2 Chronicles 16

• 1. In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign, King Baasha of Israel invaded Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from entering or leaving King Asa's territory in Judah.
• 2. Asa responded by taking the silver and gold from the treasuries of the LORD's Temple and from the royal palace. He sent it to King Ben-hadad of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus, along with this message:
• 3. "Let us renew the treaty that existed between your father and my father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Break your treaty with King Baasha of Israel so that he will leave me alone."
• 4. Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa's request and sent his armies to attack Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all the store cities in Naphtali.
• 5. As soon as Baasha of Israel heard what was happening, he abandoned his project of fortifying Ramah.
• 6. Then King Asa called out all the men of Judah to carry away the building stones and timbers that Baasha had been using to fortify Ramah. Asa used these materials to fortify the towns of Geba and Mizpah.
• 7. At that time Hanani the seer came to King Asa and told him, "Because you have put your trust in the king of Aram instead of in the LORD your God, you missed your chance to destroy the army of the king of Aram.
• 8. Don't you remember what happened to the Ethiopians and Libyans and their vast army, with all of their chariots and horsemen? At that time you relied on the LORD, and he handed them all over to you.
• 9. The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on, you will be at war."
• 10. Asa became so angry with Hanani for saying this that he threw him into prison. At that time, Asa also began to oppress some of his people.
• 11. The rest of the events of Asa's reign, from beginning to end, are recorded in The Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.
• 12. In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Even when the disease became life threatening, he did not seek the LORD's help but sought help only from his physicians.
• 13. So he died in the forty-first year of his reign.
• 14. He was buried in the tomb he had carved out for himself in the City of David. He was laid on a bed perfumed with sweet spices and ointments, and at his funeral the people built a huge fire in his honor.

2 Chronicles 17

• 1. Then Jehoshaphat, Asa's son, became the next king. He strengthened Judah to stand against any attack from Israel.
• 2. He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah, and he assigned additional garrisons to the land of Judah and to the towns of Ephraim that his father, Asa, had conquered.
• 3. The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father's early years and did not worship the images of Baal.
• 4. He sought his father's God and obeyed his commands instead of following the practices of the kingdom of Israel.
• 5. So the LORD established Jehoshaphat's control over the kingdom of Judah. All the people of Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so he became very wealthy and highly esteemed.
• 6. He was committed to the ways of the LORD. He knocked down the pagan shrines and destroyed the Asherah poles.
• 7. In the third year of his reign, Jehoshaphat sent out his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah. These officials included Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah.
• 8. He sent Levites along with them, including Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah. He also sent out the priests, Elishama and Jehoram.
• 9. They took copies of the Book of the Law of the LORD and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people.
• 10. Then the fear of the LORD fell over all the surrounding kingdoms so that none of them declared war on Jehoshaphat.
• 11. Some of the Philistines brought him gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought seventy-seven hundred rams and seventy-seven hundred male goats.
• 12. So Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful and built fortresses and store cities throughout Judah.
• 13. He stored numerous supplies in Judah's towns and stationed an army of seasoned troops at Jerusalem.
• 14. His army was enrolled according to ancestral clans. From Judah, there were 300,000 troops organized in units of one thousand, under the command of Adnah.
• 15. Next in command was Jehohanan, who commanded 280,000 troops.
• 16. Next was Amasiah son of Zicri, who volunteered for the LORD's service, with 200,000 troops under his command.
• 17. From Benjamin, there were 200,000 troops equipped with bows and shields. They were under the command of Eliada, a veteran soldier.
• 18. Next in command was Jehozabad, who commanded 180,000 armed men.
• 19. These were the troops stationed in Jerusalem to serve the king, besides those Jehoshaphat stationed in the fortified cities throughout Judah.

2 Chronicles 18

• 1. Now Jehoshaphat enjoyed great riches and high esteem, and he arranged for his son to marry the daughter of King Ahab of Israel.
• 2. A few years later, he went to Samaria to visit Ahab, who prepared a great banquet for him and his officials. They butchered great numbers of sheep and oxen for the feast. Then Ahab enticed Jehoshaphat to join forces with him to attack Ramoth-gilead.
• 3. "Will you join me in fighting against Ramoth-gilead?" Ahab asked. And Jehoshaphat replied, "Why, of course! You and I are brothers, and my troops are yours to command. We will certainly join you in battle."
• 4. Then Jehoshaphat added, "But first let's find out what the LORD says."
• 5. So King Ahab summoned his prophets, four hundred of them, and asked them, "Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead or not?" They all replied, "Go ahead, for God will give you a great victory!"
• 6. But Jehoshaphat asked, "Isn't there a prophet of the LORD around, too? I would like to ask him the same question."
• 7. King Ahab replied, "There is still one prophet of the LORD, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but bad news for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah.You shouldn't talk like that," Jehoshaphat said. "Let's hear what he has to say."
• 8. So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, "Quick! Go and get Micaiah son of Imlah."
• 9. King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab's prophets were prophesying there in front of them.
• 10. One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, "This is what the LORD says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!"
• 11. All the other prophets agreed. "Yes," they said, "go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious. The LORD will give you a glorious victory!"
• 12. Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, "Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success."
• 13. But Micaiah replied, "As surely as the LORD lives, I will say only what my God tells me to say."
• 14. When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, "Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead or not?" And Micaiah replied, "Go right ahead! It will be a glorious victory!"
• 15. But the king replied sharply, "How many times must I demand that you speak only the truth when you speak for the LORD?"
• 16. So Micaiah told him, "In a vision I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the LORD said, `Their master has been killed. Send them home in peace.'"
• 17. "Didn't I tell you?" the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat. "He does it every time. He never prophesies anything but bad news for me."
• 18. Then Micaiah continued, "Listen to what the LORD says! I saw the LORD sitting on his throne with all the armies of heaven on his right and on his left.
• 19. And the LORD said, `Who can entice King Ahab of Israel to go into battle against Ramoth-gilead so that he can be killed there?' There were many suggestions,
• 20. until finally a spirit approached the LORD and said, `I can do it!'" `How will you do this?' the LORD asked.
• 21. "And the spirit replied, `I will go out and inspire all Ahab's prophets to speak lies.'" `You will succeed,' said the LORD. `Go ahead and do it.'
• 22. "So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of your prophets. For the LORD has determined disaster for you."
• 23. Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah walked up to Micaiah and slapped him across the face. "When did the Spirit of the LORD leave me to speak to you?" he demanded.
• 24. And Micaiah replied, "You will find out soon enough, when you find yourself hiding in some secret room!"
• 25. King Ahab of Israel then ordered, "Arrest Micaiah and take him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to my son Joash.
• 26. Give them this order from the king: `Put this man in prison, and feed him nothing but bread and water until I return safely from the battle!'"
• 27. But Micaiah replied, "If you return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me!" Then he added to those standing around, "Take note of what I have said."
• 28. So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead.
• 29. Now King Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes." So Ahab disguised himself, and they went into battle.
• 30. Now the king of Aram had issued these orders to his charioteers: "Attack only the king of Israel!"
• 31. So when the Aramean charioteers saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. "There is the king of Israel!" they shouted. But Jehoshaphat cried out to the LORD to save him, and God helped him by turning the attack away from him.
• 32. As soon as the charioteers realized he was not the king of Israel, they stopped chasing him.
• 33. An Aramean soldier, however, randomly shot an arrow at the Israelite troops, and the arrow hit the king of Israel between the joints of his armor. "Get me out of here!" Ahab groaned to the driver of his chariot. "I have been badly wounded!"
• 34. The battle raged all that day, and Ahab propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening. Then, just as the sun was setting, he died.

New Living Translation: 133 of 324 days.