Now aBen-hadad king
of Aram
gathered
all
his army
, band there were thirty-two
kings
with him, and horses
and chariots
. And he went
up and cbesieged
Samaria
and fought
against it.
Then he sent messengers
to the city
to Ahab
king
of Israel
and said
to him, "Thus
says
Ben-hadad
,
`Your silver and your gold
are mine; your most beautiful
wives
and children
are also mine.' "
The king of Israel
replied
, "It is according to your word
, my lord
, O king
; I am yours, and all
that I have."
Then the messengers returned
and said
, "Thus
says
1Ben-hadad
, `Surely
, I sent
to you saying
, "You shall give
me your silver
and your gold
and your wives
and your children
,"
but about this time tomorrow
I will send
my servants
to you, and they will search
your house
and the houses
of your servants
; and 1whatever
is desirable
in your eyes
, they will 2take
in their hand
and carry
away.' "
Then the king of Israel
called
all
the elders
of the land
and said
, "Please
observe
and asee
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."
All the elders
and all
the people
said
to him, "Do not listen
or consent
."
So 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
.
Ben-hadad sent
to him and said
, "May athe gods
do
so
to me and more
also
, if
the dust
of Samaria
will suffice
for handfuls
for all
the people
who
1follow
me."
Then the king of Israel
replied
, "Tell
him, ` aLet not him who girds
on his armor boast
like him who takes
it off
.' "
When Ben-hadad heard this
message
, as ahe was drinking
1with the kings
in the 2temporary
shelters
, he said
to his servants
, "Station
yourselves." So they stationed
themselves against
the city
.
Now behold, a prophet
approached
Ahab
king
of Israel
and said
, "Thus
says
the LORD
, `Have you seen
all
this
great
multitude
? Behold
, aI will deliver
them into your hand
today
, and byou shall know
that I am the LORD
.' "
Ahab 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 1begin
the battle
?" And he 2answered
, "You."
Then 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
.
They went out at noon
, while aBen-hadad
was drinking
himself drunk
in the 1temporary
shelters
2with the thirty-two
kings
who helped
him.
The 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
."
aThen he said, "If
they have come
out for peace
, take
them alive
; or if
they have come
out for war
, take
them alive
."
So these went
out from the city
, the young
men
of the rulers
of the provinces
, and the army
which
followed
them.
They 1killed each
his man
; and the Arameans
fled
and Israel
pursued
them, and Ben-hadad
king
of Aram
escaped
on a horse
with horsemen
.
The king of Israel
went
out and 1struck
the horses
and chariots
, and 1killed
the Arameans
with a great
slaughter
.
Then athe 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 bat the turn
of the year
the king
of Aram
will come
up against
you."
Now the servants of the king
of Aram
said
to him, " aTheir 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.
"Do this
thing
: remove
the kings
, each
from his place
, and put
captains
in their place
,
and 1muster 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
.
aAt the turn of the year
, Ben-hadad
mustered
the Arameans
and went
up to bAphek
to fight
against
Israel
.
The 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
, abut the Arameans
filled
the country
.
Then aa man of God
came
near
and spoke
to the king
of Israel
and said
, "Thus
says
the LORD
, `Because
the Arameans
have said
, " bThe LORD
is a god
of the mountains
, but He is not a god
of the valleys
," therefore cI will give
all
this
great
multitude
into your hand
, and you shall know
that I am the LORD
.' "
So they camped one
over
against
the other
seven
days
. And on the seventh
day
the battle
was joined
, and the sons
of Israel
1killed
of the Arameans
100,000
foot
soldiers
in one
day
.
But the rest fled
to aAphek
into the city
, and the wall
fell
on 27,000
men
who were left
. And Ben-hadad
fled
and came
into the city
binto an inner
chamber
.
aHis servants said
to him, "Behold
now
, we have heard
that the kings
of the house
of Israel
are merciful
kings
, please
let us bput
sackcloth
on our loins
and ropes
on our heads
, and go
out to the king
of Israel
; perhaps
he will save
your 1life
."
So athey girded sackcloth
on their loins
and put ropes
on their heads
, and came
to the king
of Israel
and said
, " bYour servant
Ben-hadad
says
, `Please
let me live
.' " And he said
, "Is he still
alive
? He is my brother
."
Now the men 1took
this as an omen
, and quickly
2catching
his word said
, "Your brother
Ben-hadad
." Then he said
, "Go
, bring
him." Then Ben-hadad
came
out to him, and he 3took
him up into the chariot
.
Ben-hadad said to him, " aThe 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
.
Now a certain man
of athe sons
of the prophets
said
to 1another
bby the word
of the LORD
, "Please
strike
me." But the man
refused
to strike
him.
Then he said to him, "Because
you have not listened
to the voice
of the LORD
, behold
, as soon as you have departed
from me, aa lion
will 1kill
you." And as soon as he had departed
from him a lion
found
him and 2killed
him.
Then he found another
man
and said
, "Please
1strike
me." And the man
2struck
him, 3wounding
him.
So the prophet departed
and waited
for the king
by the way
, and adisguised
himself with a bandage
over
his eyes
.
As 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
, athen your life
shall be for his life
, or
else you shall pay
a talent
of silver
.'
"While 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."
Then he hastily took
the bandage
away
from his eyes
, and the king
of Israel
recognized
him that he was of the prophets
.
He 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 ayour 1life
shall go
for his 1life
, and your people
for his people
.' "
So athe king of Israel
went
to his house
sullen
and vexed
, and came
to Samaria
.