IDOLATRY AND DEFEAT. 251

other prophets, to say as they had said, because their
words had pleased the king. “As the Lord liveth, what
the Lord saith unto the, that will I speak,” was the
prophet’s reply. Seated each on a throne, dressed in
their royal robes, were the kings of Israel and Judah,
when Micaiah was brought forward. To him Ahab ad-
dressed the same question as he had done to the four
hundred. “Go and prosper ; for the Lord shall deliver it
into the hand of the king,” was the answer of Micaiah.

Marianne. Then he gave the same answer as the
other prophets. I thought their prophecy was not true.

Grandfather. Their prophecy was false, for it deceived
Ahab, yet it was so expressed that it might be under-
stood in different senses. “The Lord shall deliver it
into the hand of the king.” They did not say what it
was, nor what king was meant. Ahab understood it
to mean Ramoth-Gilead, and that the king was him-
self, but it might have meant Israel, and Benhadad
might have been the king alluded to. The prophecy
was a vague one, and it was in mockery that Micaiah
repeated it. Ahab saw that he spoke ironically. He
besought him not to jest, but to speak the truth in the ©
name of the Lord. The prophet then solemnly replied,
“ T saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that
have not a shepherd; and the Lord said, ‘These have no
master ; let them return every man to his house in peace.’”
The king of Israel turned to Jehoshaphat and said, “ Did
I not tell thee that he would prophecy no good concern-
ing me, but evil °”

Johnnie. What evil did he prophecy ?