1 N ow Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces together; thirty-two kings were with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria, and made war 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 into 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 loveliest wives and children are mine.’”

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

4 A nd the king of Israel answered and said, “My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are yours.”

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 came back and said, “Thus speaks Ben-Hadad, saying, ‘Indeed I have sent to you, saying, “You shall deliver to me your silver and your gold, 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 I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants. And it shall be, that whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they will put it in their hands and take it. ’”

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 S o the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, “Notice, please, and see how this man seeks trouble, for he sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold; and I did not deny 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 nd all 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 T herefore he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought back word to him.

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 T hen Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, “The gods do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of Samaria for a handful for each of 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 S o the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one 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 A nd it happened when Ben-Hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking at the command post, that he said to his servants, “Get ready.” And they got ready to attack the city.

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 S uddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it 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 S o Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘By the young leaders of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who will set the battle in order?” 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 leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel—seven thousand.

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 S o they went out at noon. Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the thirty-two kings helping him were getting drunk at the command post.

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 leaders of the provinces went out first. And Ben-Hadad sent out a patrol, and they told him, saying, “Men are coming out of 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 S o he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; and 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 T hen these young leaders of the provinces went out of the city with the army which followed them.

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

20 A nd each one killed his man; so the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the cavalry.

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 hen the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians 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 A nd the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do, for in the spring of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.” The Syrians Again Defeated

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 T hen the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, 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 S o do this thing: Dismiss the kings, each from his position, and put captains in their places;

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

25 a nd you shall 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; surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

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 S o it was, in the spring of the year, that Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians 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 A nd the children of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and they went against them. Now the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Syrians filled the countryside.

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 and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “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 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 A nd they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians 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; then a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left. And Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber. Ahab’s Treaty with Ben-Hadad

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 T hen his servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please, let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare 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 wore sackcloth around their waists and put ropes around 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 were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.” So he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come 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 S o Ben-Hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty.” So he made a treaty with him and sent him away. Ahab Condemned

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 his neighbor by the word of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” And 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 obeyed the voice of the Lord, surely, as soon as you depart from me, a lion shall kill you.” And as soon as he left 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 A nd he found another man, and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound.

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

38 T hen the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, 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 N ow as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, 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.” Then 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 A nd he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one 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 T hen he said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter 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 displeased, and came to Samaria.

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