2 Chronicles 18:21
19 And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one suggested this, and another that.
20 Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
22 So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
23 Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah went up, struck Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Which way did the Spirit of the LORD go when He departed from me to speak with you?”
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- And he replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouths of all his prophets.’ ‘You will surely entice him and prevail,’ said the LORD. ‘Go and do it.’
- KJV
- And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out, and do even so.
- WEB
- “He said, ‘I will go, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ “He said, ‘You will entice him, and will prevail also. Go and do so.’
- ASV
- And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice him, and shalt prevail also: go forth, and do so.
- DARBY
- And he said, I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt entice [him], and also succeed: go forth, and do so.
- BLB
- And he said, ‘I will go out and be a spirit of falsehood in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And He said, ‘You shall persuade and also you shall prevail; go out and do so.’
- ÅB
- Han svarte: Jeg vil gå avsted og være en løgnens ånd i alle hans profeters munn. Da sa Herren: Ja, du skal overtale ham, og det skal også lykkes deg; gå avsted og gjør så!
- OTB
- Han sa: ‘Jeg vil gå og være en løgnaktig ånd i munnen på alle hans profeter.’ Da sa han: ‘Du skal overtale ham, og du vil også lykkes. Gå og gjør det.’
- B1930
- Han svarte: Jeg vil gå avsted og være en løgnens ånd i alle hans profeters munn. Da sa Herren: Ja, du skal overtale ham, og det skal også lykkes dig; gå avsted og gjør så!
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Read in context1 Kings 22:21–22
Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, ‘I will entice him.’ ‘By what means?’ asked the LORD.
Read in contextJob 2:6
“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”
Read in contextJob 1:12
“Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Read in contextPsalms 109:17
The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him; the blessing in which he refused to delight, may it be far from him.
Read in context2 Chronicles 18:22
So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouths of these prophets of yours, and the LORD has pronounced disaster against you.”
Read in contextJudges 9:23
God sent a spirit of animosity between Abimelech and the leaders of Shechem and caused them to treat Abimelech deceitfully,
Read in contextRevelation 13:14
Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived.
Read in context