1 N ow Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it.

Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his army together; thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria, warring against it.

2 T hen he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad,

He sent messengers into Samaria to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, Thus says Ben-hadad:

3 ‘ Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’”

Your silver and your gold are mine; your wives and your children, even the fairest, also are mine.

4 T he king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.”

And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to what you say, I am yours, and all that I have.

5 T hen the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,”

The messengers came again and said, Thus says Ben-hadad: Although I have sent to you, saying, You shall deliver to me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children—

6 b ut about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will take in their hand and carry away.’”

Yet I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants; and all the desire of your eyes they shall lay hands upon and take it away.

7 T hen the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and see how this man is looking for trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.”

Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, Notice now and see how this man is seeking our destruction. He sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I did not refuse him.

8 A ll the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”

And all the elders and all the people said to him, Do not heed him or consent.

9 S o he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again.

So he said to Ben-hadad’s messengers, Tell my lord the king, All you first sent for to your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do. And the messengers left; then they brought him word again.

10 B en-hadad sent to him and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.”

Ben-hadad sent to him and said, May the gods do so to me, and more also, if the rubbish of Samaria shall be enough for each one of all the people who are at my feet and follow me to get a handful.

11 T hen the king of Israel replied, “Tell him, ‘ Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’”

The king of Israel answered, Tell him: Let not him who girds on his harness boast as he who puts it off.

12 W hen Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city. Ahab Victorious

When Ben-hadad heard this message as he and the kings were drinking in the booths, he said to his servants, Set the army in array. And they set themselves in array against.

13 N ow behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”

Then a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said, Thus says the Lord: Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know and realize that I am the Lord.

14 A hab said, “By whom?” So he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he answered, “You.”

Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus says the Lord: By the young men of the governors of the districts. Then Ahab said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, You.

15 T hen he mustered the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, even all the sons of Israel, 7, 000.

Ahab numbered the attendants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. After them he numbered all the people of Israel, 7, 000.

16 T hey went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the temporary shelters with the thirty-two kings who helped him.

And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him.

17 T he young men of the rulers of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out and they told him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.”

The servants of the governors of the districts went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

18 T hen he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

And he said, Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive.

19 S o these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them.

So these of the governors of the districts went out of, and the army followed them.

20 T hey killed each his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen.

And each one killed his man; the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen.

21 T he king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

The king of Israel went out and smote the horses and chariots and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 T hen the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

The prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, Go, fortify yourself and become strong and give attention to what you must do, for at the first of next year the king of Syria will return against you.

23 N ow the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “ Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Israel’s gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

24 D o this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place,

And do this thing: Remove the kings, each from his place, and put governors in their stead.

25 a nd muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so. Another Aramean War

And muster yourself an army like the army you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. And we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he heeded their speech and did so.

26 A t the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

And at the return of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

27 T he sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country.

The Israelites were counted and, all present, went against them. The Israelites encamped before the enemy like two little flocks of lost kids, but the Syrians filled the country.

28 T hen a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “ The Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”

A man of God came and said to the king of Israel, Thus says the Lord: Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills but He is not God of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hands, and you shall know and recognize by experience that I am the Lord.

29 S o they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100, 000 foot soldiers in one day.

They encamped opposite each other seven days. Then the battle was joined; and the Israelites slew of the Syrians 100, 000 foot soldiers in one day.

30 B ut the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27, 000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber.

But the rest fled to the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27, 000 men who were left. Ben-hadad fled into the city and from chamber to chamber.

31 H is servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life.”

His servants said to him, We have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes about our necks, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.

32 S o they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “ Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their necks, and came to the king of Israel and said, Your servant Ben-hadad says, I pray you, let me live. And King said, Is he yet alive? He is my brother.

33 N ow the men took this as an omen, and quickly catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he took him up into the chariot.

Now the men took it as an omen and they hastily took it up and said, Yes, your brother Ben-hadad. Then the king said, Go, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him, and the victorious king caused him to come up into the chariot.

34 B en-hadad said to him, “ The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” Ahab said, “And I will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

Ben-hadad said, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may maintain bazaars of your own in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria. Then, said Ahab, I will send you away on these terms. So he made a covenant with him and sent him away.

35 N ow a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of the Lord, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him.

And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor, At the command of the Lord, strike me, I pray you. And the man refused to strike him.

36 T hen he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and killed him.

Then said he to him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have left me a lion will slay you. And as soon as he departed from him, a lion found him and killed him.

37 T hen he found another man and said, “Please strike me.” And the man struck him, wounding him.

Then found another man and said, Strike me, I pray you. And the man struck him, so that in striking, he wounded him.

38 S o the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.

So the prophet departed and waited for King Ahab by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

39 A s the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’

And as the king passed by, the cried out to him, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, Keep this man. If for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be required for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.

40 W hile your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”

But while your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, Such is your own verdict; you yourself have decided it.

41 T hen he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets.

The man hastily removed the ashes from his face, and Ahab king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42 H e said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’”

And he said to the king, Thus says the Lord: Because you have let go out of your hand the man I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.

43 S o the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.

And King of Israel went to his house resentful and sullen, and came to Samaria.