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 upH5927 and 3besiegedH6696H5921 SamariaH8111, and foughtH3898 against it. 2Then he sentH7971 messengersH4397 to the cityH5892 to AhabH256, kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, and saidH559 to him, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 Ben-hadadH1130 saysH559: 3‘Your silverH3701 and your goldH2091 are mine; your most beautifulH2896 wivesH802 and childrenH1121 are also mine.’” 4And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 repliedH6030H559, “As 4you sayH1697, my lordH113, O kingH4428; I am yours, as well as allH3605 that I have.” 5Then the messengersH4397 returnedH7725 and saidH559, “Ben-hadadH1130 saysH559 5thisH3541: ‘I did indeedH3588 sendH7971 word to you, saying, “You shall giveH5414 me your silverH3701, your goldH2091, 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 they will takeH7760 in their handsH3027 everythingH3605 that is pleasingH4261 to your eyesH5869, and takeH3947 it all awayH3947.’”

7Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 summonedH7121 allH3605 the eldersH2205 of the landH776 and saidH559, “PleaseH4994 beH3045 awareH3045 and 6seeH7200 that thisH2088 man is lookingH1245 forH1245 troubleH7463; for he sentH7971 me his demand for my wivesH802, my childrenH1121, my silverH3701, and my goldH2091, and I did not refuseH4513 him.” 8Then allH3605 the eldersH2205 and allH3605 the peopleH5971 saidH559 to him, “Do not listenH8085 norH3808 consentH14.” 9So he saidH559 to the messengersH4397 of Ben-hadadH1130, “TellH559 my lordH113 the kingH4428, ‘EverythingH3605 that you sentH7971 as a demand to your servantH5650 at the firstH7223, I will doH6213; but thisH2088 thingH1697 I cannotH3201H3808 doH6213.’” Then the messengersH4397 departedH1980, and broughtH7725 him wordH1697 againH7725. 10Ben-hadadH1130 sentH7971 word to him and saidH559, “May 7the godsH430 doH6213 soH3541 to me and moreH3254 soH3541, 8ifH518 the dustH6083 of SamariaH8111 will be enoughH8230 for handfulsH8168 for allH3605 the peopleH5971 whoH834 9followH7272 me.” 11Then the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 repliedH6030H559, “TellH1696 him, ‘10He who strapsH2296 onH2296 his weapons had better not boastH1984 like one who takesH6605 them offH6605.’” 12And when Ben-hadad heardH8085 thisH2088 messageH1697, while 11he was drinkingH8354 12with the kingsH4428 in the 13temporaryH5521 sheltersH5521, he saidH559 to his servantsH5650, “TakeH7760 your positionsH7760.” So they tookH7760 their positionsH7760 againstH5921 the cityH5892.

Ahab Victorious

13Now beholdH2009, a prophetH5030 approachedH5066 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, and saidH559, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘Have you seenH7200 allH3605 thisH2088 greatH1419 multitudeH1995? BeholdH2009, 14I am going to handH5414H3027 them overH5414 to you todayH3117, and 15you shall knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068.’” 14But AhabH256 saidH559, “By whomH4310?” So he saidH559, “The LordH3068 saysH559 thisH3541: ‘By the youngH5288 menH5288 of the leadersH8269 of the provincesH4082.’” Then he saidH559, “WhoH4310 will beginH631 the battleH4421?” And he saidH559, “You will.” 15So he musteredH6485 the youngH5288 menH5288 of the leadersH8269 of the provincesH4082, and there were 232H3967H8147H7970; and afterH310 them he musteredH6485 allH3605 the peopleH5971, allH3605 the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478: sevenH7651 thousandH505.

16They wentH3318 outH3318 at noonH6672, while 16Ben-hadadH1130 was drinkingH8354 himself drunkH7910 in the 17temporaryH5521 sheltersH5521 18with the thirty-twoH7970H8147 kingsH4428 who were helpingH5826 him. 17The youngH5288 menH5288 of the leadersH8269 of the provincesH4082 wentH3318 outH3318 firstH7223; and Ben-hadadH1130 sentH7971 outH7971 scouts, and they reportedH5046 to him, sayingH559, “MenH376 have comeH3318 outH3318 from SamariaH8111.” 1819Then he saidH559, “IfH518 they have comeH3318 outH3318 20for peaceH7965, takeH8610 them aliveH2416; or ifH518 they have comeH3318 outH3318 for warH4421, takeH8610 them aliveH2416 as well.”

19So theseH428 men wentH3318 outH3318 from the cityH5892, the youngH5288 menH5288 of the leadersH8269 of the provincesH4082, and the armyH2428 whichH834 followedH310 them. 20And they 21killedH5221, eachH376 oneH376, his manH376; and the ArameansH758 fledH5127 and IsraelH3478 pursuedH7291 them, and Ben-hadadH1130 the kingH4428 of AramH758 escapedH4422 on a horseH5483 with horsemenH6571. 21The kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 also wentH3318 outH3318 and struckH5221 the horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393, and 22killedH5221 the ArameansH758 in a greatH1419 slaughterH4347.

22Then 23the prophetH5030 approachedH5066 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559 to him, “GoH1980, showH2388 yourself courageousH2388 and beH3045 awareH3045 and seeH7200 whatH834 you have to doH6213; for 24at 25the turnH8666 of the yearH8141 the kingH4428 of AramH758 will marchH5927 againstH5921 you.”

23Now the servantsH5650 of the kingH4428 of AramH758 saidH559 to him, “26Their godsH430 are godsH430 of the mountainsH2022; forH5921 thatH5921H3651 reasonH5921H3651 they were strongerH2388 thanH4480 we. But let us fightH3898 them in the plainH4334, and we will certainlyH518H3808 be strongerH2388 thanH4480 they. 24CarryH6213 outH6213 thisH2088 27planH1697: removeH5493 the kingsH4428, eachH376 from his placeH4725, and putH7760 governorsH6346 inH8478 their placeH8478, 25and 28musterH4487 an armyH2428 like the armyH2428 that you have lostH5307H4480, horseH5483 for horseH5483 and chariotH7393 for chariotH7393. Then we will fightH3898 againstH854 them in the plainH4334, and we will certainlyH518H3808 be strongerH2388 thanH4480 they.” And he listenedH8085 to their voiceH6963 and didH6213 soH3651.

Another Aramean War

26So 29at 30the turnH8666 of the yearH8141 Ben-hadadH1130 musteredH6485 the ArameansH758 and wentH5927 upH5927 to 31AphekH663 to fightH4421 againstH5973 IsraelH3478. 27And the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 were musteredH6485 and givenH3557 provisionsH3557, and they wentH1980 to meetH7122 them; and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 campedH2583 oppositeH5048 them like twoH8147 littleH2835 flocksH2835 of goatsH5795, 32while the ArameansH758 filledH4390 the countryH776. 28Then 33a manH376 of GodH430 approachedH5066 and spokeH559 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, and saidH559, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘SinceH3282H834 the ArameansH758 have saidH559, “34The LordH3068 is a godH430 of mountainsH2022, but He is not a godH430 of valleysH6010,” therefore 35I will handH5414H3027 overH5414 to you allH3605 thisH2088 greatH1419 multitudeH1995, and you shall knowH3045 that I am the LordH3068.’” 29So they campedH2583, oneH428 oppositeH5227 the otherH428, for sevenH7651 daysH3117. And on the seventhH7637 dayH3117 the battleH4421 was joinedH7126, and the sonsH1121 of IsraelH3478 36killedH5221 of the ArameansH758 a hundredH3967 thousandH505 footH7273 soldiersH7273 in a singleH259 dayH3117. 30But the restH3498 fledH5127 to 37AphekH663 into the cityH5892, and the wallH2346 fellH5307 on twenty-sevenH6242H7651 thousandH505 menH376 who were leftH3498. And Ben-hadadH1130 fledH5127 and cameH935 into the cityH5892, going from one 38innerH2315 roomH2315 to anotherH2315.

31But 39his servantsH5650 saidH559 to him, “BeholdH2009 nowH4994, we have heardH8085 that the kingsH4428 of the houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 are mercifulH2617 kingsH4428. PleaseH4994 let’s 40putH7760 sackclothH8242 41around our waistsH4975 and ropesH2256 on our headsH7218, and goH3318 outH3318 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478; perhapsH194 he will letH2421 42you liveH2421.” 32So 43they putH2296 sackclothH8242 44around their waistsH4975 and ropesH2256 on their headsH7218, and cameH935 to the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 and saidH559, “45Your servantH5650 Ben-hadadH1130 saysH559, ‘PleaseH4994 let 46me liveH2421.’” And Ahab saidH559, “Is he stillH5750 aliveH2416? He is my brotherH251.” 33Now the menH376 tookH5172 this asH5172 aH5172 good omenH5172, and quicklyH4116 47acceptingH2480 it from him, they saidH559, “Your brotherH251 Ben-hadadH1130.” Then he saidH559, “GoH935, bringH3947 him.” Then Ben-hadadH1130 cameH3318 outH3318 to him, and he had him mountH5927 the chariotH4818. 34And Ben-hadad saidH559 to him, “48The citiesH5892 whichH834 my fatherH1 tookH3947 from your fatherH1 I will restoreH7725, and you can 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 manH376 from 49the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 saidH559 to 50anotherH7453 51by 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 leaveH1980 me, 52a lionH743 will 53killH5221 you.” And as soon as he leftH1980 him a lionH743 foundH4672 him and 54killedH5221 him. 37Then he foundH4672 anotherH312 manH376 and saidH559, “PleaseH4994 strikeH5221 me.” And the manH376 struckH5221 him, 55injuringH6481H5221 him. 38So the prophetH5030 departedH1980 and waitedH5975 for the kingH4428 by the roadH1870, and 56disguisedH2664 himself with a bandageH666 overH5921 his eyesH5869. 39And as the kingH4428 passedH5674 byH5674, he criedH6817 outH6817 to the kingH4428 and saidH559, “Your servantH5650 wentH3318 outH3318 into the midstH7130 of the battleH4421; and beholdH2009, a manH376 turnedH5493 asideH5493 and broughtH935 a manH376 to me and saidH559, ‘GuardH8104 thisH2088 manH376; ifH518 forH6485 anyH6485 reasonH6485 he goesH6485 missingH6485, 57then your lifeH5315 shall be forfeited inH8478 placeH8478 ofH8478 his lifeH5315, orH176 else you shall payH8254 a 58talentH3603 of silverH3701.’ 40Now while your servantH5650 was busyH6213 hereH2008 and thereH2008, he disappearedH369.” And the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 saidH559 to him, “SoH3651 shall your judgmentH4941 be; you yourselfH859 determinedH2782 it.” 41Then he quicklyH4116 tookH5493 the bandageH666 awayH5493 from his eyesH5869, and the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 recognizedH5234 him, that he was one of the prophetsH5030. 42And the prophet saidH559 to him, “ThisH3541 isH3541 whatH3541 the LordH3068 saysH559: ‘SinceH3282 you have letH7971 goH7971 from your handH3027 the manH376 I had designatedH2764 forH2764 destructionH2764, 59your 60lifeH5315 shall be forfeited inH8478 placeH8478 ofH8478 his 61lifeH5315, and your peopleH5971 inH8478 placeH8478 ofH8478 his peopleH5971.’” 43So 62the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 wentH1980 to his houseH1004 sullenH5620 and furiousH2198, and cameH935 to SamariaH8111.