This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 1 Kings 22:29-39, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, two kings named Ahab and Jehoshaphat went to a place called Ramoth-gilead. Ahab told Jehoshaphat that he wanted to disguise himself and go into battle, but he wanted Jehoshaphat to wear his special robes so he would look like the king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was worried and asked, “What if something bad happens to you?” But Ahab replied, “Don’t worry, just put on my robes and go into battle. I’ll be fine.”
So Ahab disguised himself and went into battle, while Jehoshaphat wore the king’s robes. The king of Syria had commanded his captains to fight only with the king of Israel, so when they saw Jehoshaphat, they thought he was the king of Israel and attacked him. Jehoshaphat cried out, and the captains realized their mistake and stopped pursuing him.
Meanwhile, Ahab was in the thick of battle, trying to hide from the Syrian army. But a man shot an arrow randomly and hit Ahab, the real king of Israel. Ahab was wounded and had to be taken out of the battle. He said to his chariot driver, “Turn around and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” As they rode away, Ahab said to himself, “I should have listened to Jehoshaphat and not disguised myself. Now I am going to die because of my foolishness.”
Ahab’s wounds were very serious, and he knew he was going to die. He said to his driver, “Take me away from the battle and let me die in peace.” Ahab died later that day while sitting in his chariot. The battle continued, and the soldiers realized the king had died. They went back to their own cities.
Ahab’s body was brought to a city called Samaria, where he was buried. They washed the chariot he was in by a pool, but the blood from his wound spilled into the pool. Dogs licked up his blood and prostitutes washed themselves in the pool, just as God had predicted.
Biblical Lessons
- God always keeps His promises, even if they are not what we want to hear.
- Lying and pretending to be someone else can lead to dangerous consequences.
- We should always try to tell the truth and be honest with others.