HOLY BIBLE: 1 Kings 22 (original) (raw)

1 καὶ ἐκάθισεν τρία ἔτη καὶ οὐκ ἦν πόλεμος ἀνὰ μέσον Συρίας καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον Ισραηλ 2 καὶ ἐγενήθη ἐν τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ τῷ τρίτῳ καὶ κατέβη Ιωσαφατ βασιλεὺς Ιουδα πρὸς βασιλέα Ισραηλ 3 καὶ εἶπεν βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ εἰ οἴδατε ὅτι ἡμῖν Ρεμμαθ Γαλααδ καὶ ἡμεῖς σιωπῶμεν λαβεῖν αὐτὴν ἐκ χειρὸς βασιλέως Συρίας 4 καὶ εἶπεν βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ πρὸς Ιωσαφατ ἀναβήσῃ με{Q'} ἡμῶν εἰς Ρεμμαθ Γαλααδ εἰς πόλεμον καὶ εἶπεν Ιωσαφατ καθὼς ἐγὼ οὕτως καὶ σύ καθὼς ὁ λαός μου ὁ λαός σου καθὼς οἱ ἵπποι μου οἱ ἵπποι σου 5 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωσαφατ βασιλεὺς Ιουδα πρὸς βασιλέα Ισραηλ ἐπερωτήσατε δὴ σήμερον τὸν κύριον 6 καὶ συνήθροισεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ πάντας τοὺς προφήτας ὡς τετρακοσίους ἄνδρας καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεύς εἰ πορευθῶ εἰς Ρεμμαθ Γαλααδ εἰς πόλεμον ἢ ἐπίσχω καὶ εἶπαν ἀνάβαινε καὶ διδοὺς δώσει κύριος εἰς χεῖρας τοῦ βασιλέως 7 καὶ εἶπεν Ιωσαφατ πρὸς βασιλέα Ισραηλ οὐκ ἔστιν ὧδε προφήτης τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἐπερωτήσομεν τὸν κύριον δ{I'} αὐτοῦ 8 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ πρὸς Ιωσαφατ ἔτι ἔστιν ἀνὴρ εἷς τοῦ ἐπερωτῆσαι τὸν κύριον δ{I'} αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγὼ μεμίσηκα αὐτόν ὅτι οὐ λαλεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ καλά ἀλ{L'} ἢ κακά Μιχαιας υἱὸς Ιεμλα καὶ εἶπεν Ιωσαφατ βασιλεὺς Ιουδα μὴ λεγέτω ὁ βασιλεὺς οὕτως 9 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ εὐνοῦχον ἕνα καὶ εἶπεν τάχος Μιχαιαν υἱὸν Ιεμλα

1 The peace between Syria and Israel lasted three years. 2 In the third year, during a visit from king Josaphat, of Juda, 3 the king of Israel said to his courtiers, Here is Ramoth-Galaad, a city (as you all know) that belongs to us; and yet we leave it in the king of Syria’s hands! 4 Then he turned to Josaphat and asked, Shall I have thy aid in attacking Ramoth-Galaad? 5 Why, said he, thou and I are at one; my army, my horses, they are all thine. But Josaphat would have Achab consult the Lord first. 6 So Achab sent for his prophets, some four hundred in number, and asked whether he should attack Ramoth-Galaad or let it be? Go to the attack, they said; the Lord means to make the king’s grace master of it. 7 But still Josaphat asked whether there was no prophet of the Lord to be found, so that they could make enquiry through him.[1] 8 Why yes, the king of Israel told him, there is one man through whom we might ask for the Lord’s counsel, Michaeas the son of Jemla, yet is he no friend of mine; still he will be prophesying that ill fortune is to befall me, never good. Nay, my lord king, said Josaphat, think better of it. 9 So Achab summoned one of his chamberlains, and bade him fetch Michaeas the son of Jemla with all speed.

1 Transierunt igitur tres anni absque bello inter Syriam et Israël. 2 In anno autem tertio, descendit Josaphat rex Juda ad regem Israël. 3 (Dixitque rex Israël ad servos suos: Ignoratis quod nostra sit Ramoth Galaad, et negligimus tollere eam de manu regis Syriæ?) 4 Et ait ad Josaphat: Veniesne mecum ad præliandum in Ramoth Galaad? 5 Dixitque Josaphat ad regem Israël: Sicut ego sum, ita et tu: populus meus et populus tuus unum sunt: et equites mei, equites tui. Dixitque Josaphat ad regem Israël: Quære, oro te, hodie sermonem Domini. 6 Congregavit ergo rex Israël prophetas, quadringentos circiter viros, et ait ad eos: Ire debeo in Ramoth Galaad ad bellandum, an quiescere? Qui responderunt: Ascende, et dabit eam Dominus in manu regis. 7 Dixit autem Josaphat: Non est hic propheta Domini quispiam, ut interrogemus per eum? 8 Et ait rex Israël ad Josaphat: Remansit vir unus per quem possumus interrogare Dominum: sed ego odi eum, quia non prophetat mihi bonum, sed malum: Michæas filius Jemla. Cui Josaphat ait: Ne loquaris ita, rex. 9 Vocavit ergo rex Israël eunuchum quemdam, et dixit ei: Festina adducere Michæam filium Jemla.

15 καὶ ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς Μιχαια εἰ ἀναβῶ εἰς Ρεμμαθ Γαλααδ εἰς πόλεμον ἢ ἐπίσχω καὶ εἶπεν ἀνάβαινε καὶ εὐοδώσει καὶ δώσει κύριος εἰς χεῖρα τοῦ βασιλέως 16 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ βασιλεύς ποσάκις ἐγὼ ὁρκίζω σε ὅπως λαλήσῃς πρός με ἀλήθειαν ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου 17 καὶ εἶπεν Μιχαιας οὐχ οὕτως ἑώρακα πάντα τὸν Ισραηλ διεσπαρμένον ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν ὡς ποίμνιον ᾧ οὐκ ἔστιν ποιμήν καὶ εἶπεν κύριος οὐ κύριος τούτοις ἀναστρεφέτω ἕκαστος εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἐν εἰρήνῃ 18 καὶ εἶπεν βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ πρὸς Ιωσαφατ βασιλέα Ιουδα οὐκ εἶπα πρὸς σέ οὐ προφητεύει οὗτός μοι καλά διότι ἀλ{L'} ἢ κακά 19 καὶ εἶπεν Μιχαιας οὐχ οὕτως οὐκ ἐγώ ἄκουε ῥῆμα κυρίου οὐχ οὕτως εἶδον τὸν κύριον θεὸν Ισραηλ καθήμενον ἐπὶ θρόνου αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ στρατιὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ εἱστήκει περὶ αὐτὸν ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων αὐτοῦ 20 καὶ εἶπεν κύριος τίς ἀπατήσει τὸν Αχααβ βασιλέα Ισραηλ καὶ ἀναβήσεται καὶ πεσεῖται ἐν Ρεμμαθ Γαλααδ καὶ εἶπεν οὗτος οὕτως καὶ οὗτος οὕτως 21 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν πνεῦμα καὶ ἔστη ἐνώπιον κυρίου καὶ εἶπεν ἐγὼ ἀπατήσω αὐτόν καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν κύριος ἐν τίνι 22 καὶ εἶπεν ἐξελεύσομαι καὶ ἔσομαι πνεῦμα ψευδὲς ἐν στόματι πάντων τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν ἀπατήσεις καί γε δυνήσει ἔξελθε καὶ ποίησον οὕτως 23 καὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ἔδωκεν κύριος πνεῦμα ψευδὲς ἐν στόματι πάντων τῶν προφητῶν σου τούτων καὶ κύριος ἐλάλησεν ἐπὶ σὲ κακά

15 So he came into the king’s presence, and when he was asked whether it were better to attack Ramoth-Galaad, or to let it be, he answered, Go to the attack, and a blessing on thy journey! The Lord means to make the king’s grace master of it.[2] 16 What! cried Achab, must I never cease adjuring thee in the Lord’s name to tell me only the truth? 17 Listen then, said he; I had a vision of all Israel as sheep, that strayed because they had no shepherd, and the Lord’s word came, They have no master now; let them disperse to their home in peace. 18 (It is as I told thee, Achab said to Josaphat; still he prophesies ill fortune, never good.) 19 Then Michaeas went on, Here is a message to thee from the Lord. I had a vision of the Lord sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven waiting on his pleasure, to right and left. 20 And the Lord said, Who is to beguile Achab, king of Israel, so that he will march to Ramoth-Galaad, and there meet his fall? One said this, one that; 21 till at last a spirit came forward and stood in the Lord’s presence, offering to beguile Achab. And how wilt thou beguile him? the Lord asked. 22 I will go abroad, said he, and on the lips of all his prophets I will make myself an influence to deceive. Deceive them thou shalt, the Lord said, and have thy way with them; go abroad, then, and carry out thy errand. 23 And now, see what a lying influence the Lord has spread among these prophets of thine! For indeed the Lord has determined on thy ruin.

15 Venit itaque ad regem, et ait illi rex: Michæa, ire debemus in Ramoth Galaad ad præliandum, an cessare? Cui ille respondit: Ascende, et vade prospere, et tradet eam Dominus in manus regis. 16 Dixit autem rex ad eum: Iterum atque iterum adjuro te, ut non loquaris mihi nisi quod verum est, in nomine Domini. 17 Et ille ait: Vidi cunctum Israël dispersum in montibus, quasi oves non habentes pastorem. Et ait Dominus: Non habent isti dominum: revertatur unusquisque in domum suam in pace. 18 (Dixit ergo rex Israël ad Josaphat: Numquid non dixi tibi, quia non prophetat mihi bonum, sed semper malum?) 19 Ille vero addens, ait: Propterea audi sermonem Domini: vidi Dominum sedentem super solium suum, et omnem exercitum cæli assistentem ei a dextris et a sinistris: 20 et ait Dominus: Quis decipiet Achab regem Israël, ut ascendat, et cadat in Ramoth Galaad? Et dixit unus verba hujuscemodi, et alius aliter. 21 Egressus est autem spiritus, et stetit coram Domino, et ait: Ego decipiam illum. Cui locutus est Dominus: In quo? 22 Et ille ait: Egrediar, et ero spiritus mendax in ore omnium prophetarum ejus. Et dixit Dominus: Decipies, et prævalebis: egredere, et fac ita. 23 Nunc igitur ecce dedit Dominus spiritum mendacii in ore omnium prophetarum tuorum, qui hic sunt, et Dominus locutus est contra te malum.

29 καὶ ἀνέβη βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ καὶ Ιωσαφατ βασιλεὺς Ιουδα με{T'} αὐτοῦ εἰς Ρεμμαθ Γαλααδ 30 καὶ εἶπεν βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ πρὸς Ιωσαφατ βασιλέα Ιουδα συγκαλύψομαι καὶ εἰσελεύσομαι εἰς τὸν πόλεμον καὶ σὺ ἔνδυσαι τὸν ἱματισμόν μου καὶ συνεκαλύψατο ὁ βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον 31 καὶ βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἐνετείλατο τοῖς ἄρχουσι τῶν ἁρμάτων αὐτοῦ τριάκοντα καὶ δυσὶν λέγων μὴ πολεμεῖτε μικρὸν καὶ μέγαν ἀλ{L'} ἢ τὸν βασιλέα Ισραηλ μονώτατον 32 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἶδον οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἁρμάτων τὸν Ιωσαφατ βασιλέα Ιουδα καὶ αὐτοὶ εἶπον φαίνεται βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ οὗτος καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν αὐτὸν πολεμῆσαι καὶ ἀνέκραξεν Ιωσαφατ 33 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἶδον οἱ ἄρχοντες τῶν ἁρμάτων ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν βασιλεὺς Ισραηλ οὗτος καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν ἀ{P'} αὐτοῦ 34 καὶ ἐνέτεινεν εἷς τὸ τόξον εὐστόχως καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὸν βασιλέα Ισραηλ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πνεύμονος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ θώρακος καὶ εἶπεν τῷ ἡνιόχῳ αὐτοῦ ἐπίστρεψον τὰς χεῖράς σου καὶ ἐξάγαγέ με ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου ὅτι τέτρωμαι 35 καὶ ἐτροπώθη ὁ πόλεμος ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἦν ἑστηκὼς ἐπὶ τοῦ ἅρματος ἐξ ἐναντίας Συρίας ἀπὸ πρωὶ ἕως ἑσπέρας καὶ ἀπέχυννε τὸ αἷμα ἐκ τῆς πληγῆς εἰς τὸν κόλπον τοῦ ἅρματος καὶ ἀπέθανεν ἑσπέρας καὶ ἐξεπορεύετο τὸ αἷμα τῆς τροπῆς ἕως τοῦ κόλπου τοῦ ἅρματος 36 καὶ ἔστη ὁ στρατοκῆρυξ δύνοντος τοῦ ἡλίου λέγων ἕκαστος εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γῆν 37 ὅτι τέθνηκεν ὁ βασιλεύς καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Σαμάρειαν καὶ ἔθαψαν τὸν βασιλέα ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ 38 καὶ ἀπένιψαν τὸ ἅρμα ἐπὶ τὴν κρήνην Σαμαρείας καὶ ἐξέλειξαν αἱ ὕες καὶ οἱ κύνες τὸ αἷμα καὶ αἱ πόρναι ἐλούσαντο ἐν τῷ αἵματι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμα κυρίου ὃ ἐλάλησεν

29 So the king of Israel, and Josaphat king of Juda, marched out to attack Ramoth-Galaad. 30 And Achab would have Josaphat go to battle in full armour and all his royal array, while he himself went to battle in disguise. 31 Meanwhile, to all the thirty-two commanders who now marshalled his chariots, the king of Syria had given the same orders: Press for no other mark, high or low, but the king of Israel himself. 32 And these, upon sight of Josaphat, supposed that they had the king of Israel here; it was against him, then, that they directed their onslaught; 33 but when he cried aloud, they knew that this was not the king of Israel, and so let him be. 34 It was an archer who bent his bow and let fly a shaft at haphazard that gave Achab a chance wound; it fell between lungs and gullet, and Achab bade his charioteer wheel about, and carry him away from the fight, so grievous his wound was. 35 All that day the battle raged, and still the king of Israel stood upright in his chariot, facing the Syrians, and did not die till evening, though the blood from his wound flowed ever into the body of his chariot. 36 Then, before sunset, a herald raised a cry all through the ranks, bidding every man return to his own region and city. 37 So the king died, and was carried back to Samaria, where they buried him; 38 and there the dogs licked his blood, for they washed his chariot and his chariot-reins in the pool at Samaria; and so the threat which the Lord had uttered was fulfilled.[5]

29 Ascendit itaque rex Israël, et Josaphat rex Juda, in Ramoth Galaad. 30 Dixit itaque rex Israël ad Josaphat: Sume arma, et ingredere prælium, et induere vestibus tuis. Porro rex Israël mutavit habitum suum, et ingressus est bellum. 31 Rex autem Syriæ præceperat principibus curruum triginta duobus, dicens: Non pugnabitis contra minorem et majorem quempiam, nisi contra regem Israël solum. 32 Cum ergo vidissent principes curruum Josaphat, suspicati sunt quod ipse esset rex Israël, et impetu facto pugnabant contra eum: et exclamavit Josaphat. 33 Intellexeruntque principes curruum quod non esset rex Israël, et cessaverunt ab eo. 34 Vir autem quidam tetendit arcum, in incertum sagittam dirigens, et casu percussit regem Israël inter pulmonem et stomachum. At ille dixit aurigæ suo: Verte manum tuam, et ejice me de exercitu, quia graviter vulneratus sum. 35 Commissum est ergo prælium in die illa, et rex Israël stabat in curru suo contra Syros, et mortuus est vespere: fluebat autem sanguis plagæ in sinum currus, 36 et præco insonuit in universo exercitu antequam sol occumberet, dicens: Unusquisque revertatur in civitatem, et in terram suam. 37 Mortuus est autem rex, et perlatus est in Samariam: sepelieruntque regem in Samaria, 38 et laverunt currum ejus in piscina Samariæ: et linxerunt canes sanguinem ejus, et habenas laverunt, juxta verbum Domini quod locutus fuerat.

[1] It is possible to understand the Hebrew text as implying that Josaphat asked if there was not another prophet of the Lord, the four hundred equally claiming that title.

[2] It is generally thought that Michaeas’ first answer was given in an ironical tone, and understood by Achab in that sense.

[3] According to the Hebrew text, Sedecias asks, ‘Which way did the spirit of the Lord go?’; according to the Septuagint Greek, ‘What spirit of the Lord was this?’

[4] ‘Thou shalt live to see the day’; or possibly, ‘thou shalt see (the answer to thy question) on the day’.

[5] ‘And his chariot-reins’; the traditional rendering of the Hebrew text is, ‘And they washed his armour’, but it is possible to understand the words as meaning ‘and the harlots washed in it’. This latter sense is supported by the Septuagint Greek, which includes the same words above in 21.19.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd