2Chronicles 18:1-4 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance and joined affinity with Ahab. And 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 Ramothgilead. And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Will you go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as you are and my people as your people and we will be with you in the war. And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray you, at the word of the Lord today.

2Chronicles 18:1-4 Now Jehoshaphat.(king of Judah).had riches and honour in abundance and joined affinity with Ahab.(king of Israel; the map). And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance.(had a big feast for everybody).and for the people that he had with him and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead.(where he was to fight a war against the king of ancient Syria). And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah.(Israel and Judah at this time were separate nations, later becoming one nation, as it was before), Will you go with me to Ramothgilead.(to do war with Benhadad)? And he answered him, I am as you are and my people as your people and we will be with you in the war.(we are buddies, you can count on me). And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray you, at the word of the Lord today.(he had the good sense to find out what God may think of this).

2Chronicles 18:5,6 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him?

2Chronicles 18:5,6 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men.(these were not the prophets of God, but false prophets the Israelitish king used for his guidance).and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up, for God will deliver it into the king's hand. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him.(Ahab was a little leery of all his prophets supposing them to be sycophants and so he wanted all known prophets, including any prophet of the Lord, to advise him)?

2Chronicles 18:7 And Ahab, 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.(Ha ha!). This individual is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.(he was aying 'not this guy again').

2Chronicles 18:8-10 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers and said, Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla. And 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. And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron and said, Thus says the Lord, With these you shall push Syria until they be consumed.

2Chronicles 18:11-14 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead and prosper, for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. And 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 your word therefore, I pray you, be like one of theirs and speak you good. And Micaiah said, As the Lord lives, even what my God says, that will I speak. And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle or shall I forbear? And he said, Go you up and prosper and they shall be delivered into your hand.

Micaiah, fed up with telling the king the truth and the king not following what he say, this time tells him what he wants to hear. Also covered in 1Kings 22nd chapter.

2Chronicles 18:15,16 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee that you say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the Lord?.(king Ahab felt Micaiah was trying to put one over on him, so Micaiah goes ahead and tells him the truth when the king said that).Then 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. And Ahab the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat,

2Chronicles 18:17,18 Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?.(Ha ha!).Again he.(Micaiah speaks again).said, Therefore hear the word of the Lord, I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne and all the host of heaven.(the angels {both good and bad ones} and the other living beings of the invisible).standing on his right hand and on his left.

2Chronicles 18:19 And the Lord said, Who shall entice.(persuade).Ahab king of Israel, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this manner and another saying after that manner.

2Chronicles 18:20-22 Then there came out a spirit and stood before the Lord and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.(such control the invisible world has over humanity). And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him and thou shalt also prevail. Go out and do even so. Now therefore, behold, the Lord has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets and the Lord has spoken evil against thee.(a scary position to be in).

2Chronicles 18:23-30 Then Zedekiah.(one of Ahab's advisors who gave false advice).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 to you? And Micaiah said, Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself. Then the king of Israel.(Ahab).said, Take you Micaiah and carry him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king's son and say, Thus says 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.(this guy just would not listen; he just would not change and that was his doom; he.wanted to know, but never followed advice if it's negative toward his proposed actions; he was stubborn, holding onto his thinking no matter what). And Micaiah said, If you certainly return in peace, then has not the Lord spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all you people. So the king of Israel.(Ahab).and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and will go to the battle, but put you on your robes.(conned Jehoshaphat into it). So the king of Israel disguised himself.(Ahab was out to find a way around the advice he received from Micaiah which he kind of believed, but because he was the king, had to hold to what he impressed upon all the others, that he was going into battle; king Ahab was not a humble man).and they went to the battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots that were with him, saying, Fight you not with small or great, save only with the king of Israel.(focus only on king Ahab; get him and the rest will flee). 

2Chronicles 18:31,32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel.(they thought Jehoshaphat king of Judah, wearing the robes, was Ahab king of Israel). Therefore they compassed about him to fight, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him.(he had enough smarts to believe God was worth asking for help, but lacked the gumption to not go with Ahab).and God moved them to depart from him.(the soldiers changed their minds and stopped going after him when a question came to them about if this actually was Ahab king of Israel). For 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.

2Chronicles 18:33,34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture and smote the.(real).king of Israel.(Ahab).between the joints of the harness. Therefore he said to his chariot man, Turn your hand.(turn this chariot I'm in around), that you may carry me out of the host for I am wounded. And the battle increased that day. Howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening. And about the time of the sun going down he died.

2Chronicles 19:1,2 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to king Jehoshaphat, Should you help the unGodly and.love them.that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon you from before the Lord.

Another warning, this time to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, the one God had just delivered. He had just seen God save him. He had enough sense to listen and act on what he now was being warned about and he did act.

2Chronicles 19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in you.(*), in that you have taken away the groves.(places of worship by those stupid enough to think these groves {small plantations} they had dedicated to what they thought were gods and had power to affect their lives) out of the land and have prepared your heart to seek God.

2Chronicles 19:4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem. And he went out again through the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim and.brought them back unto the Lord God.of their fathers.

He got back on the spiritual track.

2Chronicles 19:5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,

2Chronicles 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what you do.(be watchful about that which you do God is aware of). For you judge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment.

2Chronicles 19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it. For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of individuals.(*), nor taking of gifts.(can't bribe God).

2Chronicles 19:8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites and of the priests and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the Lord and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.

2Chronicles 19:9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and with a perfect heart.

2Chronicles 19:10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and judgments, you shall even warn them that they trespass not against the Lord and so wrath come upon you and upon your brethren. This do and you shall not trespass.

2Chronicles 19:11 And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the Lord and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, for all the king's matters. Also the Levites shall be officers watching over you. Deal.(original 'do be', that is, do be strong).courageously.(original also means 'strongly', that is, be strong in the good, be strong for doing good; be all for the good things).knowing the Lord is with the good.

Deuteronomy 31:6; 1Corinthians 10:13; Hebrews 13:5.

God is aligned with you when you want good (just what does good mean?) for yourself and for others, because Creator-God is always good and always for good for all:.Deuteronomy 31:6; 2Chronicles 16:9.

....continues to Chapters 20-21

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