16 Then he said: "I saw all of Israel scattered amid the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd. And the Lord said: 'These have no masters. Let each one return in peace to his own house.' "
17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat: "Did I not tell you that this one would not prophesy to me anything good, but only what is evil?"
18 Then he said: "Therefore, listen to the word of the Lord. I saw the Lord sitting upon his throne, and the entire army of heaven was standing beside him, on the right and on the left.
19 And the Lord said: 'Who will deceive Ahab, the king of Israel, so that he may ascend and fall at Ramoth Gilead?' And when one spoke in one way, and another in another way,
20 there came forward a spirit, and he stood before the Lord and said, 'I will deceive him.' And the Lord said to him, 'In what way will you deceive him?'
21 And he responded, 'I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the Lord said: 'You will deceive and prevail. Go forth and do so.'
22 Therefore now, behold: the Lord gave a lying spirit to the mouth of all your prophets, and the Lord has spoken evil about you."