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.

And Ben-Hadad king of Aram hath gathered all his force, and thirty and two kings with him, and horse and chariot, and he goeth up and layeth siege against Samaria, and fighteth with it,

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

and sendeth messengers unto Ahab king of Israel, to the city,

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

and saith to him, `Thus said Ben-Hadad, `Thy silver and thy gold are mine, and thy wives and thy sons -- the best -- are mine.'

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

And the king of Israel answereth and saith, `According to thy word, my lord, O king: I thine, and all that I have.'

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.”

And the messengers turn back and say, `Thus spake Ben-Hadad, saying, Surely I sent unto thee, saying, Thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy sons, to me thou dost give;

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.’”

for if, at this time to-morrow, I send my servants unto thee then they have searched thy house, and the houses of thy servants, and it hath been, every desirable thing of thine eyes they place in their hand, and have taken away.'

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.”

And the king of Israel calleth to all the elders of the land, and saith, `Know, I pray you, and see that evil this is seeking, for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I withheld not from him.'

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

And all the elders and all the people say unto him, `Do not hearken, nor consent.'

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.

And he saith to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, `Say to my lord the king, All that thou didst send for unto thy servant at the first I do, and this thing I am not able to do;' and the messengers go and take him back word.

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.”

And Ben-Hadad sendeth unto him, and saith, `Thus do the gods to me, and thus do they add, if the dust of Samaria suffice for handfuls for all the people who at my feet.'

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.’”

And the king of Israel answereth and saith, `Speak ye: let not him who is girding on boast himself as him who is loosing.'

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.

And it cometh to pass at the hearing of this word -- and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the booths -- that he saith unto his servants, `Set yourselves;' and they set themselves against the city.

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.’”

And lo, a certain prophet hath come nigh unto Ahab king of Israel, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, `Hast thou seen all this great multitude? lo, I am giving it into thy hand to-day, and thou hast known that I Jehovah.'

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.”

And Ahab saith, `By whom?' and he saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By the young men of the heads of the provinces;' and he saith, `Who doth direct the battle?' and he saith, `Thou.'

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.

And he inspecteth the young men of the heads of the provinces, and they are two hundred, two and thirty, and after them he hath inspecteth the whole of the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand,

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.

and they go out at noon, and Ben-Hadad is drinking -- drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings, helping him.

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.”

And the young men of the heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sendeth, and they declare to him, saying, `Men have come out of Samaria.'

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

And he saith, `If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.'

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

And these have gone out of the city -- the young men of the heads of the provinces -- and the force that after them,

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.

and smite each his man, and Aram fleeth, and Israel pursueth them, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapeth on a horse, and the horsemen;

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

and the king of Israel goeth out, and smiteth the horses, and the charioteers, and hath smitten among the Aramaeans a great smiting.

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

And the prophet cometh nigh unto the king of Israel, and saith to him, `Go, strengthen thyself, and know and see that which thou dost, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram is coming up against thee.'

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.

And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him, `Gods of hills their gods, therefore they were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not stronger than they?

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

`And this thing do thou: turn aside the kings each out of his place, and set captains in their stead;

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.

and thou, number to thee a force as the force that is fallen from thee, and horse for horse, and chariot for chariot, and we fight with them in the plain; are we not stronger than they?' and he hearkeneth to their voice, and doth so.

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

And it cometh to pass at the turn of the year, that Ben-Hadad inspecteth the Aramaeans, and goeth up to Aphek, to battle with Israel,

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.

and the sons of Israel have been inspected, and supported, and go to meet them, and the sons of Israel encamp before them, like two flocks of goats, and the Aramaeans have filled the land.

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.’”

And there cometh nigh a man of God, and speaketh unto the king of Israel, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, Because that the Aramaeans have said, God of hills Jehovah, and He not God of valleys -- I have given the whole of this great multitude into thy hand, and ye have known that I Jehovah.'

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.

And they encamp one over-against another seven days, and it cometh to pass on the seventh day, that the battle draweth near, and the sons of Israel smite Aram -- a hundred thousand footmen in one day.

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.

And those left flee to Aphek, unto the city, and the wall falleth on twenty and seven chief men who are left, and Ben-Hadad hath fled, and cometh in unto the city, into the innermost part.

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.”

And his servants say unto him, `Lo, we pray thee, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel -- that they are kind kings; let us put, we pray thee, sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our heads, and we go out unto the king of Israel; it may be he doth keep thee alive.'

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.”

And they gird sackcloth on their loins, and ropes on their heads, and they come in unto the king of Israel, and say, `Thy servant Ben-Hadad hath said, Let me live, I pray thee;' and he saith, `Is he yet alive? he my brother.'

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.

And the men observe diligently, and hasten, and catch it from him, and say, `Thy brother Ben-Hadad;' and he saith, `Go ye in, bring him;' and Ben-Hadad cometh out unto him, and he causeth him to come up on the chariot.

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

And he saith unto him, `The cities that my father took from thy father, I give back, and streets thou dost make for thee in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria;' -- `and I, with a covenant, send thee away;' and he maketh with him a covenant, and sendeth him away.

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.

And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour by the word of Jehovah, `Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man refuseth to smite him,

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.

and he saith to him, `Because that thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, lo, thou art going from me, and the lion hath smitten thee;' and he goeth from him, and the lion findeth him, and smiteth him.

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

And he findeth another man, and saith, `Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man smiteth him, smiting and wounding,

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.

and the prophet goeth and standeth for the king on the way, and disguiseth himself with ashes on his eyes.

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.’

And it cometh to pass -- the king is passing by -- that he hath cried unto the king, and saith, `Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle, and lo, a man hath turned aside and bringeth in unto me a man, and saith, Keep this man; if he be at all missing, then hath thy life been for his life, or a talent of silver thou dost weigh out;

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.”

and it cometh to pass, thy servant is working hither and thither, and he is not!' and the king of Israel saith unto him, Right thy judgment; thou hast determined.'

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.

And he hasteth and turneth aside the ashes from off his eyes, and the king of Israel discerneth him, that he of the prophets,

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.’”

and he saith unto him, `Thus said Jehovah, Because thou hast sent away the man I devoted, out of hand, even thy life hath been for his life, and thy people for his people;'

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

and the king of Israel goeth unto his house, sulky and wroth, and cometh in to Samaria.