1 B en-hadad king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and war-wagons. And he went up against Samaria in battle.

حَشَدَ بِنْهَدَدُ، مَلِكُ أرامَ جَيشَهُ. وَتَحالَفَ مَعَ اثْنَينِ وَثَلاثِينَ مَلِكاً مَعَ جُيُوشِهِمْ وَخُيُولِهِمْ وَمَركَباتِهِمْ. وَحاصَرُوا السّامِرَةِ ثُمَّ هاجَمُوها.

2 T hen he sent men with news to the city of Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says.

وَأرسَلَ المَلِكُ بِنْهَدَدُ رُسُلاً إلَى المَدِينَةِ إلَى أخآبَ مَلِكِ إسْرائِيلَ.

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

فَحَمَلُوا رِسالَةً مِنَ المَلِكِ تَقُولُ: «أُرِيدُ فِضَّتَكَ وَذَهَبَكَ وَزَوجاتِكَ وَأبناءَكَ.»

4 T he king of Israel answered, “It is as you say, my lord, O king. I am yours, and all that I have.”

فَأجابَ مَلِكُ إسْرائِيلَ: «يا مَولايَ المَلِكُ، أنا وَكُلُّ ما أملِكُهُ تَحتَ أمْرِكَ.»

5 T hen the men returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says. ‘I sent word to you saying, “You must give me your silver and gold and your wives and children.”

فَرَجِعَ الرُّسُلُ وَأبلَغُوا بِنْهَدَدَ بِجَوابِ أخآبَ. فَأرسَلَ رُسُلَهُ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى إلَى أخآبَ يَقُولُونَ: «سَبَقَ أنْ قُلْتُ لَكَ إنِّي أُرِيدُ أفْضَلَ ما لَدَيْكَ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَذَهَبٍ وَزَوْجاتٍ وَأبناءٍ.

6 B ut I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time. They will look through your house and the houses of your servants. And they will take away all that is of worth to you.’”

سَأُرسِلُ رِجالِي فِي مِثلِ هَذا الوَقْتِ مِنْ يَومِ غَدٍ لِكَي يُفَتِّشُوا بَيتَكَ وَبُيُوتَ كِبارِ مَسؤُولِيكَ. وَسَيَأْخُذُونَ كُلَّ ما هُوَ ثَمِينٌ عِندَكَ، وَيُحضِرُونَهُ إلَيَّ.»

7 T hen the king of Israel called all the leaders of the land. He said to them, “Look and see how this man is looking for trouble. He sent to me for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold. And I did not say no to him.”

فَدَعا أخآبُ جَمِيعَ شُيُوخِ إسْرائِيلَ لِلاجتِماعِ بِهِ. وَقالَ لَهُمْ: «انظُرُوا، إنَّ بِنْهَدَدَ يَنوِي فِعلَ الشَّرِّ. فَقَدْ طَلَبَ مِنِّي أوَّلاً أنْ أُعطِيَهُ نِسائِي وَأبنائِي، وَفِضَّتِي، وَذَهَبِي. فَقَبِلْتُ.»

8 T hen all the leaders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or agree.”

فَقالَ لَهُ الشُّيُوخُ وَكُلُّ الشَّعبِ: «لا تُذْعِنْ لَهُ، وَلا تَقبَلْ ما يَطلُبُهُ مِنْكَ.»

9 S o Ahab said to Benhadad’s men, “Tell my lord the king, ‘I will do all that you first asked of your servant, but this I cannot do.’” The men left and returned again with news for him.

فَأرسَلَ أخآبُ رِسالَةً إلَى بِنْهَدَدَ قالَ فِيها: «سَأفعَلُ ما طَلَبْتَهُ مِنِّي فِي البِدايَةِ، لَكِنِّي لا أقبَلُ طَلَبَكَ الثّانِي.» فَأرسَلَ بِنْهَدَدَ رِسالَةً إلَى مَلِكِهِمْ.

10 B en-hadad sent word to him saying, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will be enough to fill the hands of all the people who follow me.”

فَاجابَهُ بِنْهَدَدُ وَقالَ: «لَيتَ الآلِهَةَ تُعاقِبَنِي إنْ لَمْ أُدَمِّرِ السّامِرَةَ حَتَّى لا يَبقَى مِنْها وَلَوْ حِفنَةُ تُرابٍ يَغنَمُها رَجُلٌ مِنْ رِجالِي!»

11 T he king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who dresses in battle-clothes talk with pride like him who takes them off.’”

فَأجابَ أخآبُ الرُّسُلَ: «قُولُوا لَهُ لَيْسَ الفَخْرُ لِمَنْ يَلبِسُ سِلاحَهُ، بَلْ لِمَنْ يَنْزِعُهُ!»

12 W hen Ben-hadad heard these words, he was drinking with the kings in the tents. He said to his servants, “Go to your places.” So they went to their place of battle against the city.

وَكانَ المَلِكُ بِنهَدَدُ يَشرَبُ فِي خَيمَتِهِ عِندَما وَصَلَ رُسُلُهُ حامِلِينَ جَوابَ أخآبَ. فَأمَرَ بِنهَدَدُ رِجالَهُ بِالاسْتِعدادِ لِلهُجُومِ عَلَى المَدِينَةِ. فاتَّخَذَ جُنُودُهُ مَواقِعَهُمُ اسْتِعداداً لِلمَعْرَكَةِ.

13 T hen a man who spoke for God came to Ahab king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says. ‘Have you seen all these many people? See, I will give them to you today. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

وَفِي الوَقتِ نَفسِهِ جاءَ نَبِيٌّ إلَى أخآبَ مَلِكِ إسرائِيلَ. فَقالَ لَهُ: «يَقُولُ اللهُ لَكَ: ‹أتَرَى هَذا الجَيشَ الكَبِيرَ؟ سَأُعِينُكَ، أنا اللهُ ، عَلَى أنْ تَهزِمَهُ اليَومَ. حِينَئِذٍ، سَتَتَأكَّدُ أنِّي أنا الإلَهُ الحَقِيقِيُّ!›»

14 A hab said, “By whom?” So he told him, “The Lord says, ‘By the young servants of the leaders of the lands you rule.’” Then Ahab said, “Who will start the battle?” And he answered, “You.”

فَقالَ أخآبُ: «بِمَنْ سَأهزِمُهُمْ؟» فَأجابَ النَّبِيُّ: «يَقُولُ اللهُ: بِالفِتْيانِ الَّذِينَ يَخدِمُونَ مَسؤُولِي الحُكُومَةِ.» فَسَألَ المَلِكُ: «وَمَنْ سَيَبدأُ المَعرَكَةَ؟» فَأجابَ النَّبِيُّ: «أنتَ.»

15 T hen Ahab called together the young servants of the leaders of the nations, 232 men. And he called together all the people of Israel, 7, 000 men.

فَجَمَعَ أخآبُ الفِتْيانَ الَّذِينَ كانُوا يَخدِمُونَ مَسؤُولِي الحُكُومَةِ. فَكانَ مَجمُوعُهُمْ مِئَتَينِ وَاثْنَينِ وَثَلاثِينَ. ثُمَّ جَمَعَ المَلِكُ جَيشَ إسْرائِيلَ. فَكانَ مَجمُوعُهُمْ سَبْعَةَ آلافِ جُندِيٍّ.

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

وَعِندَ الظُّهْرِ، كانَ المَلِكُ بِنْهَدَدُ وَالمُلُوكُ الاثنانُ وَالثَّلاثُونَ المُساعِدُونَ لَهُ يَشرَبُونَ وَيَسْكَرُونَ فِي خِيَمِهِمْ. فِي ذَلِكَ اليَومِ، بَدَأ هُجُومُ أخآبَ.

17 T he young servants of the leaders of the lands went out first. Ben-hadad sent men out to get news, and they told him, “Men have come out from Samaria.”

هَجَمَ الفِتْيانُ أوَّلاً. فَجاءَ رِجالُ المَلِكِ بِنْهَدَدَ وَأخبَرُوهُ بِأنَّ جُنُوداً خَرَجُوا مِنَ السّامِرَةِ.

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

فَقالَ بِنْهَدَدُ: «أمسِكُوا بِهِمْ أحياءَ، سَواءٌ أجاءُوا لِلسِّلْمِ أمْ لِلحَرْبِ.»

19 S o the young servants of the leaders of the lands went out from the city, and the army which followed them.

وَكانَ فِي المُقَدِّمَةِ فِتْيانُ جَيشِ أخآبَ، وَورَاءَهُمْ بَقِيَّةُ الجَيشِ.

20 E ach one killed his man. The Syrians ran away, and Israel went after them. And Ben-hadad king of Syria got away on a horse with horsemen.

فَقَتَلَ كُلُّ واحِدٍ مِنْ جَيشِ إسْرائِيلَ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي تَصَدَّى لَهُ. فَبَدَأ جُنُودُ أرامَ يَهرُبُونَ. فَطارَدَهُمْ جَيشُ إسْرائِيلَ. وَهَرَبَ المَلِكُ بِنْهَدَدُ عَلَى حِصانِ إحدَى المَركَباتِ.

21 T he king of Israel went out and destroyed the horses and war-wagons. He killed many of the Syrians.

وَقادَ أخآبُ الجَيشَ، وَاسْتَولَى عَلَى كُلِّ خُيُولِ جَيشِ أرامَ وَمَرْكِباتِهِ. فَألحَقَ هَزِيْمَةً مُنكَرَةً بِجَيشِ أرامَ.

22 T hen the man who spoke for God came to the king of Israel, and said to him, “Go and make yourself strong. Look and see what you have to do. For the first of next year the king of Syria will come to fight against you.” The Syrians Lose Again

وَبَعدَ ذَلِكَ ذَهَبَ النَّبِيُّ إلَى أخآبَ وَقالَ لَهُ: «سَيَهجُمُ بِنْهَدَدُ المَلِكُ عَلَيكَ فِي الرَّبِيعِ القادِمِ. فاذْهَبْ وَقَوِّ جَيشَكَ. وَأعِدَّ الخُطَطَ الَّلازِمَةَ لِلتَّصَدِّي لَهُ.» بِنْهَدَدُ يُعاوِدُ الهُجُوم

23 N ow the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Israel’s gods are gods of the mountains. So they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and for sure we will be stronger than they.

وَقالَ قادَةُ جَيشِ بِنْهَدَدَ لَهُ: «إنَّ آلِهَةَ إسْرائِيلَ آلِهَةُ جِبالٍ. وَنَحنُ حارَبْناهُمْ فِي مِنْطَقَةٍ جَبَلِيَّةٍ، فَانتَصَرُوا عَلَينا. فَلْنُحارِبْهُمْ عَلَى أرْضٍ مُنْبَسِطَةٍ، وَسَنَنْتَصِرُ عَلَيْهِمْ.

24 A nd do this. Take each of the kings from his place, and put captains in their places.

وَلا تَتْرُكِ الجُيُوشَ تَحْتَ إمْرَةِ المُلُوكِ الاثْنَينِ وَالثَلاثِينَ، بَلْ ضَعْهُمْ تَحْتَ إمْرَةِ ضُبَّاطِكَ.

25 G ather together an army like the army you lost, horse for horse, and war-wagon for war-wagon. Then we will fight against Israel in the plain. For sure we will be stronger than they.” And Ben-hadad listened to them and did so.

فَلْنَجْمَعْ جَيْشاً مِثلَ ذاكَ الَّذِي تَمَّ تَدْميْرُهُ، مِثلَهُ فِي عَدَدِ الرِّجالِ وَالخَيلِ وَالعَرَباتِ. وَلنُقاتِلْ بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ عَلَى أرْضٍ مُنْبَسِطَةٍ. حِينَئِذٍ، نَنْتَصِرُ.» فَاسْتَمَعَ بِنْهَدَدُ إلَى نَصِيحَتِهِمْ وَعَمِلَ بِها.

26 W hen the new year came, Benhadad called together the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

وَفِي الرَّبِيْعِ، حَشَدَ بِنْهَدَدُ شَعبَ أرامَ. وَذَهَبَ إلَى أفِيقَ لِمُحارَبَةِ إسْرائِيلَ.

27 T he people of Israel were called together and given what they needed, and went to meet them. The people of Israel gathered in front of them like two little flocks of goats. But the Syrians filled the country.

وَاسْتَعَدَّ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ أيضاً لِلحَرْبِ، وَذَهَبُوا لِمُلاقاةِ جَيشِ أرامَ. وَعَسْكَرُوا مُقابِلَ مُعَسْكَرِ الأرامِيِّينَ. وَظَهَرَ جَيشُ إسْرائِيلَ وَكَأنَّهُ مَجمُوعَتانِ صَغيرَتانِ مِنَ الغَنَمِ، أمّا جَيْشُ أرامَ فَغَطَّى المِنْطَقَةَ كُلَّها.

28 T hen a man who spoke for God came to the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says. ‘The Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys.” So I will give all these many people to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

فَأتَى رَجُلٌ مِنْ رِجالِ اللهِ بِهَذِهِ الرِّسالَةِ: «يَقُولُ اللهُ: ‹قالَ شَعبُ أرامَ إنِّي، أنا اللهَ ، إلَهُ الجِبالِ، لا إلَهَ السُّهُولِ. لِهَذا سَأنصُرُكَ عَلَى هَذا الجَيشِ الكَبِيرِ. حِينَئِذٍ، سَتَعلَمُونَ أنِّي أنا اللهُ فِي كُلِّ مَكانٍ!›»

29 S o they stayed beside each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle was fought. And the people of Israel killed 100, 000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day.

فَاحتَشَدَ الجَيشانِ أحَدُهُما مُقابِلَ الآخَرِ. وَفِي اليَومِ السّابِعِ ابْتَدَأ القِتالُ. فَقَتَلَ بَنُو إسْرائِيلَ فِي يَومٍ واحِدٍ مِئَةَ ألفِ جُندِيٍّ مِنَ الجَيشِ الأرامِيِّ.

30 B ut the rest ran away into the city of Aphek. And the wall fell on 27, 000 men who were left. Ben-hadad ran away and came to a room in the city.

فَهَرَبَ النّاجُونَ إلَى مَدِينَةِ أفِيقَ. فَسَقَطَ سُورُ المَدِينَةِ عَلَى سَبْعَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ ألفاً مِنْهُمْ. وَهَرَبَ بِنْهَدَدُ أيضاً إلَى المَدِينَةِ وَاختَبَأ فِي غُرْفَةٍ.

31 H is servants said to him, “Now see, we have heard that the kings of the family of Israel are kings who show kindness. Let us dress in cloth made from hair and put ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. It might be that he will save your life.”

فَقالَ لَهُ خُدّامُهُ: «سَمِعْنا أنَّ مُلُوكَ إسْرائِيلَ رُحَماءُ. فَلْنَلْبِسْ كِتّاناً خَشِناً وَنَضَعْ حِبالاً عَلَى رُؤُوسِنا. وَلْنَذْهَبْ إلَى مَلِكِ إسْرائِيلَ. فَرُبَّما يَعفُو عَنّا.»

32 S o they dressed in cloth made from hair and put ropes on their heads, and went to the king of Israel. They said to him, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘I beg you, let me live.’” Ahab said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

فَلَبِسُوا كِتّاناً خَشِناً وَوَضَعُوا حِبالاً عَلَى رُؤُوسِهِمْ. وَجاءُوا إلَى مَلِكِ إسْرائِيلَ وَقالُوا لَهُ: «يَقُولُ عَبْدُكَ بِنْهَدَدُ: ‹اعْفُ عَنِّي مِنْ فَضلِكَ.›» فَقالَ أخآبُ: «أما يَزالُ حَيّاً؟ إنِّي أعتَبِرُهُ أخاً لِي.»

33 N ow the men were watching for something special to happen. They were quick to catch his word, and said, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” Then Ahab said, “Go and bring him.” So Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab took him up into the war-wagon.

وَكانَ رِجالُ بِنْهَدَدَ يَنتَظِرُونَ كَلِمَةً يَستَبشِرُونَ بِها. فَلَمّا دَعاهُ أخآبُ أخاً لَهُ، أيَّدُوهُ فَوراً وَقالُوا: «نَعَمْ! إنَّ بِنْهَدَدَ أخٌ لَكَ.» فَقالَ أخآبُ: «أحضِرُوهُ لِي.» فَجاءَ بِنْهَدَدُ إلَى أخآبَ. فَطَلَبَ مِنْهُ أخآبُ أنْ يَركَبَ المَركَبَةَ مَعَهُ.

34 B en-hadad said to him, “I will return to you the cities which my father took from your father. And you will make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” Ahab said, “I will let you go with this agreement.” So he made an agreement with him and let him go. A Man of God Speaks

فَقالَ بِنْهَدَدُ: «سَأرُدُّ لَكَ كُلَّ المُدُنِ الَّتِي اسْتَولَى عَلَيها أبِي مِنْ أبِيكَ. وَسَأسْمَحُ لَكَ أيضاً أنْ تَفتَحَ مَتاجِرَ فِي دِمَشْقَ، كَما فَعَلَ أبِي فِي السّامِرَةِ.» فَأجابَهُ أخآبُ: «وَأنا أُطلِقُ سَراحَكَ بِناءً عَلَى وَعْدِكَ هَذا.» ثُمَّ أطلَقَ أخآبُ سَراحَ بِنْهَدَدَ. نَبِيٌّ يَتَنَبَّأُ ضِدَّ أخآب

35 N ow a certain son of the men who spoke for God said to another by the word of the Lord, “Hit me.” But the man would not hit him.

وَقالَ نَبِيٌّ لِنَبِيٍّ آخَرَ بِناءً عَلَى أمْرِ اللهِ: «اضْرِبْنِي!» لَكِنَّ النَّبِيَّ الآخَرَ رَفَضَ.

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

فَقالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ الأوَّلُ «أنتَ لَمْ تُطِعْ أمْرَ اللهِ ، لِذَلِكَ سَيَقتُلُكَ أسَدٌ عِندَما تُغادِرُ هَذا المَكانَ.» وَلَمّا غادَرَ النَّبِيُّ الآخَرُ المَكانَ، قَتَلَهُ أسَدٌ.

37 T hen he found another man and said, “Hit me.” And the man hit him, and hurt him.

فَذَهَبَ النَّبِيُّ الأوَّلُ إلَى رَجُلٍ آخَرَ وَقالَ لَهُ: «اضْرِبْنِي!» فَضَرَبَ الرَّجُلُ النَّبِيَّ وَجَرَحَهُ.

38 S o the man of God left, and waited for the king by the way. He tied a cloth over his eyes so no one would know him.

فَوَضَعَ النَّبِيُّ عُصابَةً عَلَى عَينَيهِ، لِئَلّا يَعرِفَهُ أحَدٌ. وَذَهَبَ وَانتَظَرَ المَلِكَ عَلَى الطَّرِيقِ.

39 A s the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out to the battle. A soldier turned and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Keep this man. If he is missing for any reason, you will pay for his life with your own. Or else you must pay a man’s weight in silver.’

فَلَمّا جاءَ المَلِكُ، قالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ: «كُنتُ أُقاتِلُ فِي مَيدانِ المَعرَكَةِ، فَجاءَ جُندِيٌّ مِنْ جُنُودِنا إلَيَّ وَقالَ لِي: ‹احرُسْ هَذا الأسِيرَ وَلا تَدَعْهُ يَهرُبُ. فَإنْ هَرَبَ مِنْكَ، تَدفَعُ لِي قِنطاراً مِنَ الفِضَّةِ غَرامَةً.›

40 B ut while your servant was doing things here and there, the man got away.” The king of Israel said to him, “So you must be punished. You yourself have decided it.”

لَكِنِّي انشَغَلْتُ بِأُمُورٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، فَاسْتَغَلَّ الأسِيرُ الفُرْصَةَ وَهَرَبَ.» فَأجابَهُ المَلِكُ: «أنْتَ أدَنْتَ نَفسَكَ. فَأنتَ تَعرِفُ الجَوابَ. وَتَعرِفُ أنَّ عَلَيكَ أنْ تَدفَعَ الغَرامَةَ.»

41 I n a hurry the man took the cloth away from his eyes. And the king of Israel saw that he was one of the men who speak for God.

ثُمَّ أسرَعَ النَّبِيُّ فَرَفَعَ العُصابَةَ عَنْ عَينَيهِ. فَعَرَفَ مَلِكُ إسْرائِيلَ أنَّهُ واحِدٌ مِنَ الأنبِياءِ.

42 T he man said to him, “This is what the Lord says. ‘You have let the man go whom I had given to be destroyed. So you will pay for his life with your own. And your people will pay for his people.’”

فَقالَ النَّبِيُّ لِلمَلِكِ: «يَقُولُ لَكَ اللهُ: ‹أنتَ أطلَقْتَ سَراحَ رَجُلٍ قُلْتُ أنا إنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أنْ يَمُوتَ. لِهَذا سَتَكُونُ أنْتَ عِوَضاً عَنْهُ، وَسَتَمُوتُ أنْتَ وَشَعبُكَ!›»

43 S o the king of Israel went home sad and angry, and came to Samaria.

فَمَضَى المَلِكُ إلَى بَيتِهِ فِي السّامِرَةِ مُكتَئِباً وَمَغمُوماً.