1 Kings 20

War with Aram

1Now 1Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, 2and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and 3besieged Samaria and fought against it. 2Then he sent messengers to the city 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.’” 4The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” 5Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says 4Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,” 6but about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and 5whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will 6take in their hand and carry away.’”

7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and 7see 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.” 8All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9So 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. 10Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “May 8the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who 9follow me.” 11Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell him, ‘10Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’” 12When Ben-hadad heard this message, as 11he was drinking 12with the kings in the 13temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Ahab Victorious

13Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, 14I will deliver them into your hand today, and 15you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 14Ahab 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 16begin the battle?” And he 17answered, “You.” 15Then 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.

16They went out at noon, while 18Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the 19temporary shelters 20with the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17The 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.” 1821Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

19So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20They 22killed each his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21The king of Israel went out and 23struck the horses and chariots, and 24killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

22Then 25the 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 26at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

23Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “27Their 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. 24Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25and 28muster 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

2629At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to 30Aphek to fight against Israel. 27The 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, 31but the Arameans filled the country. 28Then 32a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “33The Lord is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore 34I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 29So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel 35killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30But the rest fled to 36Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city 37into an inner chamber.

3138His servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us 39put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your 40life.” 32So 41they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “42Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 33Now the men 43took this as an omen, and quickly 44catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he 45took him up into the chariot. 34Ben-hadad said to him, “46The 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.

35Now a certain man of 47the sons of the prophets said to 48another 49by the word of the Lord, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. 36Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, 50a lion will 51kill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and 52killed him. 37Then he found another man and said, “Please 53strike me.” And the man 54struck him, 55wounding him. 38So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and 56disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39As 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, 57then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40While 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.” 41Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets. 42He 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 58your 59life shall go for his 60life, and your people for his people.’” 43So 61the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.