles 18:13. And Micah said, As the Lord liveth, whatever my God says to me, that I will speak. 2 Chronicles 18:14. And he came to the king, and the king said to him: Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back? And he said: Go, you will succeed, and they will be delivered into your hands. 2 Chronicles 18:15. And the king said to him: How many times must I adjure you so that you will not tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord? 2 Chronicles 18:16. Then Micaiah said, “I saw all the children of Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd,” and the Lord said, “They have no ruler; let each one return to his home in peace.” 2 Chronicles 18:17. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell you that he prophesies no good things about me, but only evil things? Wed. ( 1 Kings 22:14–18 ), The Expository Bible, vol. II, p. 474–475. 2 Chronicles 18:18. And Micah said, Hear the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven stood on His right hand and on His left. 2 Chronicles 18:19. And the Lord said, Who would entice Ahab king of Israel to go and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said this, the other said differently. 2 Chronicles 18:20. And one spirit came out and stood before the Lord, and said, I will draw him away. And the Lord said to him: With what? 2 Chronicles 18:21. He said: I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And He said: You will entice him, and you will succeed; go and do it. 2 Chronicles 18:22. And now, behold, the Lord allowed the spirit of lies to enter the mouth of these prophets of yours, but the Lord spoke unkind things about you. 2 Chronicles 18:23. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, By what way did the Spirit of the Lord depart from me, to speak in thee? 2 Chronicles 18:24. And Micaiah said, Behold, you will see this in that day when you run from room to room for cover. 2 Chronicles 18:25. And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and take him to Amon the mayor and to Joash the king's son, 2 Chronicles 18:26. and say: This is what the king says: Put this man in prison and feed him with bread and water sparingly until I return in peace. 2 Chronicles 18:27. And Micah said, If you return in peace, it was not the Lord who spoke through me. And he said: listen to this, all you people! Wed. ( 1 Kings 22:19–28 ), The Interpretive Bible, vol. II. With. 475–476. 2 Chronicles 18:28. And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went to Ramoth-gilead. 2 Chronicles 18:29. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will change my clothes and go into battle, and you put on your royal robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and entered into battle. 2 Chronicles 18:30. And the king of Syria commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight neither with the small nor with the great, but only with the king of Israel. 2 Chronicles 18:31. And when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, “This is the king of Israel,” and they surrounded him to fight with him. But Jehoshaphat cried out, and the Lord helped him, and God led them away from him. 2 Chronicles 18:32. And when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned away from him. 2 Chronicles 18:33. Meanwhile, one man accidentally drew his bow and wounded the king of Israel through the seams of his armor. And he said to the driver: Turn back and take me away from the army, for I am wounded. 2 Chronicles 18:34. But the battle intensified that day; and the king of Israel stood in his chariot opposite the Syrians until evening, and died at sunset. Wed. (1 Kings 22:29–35). In verse 31 of 2 Chronicles there is a significant addition to the words “Jehoshaphat cried” (cf. 1 Kings 22:32); namely: “and the Lord helped him (Jehoshaphat), and God led them away from him.” This addition very accurately characterizes Jehoshaphat’s cry as a prayerful cry to Jehovah, and represents Jehoshaphat’s subsequent salvation as a direct act of Jehovah. You might be interested in: