⁸ The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one man who can enquire of the Lord, but I hate him^(A) because he never prophesies good about me,^(B) but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.’

‘The king shouldn’t say that! ’ Jehoshaphat replied.

²¹ ‘Then a spirit came forward, stood in the Lord’s presence, and said, “I will entice him.”

²² ‘The Lord asked him, “How? ”

‘He said, “I will go and become a lying spirit^(A) in the mouth of all his prophets.”

‘Then he said, “You will certainly entice him and prevail.^(B) Go and do that.”

²³ ‘You see, the Lord has put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the Lord has pronounced disaster against you.’