Episode 144: God put a lying spirit in the mouths of his prophets

1 Kings 21-22

Naboth's vineyard

21 ¹ Naboth had a vineyard nearby King Ahab's palace in Jezreel.

² Ahab said to Naboth, "I'd like to buy or trade for your vineyard. "

³ Naboth said, "I can't give up the inheritance of my fathers."

⁴ Ahab was so upset by Naboth's refusal to give up his vineyard that he laid down on his bed and refused to eat. ⁵ His wife, Jezebel, said to him, Why are you so sad that you won't even eat?

⁶ Ahab said to her, "Because Naboth won't let me buy or trade for his vineyard."

Jezebel's plan

⁷ Jezebel said,

Aren't you the king of Israel?

Don't worry about it. Be happy.

I'll get Naboth's vineyard for you.

⁸ So she wrote some letters in Ahab's name and sent them to the elders of the city, saying,

⁹ Proclaim a fast and get some false witnesses (sons of Belial) to testify that Naboth has blasphemed God and the king. ¹⁰ Then everyone will stone him to death.

Naboth is stoned to death

¹¹ So all the men of the city proclaimed a fast and put Naboth on trial.

¹³ Two sons of Belial said that Naboth blasphemed God and the king.

Then everyone stoned him to death.

¹⁵ Jezebel said to Ahab, “Naboth's vineyard is now yours.”

¹⁶ So Ahab went to the vineyard to take possession of it.

Elijah tells Ahab what God says (That he'll kill his whole wall-pissing family)

¹⁹ The word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying,

Go meet Ahab. He's in Naboth's vineyard. Say this to him,

Did you kill Naboth and take his vineyard?

²¹ Where the dogs licked Naboth's blood, they will lick yours.

²² I will bring evil upon you and cut off everyone in your family who pisses against a wall.

I'll make your house like that of Jeroboam and Baasha.

²³ The dogs will eat Jezebel.

²⁴ Dogs will eat Ahab's family if they die in the city.

Birds will eat them if they die in the country.

²⁷ When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted.

²⁸ And the word of God came to Elijah, saying,

²⁹ Do you see how Ahab is humbling himself before me?

Because he's doing that, I won't bring evil on him.

I'll bring evil on his son instead.

Ahab and Jehoshaphat ask God if they should attack Syria

22 ¹ There was peace between Syria and Israel for three years.

² In the third year, King Jehoshaphat of Judah came to meet King Ahab of Israel.

⁴ Ahab asked Jehoshaphat if he'd help him fight Ramothgilead.

Jehoshaphat answered, “Sure. But let's see what the word of the Lord has to say.”

⁶ So Ahab gathered 400 prophets and asked them. They said,

Go to war against Ramothgilead. God will deliver it into your hand.

⁷ Jehoshaphat said, "Is there another prophet around here that we can ask?"

⁸ Ahab said,

Yes, there's another guy we could ask. His name is Micaiah, but I hate him.

He always prophesies bad things about me.

¹³ A messenger was sent to fetch Micaiah who said to him,

Only prophesy good things like everyone else has.

¹⁴ Micaiah said, “I'll say whatever God tells me to say.”

¹⁵ When Micaiah arrived, King Ahab asked him, “Should I fight against Ramothgilead?”

Micaiah said, “Yes. God will deliver it into your hand.”

¹⁶ Ahab said, “How many times have I told you? Tell me the truth.”

¹⁷ Micaiah said,

I saw the Israelites scattered on the hills with no one to guide them.

God said, "Send them home."

¹⁸ Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “See, I told you. He'd only say bad things about me.”

God puts a lying spirit in the mouth of his prophets

¹⁹ Micaiah said,

I saw God sitting on his throne and he said,

²⁰ Who can persuade Ahab to attack Ramothgilead?

²¹ And a spirit said to God, “I will persuade him.”

God said, “How will you do that?”

²² The spirit said, "I'll make the prophets lie to Ahab."

God said, “Good. Go do that."

²³ So God has made your prophets lie to you.

King Ahab dies (and the dogs licked his blood according to the word of the Lord)

²⁹ So Ahab and Jehoshaphat fought the Syrians at Ramothgilead.

³⁵ A Syrian's arrow wounded King Ahab in the chest. He died from loss of blood that evening.

³⁸ And the dogs licked Ahab's blood according to the word of the Lord.

⁴⁰ After Ahab died, his son, Ahaziah, became king of Israel.

⁴¹ Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah, and he was like his father, Asa, doing what was right in God's eyes -- except for not removing the high places. ⁴⁶ He expelled (or exterminated) the sodomites from the land.

⁵⁰ Jehoshaphat died and his son Jehoram became king of Judah. ⁵² Ahaziah was like his father Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baal.