1 Kings 20

War with Aram

1Now 1Ben-hadadH1130 kingH4428 of AramH758 gatheredH6908 allH3605 his armyH2428, 2and there were thirty-twoH7970H8147 kingsH4428 with him, and horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393. And he wentH5927 up and 3besiegedH6696H5921 SamariaH8111 and foughtH3898 against it. 2Then he sentH7971 messengersH4397 to the cityH5892 to AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559 to him, “ThusH3541 saysH559 Ben-hadadH1130, 3‘Your silverH3701 and your goldH2091 are mine; your most beautifulH2896 wivesH802 and childrenH1121 are also mine.’” 4The kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 repliedH6030, “It is according to your wordH1697, my lordH113, O kingH4428; I am yours, and allH3605 that I have.” 5Then the messengersH4397 returnedH7725 and saidH559, “ThusH3541 saysH559 4Ben-hadadH1130, ‘SurelyH3588, I sentH7971 to you sayingH559, “You shall giveH5414 me your silverH3701 and your goldH2091 and your wivesH802 and your childrenH1121,” 6but about this timeH6256 tomorrowH4279 I will sendH7971 my servantsH5650 to you, and they will searchH2664 your houseH1004 and the housesH1004 of your servantsH5650; and 5whateverH3605 is desirableH4261 in your eyesH5869, they will 6takeH7760 in their handH3027 and carryH3947 away.’”

7Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 calledH7121 allH3605 the eldersH2205 of the landH776 and saidH559, “PleaseH4994 observeH3045 and 7seeH7200 howH3588 thisH2088 man is lookingH1245 for troubleH7463; for he sentH7971 to me for my wivesH802 and my childrenH1121 and my silverH3701 and my goldH2091, and I did not refuseH4513 him.” 8AllH3605 the eldersH2205 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 saidH559 to him, “Do not listenH8085 or consentH14.” 9So he saidH559 to the messengersH4397 of Ben-hadadH1130, “TellH559 my lordH113 the kingH4428, ‘AllH3605 that you sentH7971 for to your servantH5650 at the firstH7223 I will doH6213, but thisH2088 thingH1697 I cannotH3201H3808 doH6213.’” And the messengersH4397 departedH1980 and broughtH7725 him wordH1697 againH7725. 10Ben-hadadH1130 sentH7971 to him and saidH559, “May 8the godsH430 doH6213 soH3541 to me and moreH3254 alsoH3541, ifH518 the dustH6083 of SamariaH8111 will sufficeH8230 for handfulsH8168 for allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 9followH7272 me.” 11Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 repliedH6030, “TellH1696 him, ‘10Let not him who girdsH2296 on his armor boastH1984 like him who takesH6605 it offH6605.’” 12When Ben-hadad heardH8085 thisH2088 messageH1697, as 11he was drinkingH8354 12with the kingsH4428 in the 13temporaryH5521 sheltersH5521, he saidH559 to his servantsH5650, “StationH7760 yourselves.” So they stationedH7760 themselves againstH5921 the cityH5892.

Ahab Victorious

13Now beholdH2009, a prophetH5030 approachedH5066 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘Have you seenH7200 allH3605 thisH2088 greatH1419 multitudeH1995? BeholdH2009, 14I will deliverH5414 them into your handH3027 todayH3117, and 15you shall knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068.’” 14AhabH256 saidH559, “By whomH4310?” So he saidH559, “ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘By the youngH5288 menH5288 of the rulersH8269 of the provincesH4082.’” Then he saidH559, “WhoH4310 shall 16beginH631 the battleH4421?” And he 17answeredH559, “You.” 15Then he musteredH6485 the youngH5288 menH5288 of the rulersH8269 of the provincesH4082, and there were 232H3967H8147H7970; and afterH310 them he musteredH6485 allH3605 the peopleH5971, even allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478, 7,000H7651H505.

16They wentH3318 out at noonH6672, while 18Ben-hadadH1130 was drinkingH8354 himself drunkH7910 in the 19temporaryH5521 sheltersH5521 20with the thirty-twoH7970H8147 kingsH4428 who helpedH5826 him. 17The youngH5288 menH5288 of the rulersH8269 of the provincesH4082 wentH3318 out firstH7223; and Ben-hadadH1130 sentH7971 out and they toldH5046 him, sayingH559, “MenH376 have comeH3318 out from SamariaH8111.” 1821Then he saidH559, “IfH518 they have comeH3318 out for peaceH7965, takeH8610 them aliveH2416; or ifH518 they have comeH3318 out for warH4421, takeH8610 them aliveH2416.”

19So theseH428 wentH3318 out from the cityH5892, the youngH5288 menH5288 of the rulersH8269 of the provincesH4082, and the armyH2428 whichH834 followedH310 them. 20They 22killedH5221 eachH376 his manH376; and the ArameansH758 fledH5127 and IsraelH3478 pursuedH7291 them, and Ben-hadadH1130 kingH4428 of AramH758 escapedH4422 on a horseH5483 with horsemenH6571. 21The kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 wentH3318 out and 23struckH5221 the horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393, and 24killedH5221 the ArameansH758 with a greatH1419 slaughterH4347.

22Then 25the prophetH5030 cameH5066 nearH5066 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559 to him, “GoH1980, strengthenH2388 yourself and observeH3045 and seeH7200 whatH834 you have to doH6213; for 26at the turnH8666 of the yearH8141 the kingH4428 of AramH758 will comeH5927 up againstH5921 you.”

23Now the servantsH5650 of the kingH4428 of AramH758 saidH559 to him, “27Their godsH430 are godsH430 of the mountainsH2022, thereforeH5921H3651 they were strongerH2388 thanH4480 we; but ratherH199 let us fightH3898 againstH854 them in the plainH4334, and surelyH518H3808 we will be strongerH2388 thanH4480 they. 24DoH6213 thisH2088 thingH1697: removeH5493 the kingsH4428, eachH376 from his placeH4725, and putH7760 captainsH6346 in their placeH8478, 25and 28musterH4487 an armyH2428 like the armyH2428 that you have lostH5307, horseH5483 for horseH5483, and chariotH7393 for chariotH7393. Then we will fightH3898 againstH854 them in the plainH4334, and surelyH518H3808 we will be strongerH2388 thanH4480 they.” And he listenedH8085 to their voiceH6963 and didH6213 soH3651.

Another Aramean War

2629At the turnH8666 of the yearH8141, Ben-hadadH1130 musteredH6485 the ArameansH758 and wentH5927 up to 30AphekH663 to fightH4421 againstH5973 IsraelH3478. 27The sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 were musteredH6485 and were provisionedH3557 and wentH1980 to meetH7122 them; and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 campedH2583 beforeH5048 them like twoH8147 littleH2835 flocksH2835 of goatsH5795, 31but the ArameansH758 filledH4390 the countryH776. 28Then 32a manH376 of GodH430 cameH5066 nearH5066 and spokeH559 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘BecauseH3282H834 the ArameansH758 have saidH559, “33The LordH3068 is a godH430 of the mountainsH2022, but He is not a godH430 of the valleysH6010,” therefore 34I will giveH5414 allH3605 thisH2088 greatH1419 multitudeH1995 into your handH3027, and you shall knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068.’” 29So they campedH2583 oneH428 overH5227 againstH5227 the otherH428 sevenH7651 daysH3117. And on the seventhH7637 dayH3117 the battleH4421 was joinedH7126, and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 35killedH5221 of the ArameansH758 100,000H3967H505 footH7273 soldiersH7273 in oneH259 dayH3117. 30But the restH3498 fledH5127 to 36AphekH663 into the cityH5892, and the wallH2346 fellH5307 on 27,000H6242H7651H505 menH376 who were leftH3498. And Ben-hadadH1130 fledH5127 and cameH935 into the cityH5892 37into an innerH2315 chamberH2315.

3138His servantsH5650 saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009 nowH4994, we have heardH8085 that the kingsH4428 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 are mercifulH2617 kingsH4428, pleaseH4994 let us 39putH7760 sackclothH8242 on our loinsH4975 and ropesH2256 on our headsH7218, and goH3318 out to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478; perhapsH194 he will saveH2421 your 40lifeH5315.” 32So 41they girdedH2296 sackclothH8242 on their loinsH4975 and put ropesH2256 on their headsH7218, and cameH935 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “42Your servantH5650 Ben-hadadH1130 saysH559, ‘PleaseH4994 let me liveH2421.’” And he saidH559, “Is he stillH5750 aliveH2416? He is my brotherH251.” 33Now the menH376 43tookH5172 this as an omenH5172, and quicklyH4116 44catchingH2480 his word saidH559, “Your brotherH251 Ben-hadadH1130.” Then he saidH559, “GoH935, bringH3947 him.” Then Ben-hadadH1130 cameH3318 out to him, and he 45tookH5927 him up into the chariotH4818. 34Ben-hadad saidH559 to him, “46The citiesH5892 whichH834 my fatherH1 tookH3947 from your fatherH1 I will restoreH7725, and you shall makeH7760 streetsH2351 for yourself in DamascusH1834, as my fatherH1 madeH7760 in SamariaH8111.” Ahab said, “And I will letH7971 you goH7971 with this covenantH1285.” So he madeH3772 a covenantH1285 with him and letH7971 him goH7971.

35Now a certainH259 manH376 of 47the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 saidH559 to 48anotherH7453 49by the wordH1697 of the LordH3068, “PleaseH4994 strikeH5221 me.” But the manH376 refusedH3985 to strikeH5221 him. 36Then he saidH559 to him, “BecauseH3282H834 you have not listenedH8085 to the voiceH6963 of the LordH3068, beholdH2009, as soon as you have departedH1980 from me, 50a lionH743 will 51killH5221 you.” And as soon as he had departedH1980 from him a lionH743 foundH4672 him and 52killedH5221 him. 37Then he foundH4672 anotherH312 manH376 and saidH559, “PleaseH4994 53strikeH5221 me.” And the manH376 54struckH5221 him, 55woundingH6481H5221 him. 38So the prophetH5030 departedH1980 and waitedH5975 for the kingH4428 by the wayH1870, and 56disguisedH2664 himself with a bandageH666 overH5921 his eyesH5869. 39As the kingH4428 passedH5674 by, he criedH6817 to the kingH4428 and saidH559, “Your servantH5650 wentH3318 out into the midstH7130 of the battleH4421; and beholdH2009, a manH376 turnedH5493 asideH5493 and broughtH935 a manH376 to me and saidH559, ‘GuardH8104 thisH2088 manH376; ifH518 for anyH6485 reasonH6485 he is missingH6485, 57then your lifeH5315 shall be for his lifeH5315, orH176 else you shall payH8254 a talentH3603 of silverH3701.’ 40While your servantH5650 was busyH6213 hereH2008 and thereH2008, he was goneH369.” And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to him, “SoH3651 shall your judgmentH4941 be; you yourselfH859 have decidedH2782 it.” 41Then he hastilyH4116 tookH5493 the bandageH666 awayH5493 from his eyesH5869, and the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 recognizedH5234 him that he was of the prophetsH5030. 42He saidH559 to him, “ThusH3541 saysH559 the LordH3068, ‘BecauseH3282 you have letH7971 goH7971 out of your handH3027 the manH376 whom I had devotedH2764 to destructionH2764, therefore 58your 59lifeH5315 shall goH1961 for his 60lifeH5315, and your peopleH5971 for his peopleH5971.’” 43So 61the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 wentH1980 to his houseH1004 sullenH5620 and vexedH2198, and cameH935 to SamariaH8111.