Bad Romance
- Jehoshaphat's looking to patch things up with the Northern Kingdom of Israel because the constant fighting's taking a toll on everyone.
- He allows his son Jehoram to marry Athaliah, the daughter of King Ahab of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Overall, he and Ahab seem to have a pretty cordial relationship.
- So Jehoshaphat goes to visit Ahab in the Northern Kingdom. While he's there, Ahab asks if Jehoshaphat will go into battle with the northerners against the folks in Aram. (Apparently, these guys are back to being everyone's enemies.)
- Jehoshaphat is all for it. But first, he thinks they should ask God.
- Ahab calls together 400 prophets and they all say the same thing—go to war. God will be with you guys.
- Jehoshaphat's almost convinced, but he's thinking that maybe there's another prophet they could ask for an opinion. 400 yes votes are nice, but 401? Now that's rock solid.
- King Ahab knows another prophet but he hates him because he's always prophesying doom for Ahab, never any good news.
- Jehoshaphat wants to talk with him all the same, so Ahab gets Micaiah, the pessimistic prophet, to come up.
- The kings ask the newcomer his opinion and at first, Micaiah tells them to go into battle. They'll be victorious.
- But Ahab commands him to tell the truth and admits that he saw the downfall of Israel. Their nation would be like sheep without a shepherd if they try to fight Aram.
- See? King Ahab says. Didn't I tell you this kid was a total bummer?
- Micaiah says that he saw God sitting on his throne in Heaven. God needed someone to tempt Ahab to go to war with Aram. A spirit came forward and said that he would put lies in the mouths of all the prophets. And God was like, okay, good plan.
- When the other prophets hear this story, they're not pleased.
- King Ahab's heard enough. He tells his guards to lock up Micaiah in prison until he comes back from this war.
- But you won't come back from this war, Micaiah retorts. So ominous.
- We probably don't have to tell you that Micaiah turned out to be exactly right. All that foreshadowing couldn't be for nothing.
- After a convoluted plan, which involves Ahab trying to disguise himself as General Maximus, he's shot by an arrow during the battle and dies propped up against his chariot.