2 Chronicles 18:23

“Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the spirit of YHWH pass from me to speak to you?””

2 Chronicles 18:23 · direct translation from the Hebrew
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With the Hebrew beneath

23

2 Chronicles 18:23, word by word

Then Zedekiahצִדְקִיָּהוּtsidkiyahu

Zedekiah

Zedekiah: a name meaning "YHWH is righteousness." It is borne by several people, among them the prophet, son of Chenaanah, who announced a false victory to Ahab (1 Kings 22), and the last king of Judah (2 Kings 24:17).

Where else “tsidkiyahu” appears
sonבֶןven

son

The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.

Where else “ven” appears
of Chenaanahכְּנַעֲנָהkenaana

Chenaanah

Chenaanah: a name of uncertain meaning. He is the father of the false prophet Zedekiah (1 Kings 22:11); another man of the same name is from Benjamin (1 Chronicles 7:10).

Where else “kenaana” appears
came nearיִּגַּשׁyigash

come near

To go until one is near someone or something.

Where else “yigash” appears
and struckיַּךְyach

strike

To give a blow to someone or something, with the hand or a weapon.

Where else “yach” appears
Micaiahמִיכָיְהוּmichayhu

Micaiah

Micaiah: a name meaning "who is like Yah?" It is borne by several people, among them the prophet, son of Imlah, who told Ahab the truth although the king hated him (1 Kings 22).

Where else “michayhu” appears
the cheekלֶּחִיlechi

cheek

The soft side of the face, where one is struck or caressed.

Where else “lechi” appears
and saidיֹּאמֶרyomer

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomer” appears
wayדֶּרֶךְderech

road

The track or route by which one goes from one place to another.

Where else “derech” appears
did the spiritרוּחַruach

Spirit of God

The spirit of Elohim or YHWH: his presence and power.

Where else “ruach” appears
of YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
passעָבַרavar

pass

To get over a river, or go through a land.

Where else “avar” appears
to speakדַבֵּרdaber

speak

To speak, say something; above all God to his people.

Where else “daber” appears

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Jehoshaphat and Ahab at Ramoth-gilead

1 Kings 22:1-40

See them side by side

2 Chronicles 18:1-34

1Jehoshaphat had riches and glory in abundance, and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab. 2At the end of some years he went down to Ahab at Samaria; and Ahab sacrificed for him sheep and goats and cattle in abundance, and for the people who were with him, and incited him to go up against Ramoth-gilead. 3Ahab king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, “Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?” He said to him, “I am as you are, and my people as your people; and with you we will be in the war.” 4Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire today for the word of YHWH.” 5Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets, four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall we go against Ramoth-gilead to war, or shall I refrain?” They said, “Go up, and Elohim will give it into the hand of the king.” 6Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here still a prophet of YHWH, that we may inquire through him?” 7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom to inquire of YHWH, but I hate him, for he does not prophesy about me for good, but all his days for evil: that is Micaiah son of Imlah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” 8The king of Israel called to an officer and said, “Quickly, bring Micaiah son of Imlah.” 9Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, dressed in their robes; they were sitting at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 10Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘With these you will gore Aram until they are finished.’” 11And all the prophets were prophesying so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for YHWH will give it into the hand of the king.” 12The messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Look, the words of the prophets, with one mouth, are good for the king. Please let your word be like that of one of them, and speak good.” 13Micaiah said, “As YHWH lives, surely what my Elohim says, that I will speak.” 14When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to war, or shall I refrain?” He said, “Go up and prosper, for they will be given into your hand.” 15The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of YHWH?” 16He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd. And YHWH said, ‘These have no masters; let each return to his house in peace.’” 17The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you, ‘He will not prophesy good about me, but for evil’?” 18He said, “Therefore hear the word of YHWH: I saw YHWH sitting on his throne, and all the army of the heavens standing on his right and on his left. 19And YHWH said, ‘Who will entice Ahab king of Israel, so that he goes up and falls at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one was saying this way, and another was saying that way. 20Then the spirit came forward and stood before YHWH and said, ‘I will entice him.’ YHWH said to him, ‘With what?’ 21He said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You will entice him, and you will also succeed; go out and do so.’ 22Now then, look, YHWH has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours; and YHWH has spoken evil against you.” 23Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the spirit of YHWH pass from me to speak to you?” 24Micaiah said, “Look, you will see it on that day, when you go into a room within a room to hide.”

1 Kings 22:1-40

1They continued three years without war between Aram and Israel. 2And it happened in the third year that Jehoshaphat king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3The king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are keeping silent instead of taking it from the hand of the king of Aram?” 4And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to war at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 5Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire today for the word of YHWH.” 6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to war, or shall I refrain?” They said, “Go up, and Adonai will give it into the hand of the king.” 7Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not here still a prophet of YHWH, that we may inquire through him?” 8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man through whom to inquire of YHWH, but I hate him, for he does not prophesy good about me, but evil: Micaiah son of Imlah.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” 9The king of Israel called to an officer and said, “Quickly, bring Micaiah son of Imlah.” 10Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, dressed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron and said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘With these you will gore Aram until they are finished.’” 12And all the prophets were prophesying so, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for YHWH will give it into the hand of the king.” 13The messenger who had gone to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, “Look, please: the words of the prophets, with one mouth, are good for the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak good.” 14Micaiah said, “As YHWH lives, surely what YHWH says to me, that I will speak.” 15When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to war, or shall we refrain?” He said to him, “Go up and prosper, for YHWH will give it into the hand of the king.” 16The king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of YHWH?” 17He said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd. And YHWH said, ‘These have no masters; let each return to his house in peace.’” 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you, ‘He will not prophesy good about me, but evil’?” 19He said, “Therefore hear the word of YHWH: I saw YHWH sitting on his throne, and all the army of the heavens standing beside him, on his right and on his left. 20And YHWH said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, so that he goes up and falls at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this way, and another was saying that way. 21Then the spirit came forward and stood before YHWH and said, ‘I will entice him.’ YHWH said to him, ‘With what?’ 22He said, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ And he said, ‘You will entice him, and you will also succeed; go out and do so.’ 23Now then, look, YHWH has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets of yours; and YHWH has spoken evil against you.” 24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “Which way did the spirit of YHWH pass from me to speak to you?”

The context

22Now then, look, YHWH has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these prophets of yours; and YHWH has spoken evil against you.”

23 · This verse (above)

24Micaiah said, “Look, you will see it on that day, when you go into a room within a room to hide.”

Read all of 2 Chronicles 18

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