1 Kings 20

Ben-hadad Attacks Samaria

1Now Ben-hadadH1130 kingH4428 of AramH758 assembledH6908 his entireH3605 armyH2428. Accompanied byH854 thirty-twoH7970H8147 kingsH4428 with their horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393, he marched upH5927, besiegedH6696H5921 SamariaH8111, and waged warH3898 against it. 2Then he sentH7971 messengersH4397 into the cityH5892 toH413 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, 3sayingH559, “This is whatH3541 Ben-hadadH1130 saysH559:1 ‘Your silverH3701 and goldH2091 areH1931 mine, and your bestH2896 wivesH802 and childrenH1121 areH1992 mine!’”

4And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478H559 repliedH6030, “Just as you sayH1697, my lordH113 the kingH4428: I am yoursH589, along with allH3605 thatH834 I have.”

5The messengersH4397 came backH7725 and saidH559, “This is whatH3541 Ben-hadadH1130 saysH559: ‘I have sentH7971 to youH413H559 to demandH559H3588 your silverH3701, your goldH2091, your wivesH802, and your childrenH1121. 6ButH3588 aboutH518 this timeH6256 tomorrowH4279 I will sendH7971 my servantsH5650 to searchH2664 your palaceH1004 andH853 the housesH1004 of your servantsH5650. They will seizeH7760H3027 and carry awayH3947 all thatH3605 isH1961 preciousH4261 to youH5869.’”

7Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 summonedH7121 allH3605 the eldersH2205 of the landH776 and saidH559, “PleaseH4994 take noteH3045 and seeH7200 thatH3588 thisH2088 man is looking forH1245 troubleH7451, forH3588 when he demandedH7971H413 my wivesH802, my childrenH1121, my silverH3701, and my goldH2091, I did notH3808 denyH4513 himH4480.”

8And the eldersH2205 andH3605 the peopleH5971 allH3605 saidH559, “Do notH408 listen to himH8085 orH3808 consent to his termsH14.”

9So Ahab answeredH559 the messengersH4397 of Ben-hadadH1130, “TellH559 my lordH113 the kingH4428, ‘AllH3605 thatH834 you demandedH7971 ofH413 your servantH5650 the first timeH7223 I will doH6213, but thisH2088 thingH1697 I cannotH3808H3201 doH6213.’”

So the messengersH4397 departedH1980 and relayed the message toH1697H7725 Ben-hadad.

10Then Ben-hadadH1130 sentH7971 another messageH559 toH413 Ahab: “May the godsH430 dealH3541 with me, and ever soH3541 severelyH3254, ifH518 enough dustH6083 remainsH5606 of SamariaH8111 for eachH3605 of my menH5971 to have a handfulH8168.”

11And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478H559 repliedH6030, “Tell himH1696: ‘The one putting onH2296 his armor should notH408 boastH1984 like one takingH6605 it off.’”

12

Ben-hadad receivedH8085 thisH2088 messageH1697 while heH1931 and the kingsH4428 were drinkingH8354H1931 in their tentsH5521,2 and he saidH559 toH413 his servantsH5650, “Take your positionsH7760.” So they stationed themselvesH7760 againstH5921 the cityH5892.

Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad

13MeanwhileH2009 aH259 prophetH5030 approachedH5066H413 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and declaredH559, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘Do you seeH7200 thisH2088 entireH3605 greatH1419 armyH1995? BeholdH2005, I will deliver itH5414 into your handH3027 this very dayH3117, and you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589 am the LORDH3068.’”

14“By whomH4310?” AhabH256 askedH559.

And the prophet repliedH559, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘By the young officersH5288 of the districtH4082 governorsH8269.’”

“WhoH4310 will startH631 the battleH4421?” askedH559 Ahab.

“YouH859 will,” answered the prophetH559.

15So Ahab assembledH6485 the young officersH5288 of the districtH4082 governorsH8269, and there wereH1961 232 menH3967H8147H7970. And after themH310, he assembledH6485 the rest of the IsraeliteH1121H3478 troopsH5971, 7,000H7651H505 in allH3605.

16They marched outH3318 at noonH6672 while Ben-hadadH1130 and the 32H7970H8147H4428 kingsH4428 alliedH5826 with himH853 were in their tentsH5521H1931 gettingH8354 drunkH7910. 17And the young officersH5288 of the districtH4082 governorsH8269 marched out firstH3318H7223.

Now Ben-hadadH1130 had sent out scoutsH7971, who reportedH5046 to him, “MenH582 are marching outH3318 of SamariaH8111.”

18“IfH518 they have marched outH3318 in peaceH7965,” he saidH559, “take themH8610 aliveH2416. Even ifH518 they have marched outH3318 for warH4421, take themH8610 aliveH2416.”

19Meanwhile, theseH428 young officersH5288 of the districtH4082 governorsH8269 marched outH3318 ofH4480 the cityH5892, with the armyH2428 behind themH310, 20and eachH376 one struck downH5221 his opponentH376. So the ArameansH758 fledH5127, with the IsraelitesH3478 in pursuitH7291. But Ben-hadadH1130 kingH4428 of AramH758 escapedH4422 onH5921 horsebackH5483 with the cavalryH6571.

21Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 marched outH3318 and attackedH5221 the horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393, inflictingH5221 a greatH1419 slaughterH4347 on the ArameansH758.

22Afterward, the prophetH5030H413 approachedH5066 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “GoH1980 and strengthenH2388 your position, and take noteH3045H7200 whatH834 you must doH6213, forH3588 in the springH8666H81413 the kingH4428 of AramH758 will come upH5927 against youH5921.”

23Meanwhile, the servantsH5650 of the kingH4428 of AramH758 saidH559 to himH413, “Their godsH430 are godsH430 of the hillsH2022. That is whyH5921H3651 they prevailedH2388 over usH4480. InsteadH199, we should fightH3898 themH854 on the plainsH4334; surely thenH518 we will prevailH2388. 24SoH853 doH6213 thisH2088: DismissH5493 allH376 the kingsH4428 from their positionsH4725 and replace themH7760H8478 with other officersH6346. 25And youH859 must raiseH4487 an armyH2428 like theH2428 one you have lostH5307—horseH5483 for horseH5483 and chariotH7393 for chariotH7393—so we can fightH3898 the Israelites on the plainH4334, where we will surelyH518H3808 prevailH2388.”

And the king approvedH8085 their planH6963 and actedH6213 accordinglyH3651.

26

Another War with Ben-hadad

In the springH8666H8141, Ben-hadadH1130 mobilizedH6485 the ArameansH1130H758 and went upH5927 to AphekH663 to fightH4421 againstH5973 IsraelH3478. 27The IsraelitesH1121H3478 also mobilizedH6485, gathered suppliesH3557, and marched outH1980 to meet themH7122.

The IsraelitesH1121H3478 campedH2583 before themH5048 like twoH8147 small flocksH2835 of goatsH5795, while the ArameansH758 coveredH4390 the countrysideH776.

28Then the manH376 of GodH430 approachedH5066 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘BecauseH3282 the ArameansH758 have said thatH559 the LORDH3068 is a godH430 of the hillsH2022 and notH3808 of the valleysH6010H1931, I will deliverH5414 allH3605 thisH2088 greatH1419 armyH1995 into your handH3027. Then you will knowH3045 thatH3588 IH589 am the LORDH3068.’”

29For sevenH7651 daysH3117 the armies campedH2583 opposite each otherH428H5227, andH1961 on the seventhH7637 dayH3117 the battleH4421 ensuedH7126, and the IsraelitesH1121H3478 struck downH5221 the ArameansH758—a hundredH3967 thousandH505 foot soldiersH7273 in oneH259 dayH3117.

30The rest of themH3498 fledH5127 intoH413 the cityH5892 of AphekH663, where the wallH2346 fellH5307 onH5921 twenty-sevenH6242H7651 thousandH505 of the remainingH3498 menH376. Ben-hadadH1130 also fledH5127 to the cityH5892 and hidH935 inH413 an inner roomH2315.

Ahab Spares Ben-hadad

31Then the servants ofH5650 Ben-hadad saidH559 to himH413, “LookH2009 nowH4994, we have heardH8085 thatH3588 the kingsH4428 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478H3588 are mercifulH2617H1992. Let us go outH3318 toH413 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 with sackclothH8242 around our waistsH4975 and ropesH2256 around our headsH7218. PerhapsH194 he will spareH2421 your lifeH5315.”

32SoH2296 with sackclothH8242 around their waistsH4975 and ropesH2256 around their headsH7218, they wentH935 toH413 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “Your servantH5650 Ben-hadadH1130 saysH559, ‘PleaseH4994 spareH2421 my lifeH5315.’”

And the king answeredH559, “Is he stillH5750 aliveH2416? HeH1931 is my brotherH251.”

33Now the menH582 were looking for a sign of hopeH5172, and they quicklyH4116 graspedH2480H4480 at this word and repliedH559, “Yes, your brotherH251 Ben-hadadH1130.”

“GoH935 and get himH3947!” saidH559 the king.

Then Ben-hadadH1130 came outH3318, and Ahab had him come upH5927 intoH5921 his chariotH4818.

34Ben-hadad saidH559 to himH413, “I will restoreH7725 the citiesH5892 my fatherH1 tookH3947 fromH854 your fatherH1; you may set upH7760 your own marketplacesH2351 in DamascusH1834, asH834 my fatherH1 did in SamariaH8111.”

“By this treatyH12854 IH589 release youH7971,” Ahab replied. So he madeH3772 a treatyH1285 with him and sent him awayH7971.

A Prophet Reproves Ahab

35Meanwhile, by the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068, oneH376H259 of the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 saidH559 toH413 his companionH7453, “Strike meH5221, pleaseH4994!”

But the man refusedH3985H376 to strike himH5221.

36Then the prophet saidH559 to him, “BecauseH3282 you have notH3808 obeyedH8085 the voiceH6963 of the LORDH3068, as soon asH2005 you departH1980 from meH854 a lionH738 will kill youH5221.”

And when he leftH1980H681, a lionH738 found himH4672 and killed himH5221.

37Then the prophet foundH4672 anotherH312 manH376 and saidH559, “Strike meH5221, pleaseH4994!”

So the manH376 struck himH5221 and wounded himH5221H6481, 38and the prophetH5030 wentH1980 and waitedH5975 onH5921 the roadH1870 for the kingH4428, disguising himselfH2664 with a bandageH666 overH5921 his eyesH5869.

39

As the kingH4428 passed byH5674, heH1931 cried outH6817 toH413 the kingH4428: “Your servantH5650 had marched outH3318 into the middleH7130 of the battleH4421, when suddenlyH2009 a manH376 came overH5493 withH935 a captiveH376 and toldH559 meH413, ‘GuardH8104 thisH2088 manH376! IfH518 he goes missingH6485 for any reasonH6485, your lifeH5315 will be exchangedH1961 forH8478 his lifeH5315, orH176 you will weigh outH8254 a talentH3603 of silverH3701.5’ 40But while your servantH5650 wasH1961 busyH6213 hereH2007 and thereH2007, the man disappearedH369.”

And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to himH413, “SoH3651 shall your judgmentH4941 be; you have pronounced itH2782 on yourselfH859.”

41Then the prophet quicklyH4116 removedH5493 the bandageH666 fromH5921 his eyesH5869, and the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 recognizedH5234 himH853 asH3588 one of the prophetsH5030.

42And the prophet saidH559 toH413 the king, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘BecauseH3282 you have let slipH7971 from your handH3027 the manH376 I had devoted to destructionH2764,6 your lifeH5315 will be exchangedH1961 forH8478 his lifeH5315, and your peopleH5971 forH8478 his peopleH5971.’”

43SullenH5620 and angryH2198, the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 wentH1980 homeH1004 to SamariaH8111.