Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

New Living Translation

2 Chronicles 18:20

and finally a spirit approached the Lord and said, ‘I can do it!' "‘How will you do this?' the Lord asked.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Lying;   Micaiah;   Preaching;   Vision;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Joash or Jehoash;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Demon;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Preaching;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Evil Spirits;   Ramoth-Gilead, Ramoth in Gilead;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Demoniacs;   Micaiah ;   Ramoth Gilead ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Judah the kingdom of;   Micaiah;   Ramoth;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Micaiah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“Then a spirit came forward, stood before the Lord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’
Hebrew Names Version
There came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. The LORD said to him, 'How?'
King James Version
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord , and said, I will entice him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith?
English Standard Version
Then a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord , saying, ‘I will entice him.' And the Lord said to him, ‘By what means?'
New Century Version
Then one spirit came and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will trick him.' "The Lord asked, ‘How will you do it?'
New English Translation
Then a spirit stepped forward and stood before the Lord . He said, ‘I will deceive him.' The Lord asked him, ‘How?'
Amplified Bible
"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' The LORD said to him, 'By what means?'
New American Standard Bible
"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'
World English Bible
There came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said, I will entice him. Yahweh said to him, 'How?'
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then there came forth a spirit and stoode before the Lord, and said, I will perswade him. And the Lord said vnto him, Wherein?
Legacy Standard Bible
Then a spirit came forward and stood before Yahweh and said, ‘I will entice him.' And Yahweh said to him, ‘How?'
Berean Standard Bible
Then a spirit came forward, stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will entice him.' 'By what means?' asked the LORD.
Contemporary English Version
then finally a spirit came forward and said to the Lord , "I can trick Ahab." "How?" the Lord asked.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then a spirit stepped up, stood in front of Adonai and said, ‘I will entice him.' Adonai asked, ‘How?'
Darby Translation
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith?
Easy-to-Read Version
Then a spirit went and stood before the Lord . He said, ‘I will fool him!' The Lord asked, ‘How will you do it?'
George Lamsa Translation
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD and said, I will entice him, and the LORD said to him, With what?
Good News Translation
until a spirit stepped forward, approached the Lord , and said, ‘I will deceive him.' ‘How?' the Lord asked.
Lexham English Bible
Then a spirit came forth and stood before Yahweh and said, ‘I will entice him.' Then Yahweh said to him, ‘By what means?'
Literal Translation
And a spirit went out and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said, With what?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
there came forth a sprete, and stode before ye LORDE, and sayde: I wyl disceaue him. The LORDE sayde vnto him: Wherwith?
American Standard Version
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Jehovah, and said, I will entice him. And Jehovah said unto him, Wherewith?
Bible in Basic English
Then a spirit came forward and took his place before the Lord and said, I will get him to do it by a trick. And the Lord said to him, How?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And there came out a spirite, & stoode before the Lorde, and sayde: I will deceaue him. And the Lorde sayde vnto him, Wherin?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And there came forth the spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said: I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him: Wherewith?
King James Version (1611)
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and sayd, I will entise him. And the Lord sayd vnto him, Wherewith?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said, Whereby?
English Revised Version
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and stood bifor the Lord, and seide, Y schal disseyue hym. To whom the Lord seide, `Wherynne, therfor schalt thou disseyue?
Update Bible Version
And there came forth a spirit, and stood before Yahweh, and said, I will entice him. And Yahweh said to him, How?
Webster's Bible Translation
Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will entice him. And the LORD said to him, With what?
New King James Version
Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, "I will persuade him.' The LORD said to him, "In what way?'
New Life Bible
Then a spirit came and stood before the Lord and said, ‘I will lead him to do it.' And the Lord said to him, ‘How?'
New Revised Standard
until a spirit came forward and stood before the Lord , saying, ‘I will entice him.' The Lord asked him, ‘How?'
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then came there forth a spirit and stood before Yahweh, and said, I, will persuade him. And Yahweh said unto him, Wherewith?
Douay-Rheims Bible
There came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said: I will deceive him. And the Lord said to him: By what means wilt thou deceive him?
Revised Standard Version
Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'By what means?'
Young's Literal Translation
And go out doth the spirit, and stand before Jehovah, and saith, I do entice him; and Jehovah saith unto him, With what?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' And the LORD said to him, 'How?'

Contextual Overview

4 Then Jehoshaphat added, "But first let's find out what the Lord says." 5 So the king of Israel summoned the prophets, 400 of them, and asked them, "Should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I hold back?" They all replied, "Yes, go right ahead! God will give the king victory." 6 But Jehoshaphat asked, "Is there not also a prophet of the Lord here? We should ask him the same question." 7 The king of Israel replied to Jehoshaphat, "There is one more man who could consult the Lord for us, but I hate him. He never prophesies anything but trouble for me! His name is Micaiah son of Imlah." Jehoshaphat replied, "That's not the way a king should talk! Let's hear what he has to say." 8 So the king of Israel called one of his officials and said, "Quick! Bring Micaiah son of Imlah." 9 King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah, dressed in their royal robes, were sitting on thrones at the threshing floor near the gate of Samaria. All of Ahab's prophets were prophesying there in front of them. 10 One of them, Zedekiah son of Kenaanah, made some iron horns and proclaimed, "This is what the Lord says: With these horns you will gore the Arameans to death!" 11 All the other prophets agreed. "Yes," they said, "go up to Ramoth-gilead and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!" 12 Meanwhile, the messenger who went to get Micaiah said to him, "Look, all the prophets are promising victory for the king. Be sure that you agree with them and promise success." 13 But Micaiah replied, "As surely as the Lord lives, I will say only what my God says."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

there came: Job 1:6, Job 2:1, 2 Corinthians 11:3, 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

Reciprocal: 2 Chronicles 18:5 - Go up 2 Chronicles 25:16 - determined John 8:44 - When

Cross-References

Genesis 4:10
But the Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!
Genesis 13:13
But the people of this area were extremely wicked and constantly sinned against the Lord .
Genesis 19:13
For we are about to destroy this city completely. The outcry against this place is so great it has reached the Lord , and he has sent us to destroy it."
Isaiah 3:9
The very look on their faces gives them away. They display their sin like the people of Sodom and don't even try to hide it. They are doomed! They have brought destruction upon themselves.
Isaiah 5:7
The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven's Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence.
Jeremiah 14:7
The people say, "Our wickedness has caught up with us, Lord , but help us for the sake of your own reputation. We have turned away from you and sinned against you again and again.
James 5:4
For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven's Armies.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

:-.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Chronicles 18:20. Then there came out a spirit — The Targum gives a strange gloss here: "Then the spirit of Naboth of Jezreel came out from the abode of the righteous, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will deceive him. And the Lord said, By what means? To which he answered, I will be a spirit of false prophecy in the mouth of his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou mayest then. But although the power of deceiving them is given unto thee, nevertheless it will not be lawful for thee to sit among the righteous; for whosoever shall speak falsely cannot have a mansion among the righteous. Therefore go forth from me, and do as thou hast said." - Targum.


 
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