1 Kings 20:30-42

30But the rest fled to 1Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city 2into an inner chamber.

313His servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us 4put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your 5life.” 32So 6they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “7Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 33Now the men 8took this as an omen, and quickly 9catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he 10took him up into the chariot. 34Ben-hadad said to him, “11The 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 12the sons of the prophets said to 13another 14by 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, 15a lion will 16kill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and 17killed him. 37Then he found another man and said, “Please 18strike me.” And the man 19struck him, 20wounding him. 38So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and 21disguised 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, 22then 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 23your 24life shall go for his 25life, and your people for his people.’”