Now ^aBen-hadad king of Aram gathered all his military force, ^band there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and ^cbesieged Samaria and fought against it. 2 Then 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.’” 4 Then the king of Israel answered and said, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 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,” 6 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 put in their hand and carry away.’”

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please know 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 withheld nothing from him.” 8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9 So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Say to 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. 10 Then Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “May ^athe gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will be sufficient for ¹a handful for all the people who ²follow me.” 11 Then the king of Israel answered and said, “Speak to him, ‘^aLet not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’” 12 Now it happened that when Ben-hadad heard this message, as ^ahe was drinking ¹with the kings in the booths, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

13 Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, ^aI will deliver them into your hand today, and ^byou shall know that I am Yahweh.’” 14 And Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall ¹begin the battle?” And he said, “You.” 15 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.

16 And they went out at noon, while ^aBen-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths ¹with the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17 And 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.” 18 ^aThen he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

19 So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the military force which followed them. 20 And they each struck his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21 And the king of Israel went out and struck down the horses and chariots, and struck the Arameans with a great slaughter.

22 Then ^athe prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and know and see what you have to do; for ^bat the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

23 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. 24 Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25 and you shall number a military force like the military force 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.

26 ^aNow it happened at the turn of the year, that Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to ^bAphek to fight against Israel. 27 Now the sons of Israel were mustered and were provided for and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, ^abut the Arameans filled the land. 28 Then ^aa man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “^bYahweh 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 Yahweh.’” 29 So they camped one opposite the other seven days. Now it happened that on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel struck down of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30 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.

31 ^aThen his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are kings of lovingkindness, please let us ^bput sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will preserve your ¹life.” 32 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.” 33 Now the men interpreted this as an omen, and hastily ¹catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he ²took him up into the chariot. 34 And Ben-hadad said to him, “^aThe cities which my father took from your father I will return, 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 cut a covenant with him and let him go.

35 Now a certain man of ^athe sons of the prophets said to ¹another ^bby the word of Yahweh, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. 36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of Yahweh, behold, as soon as you walk away from me, ^aa lion will strike you down.” And as soon as he had walked away from him, a lion found him and struck him down. 37 Then he found another man and said, “Please ¹strike me.” And the man ²struck him, ³wounding him. 38 So the prophet walked away and stood by, for the king by the way, and ^adisguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 Now it happened that as the king was passing by, he cried out 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 ¹talent of silver.’ 40 Now it happened that 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.” 41 Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him, that he was of the prophets. 42 And he said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore ^ayour ¹life shall go for his ²life, and your people for his people.’” 43 So ^athe king of Israel went to his house sullen and enraged, and came to Samaria.

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. 2 Then 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.’” 4 The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 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,” 6 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.’”

7 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.” 8 All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9 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. 10 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.” 11 Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell him, ‘^aLet not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’” 12 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.

13 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.’” 14 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.” 15 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.

16 They went out at noon, while ^aBen-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the ¹temporary shelters ²with the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17 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.” 18 ^aThen he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

19 So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20 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. 21 The king of Israel went out and ¹struck the horses and chariots, and ²killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

22 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.”

23 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. 24 Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25 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.

26 ^aAt the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to ^bAphek to fight against Israel. 27 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. 28 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.’” 29 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. 30 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.

31 ^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.” 32 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.” 33 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. 34 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.

35 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. 36 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. 37 Then he found another man and said, “Please ¹strike me.” And the man ²struck him, ³wounding him. 38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and ^adisguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 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.’ 40 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.” 41 Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets. 42 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 ²life, and your people for his people.’” 43 So ^athe king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.

^aBen-hadad king of Aram (Syria) gathered all his army together; ^bthirty-two kings were allied with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and ^cbesieged Samaria Israel’s capital, and fought against it. 2 Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel; and he said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your wives and your children, even the fairest, also are mine as conditions of peace.’” 4 The king of Israel conceded his defeat and answered, “By your word, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 The messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I indeed sent word to you, saying, “You shall give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children,” 6 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 they will take with their hands (confiscate) whatever is desirable in your eyes and carry it away.’”

7 Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and ^asee how this man is seeking our destruction. For he sent messengers to me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” 8 All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent to this additional demand.” 9 So he said to Ben-hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Every demand you first sent to your servant I will do, but I cannot do this additional thing as a condition of peace.’” And the messengers left; then they brought him word again. 10 Ben-hadad sent word to him and said, “May ^athe gods do so to me, and more also, if there is enough dust left of Samaria for handfuls for all the armed people who follow me.” 11 The king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘^aA man who puts on his armor to go to battle should not boast like the man who takes it off after the battle has been won.’” 12 When Ben-hadad heard this message, as ^ahe and the kings were drinking in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city of Samaria.

13 Then a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Have you seen all this great army? Behold, ^aI will hand them over to you, and ^byou shall know without any doubt that I am the LORD.’” 14 Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘By the young men the attendants or bodyguards of the governors of the districts.’” Then Ahab said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he answered, “You.” 15 Then Ahab assembled and counted the young men of the governors of the districts, and there were 232. After them he assembled and counted all the people, all the sons of Israel, 7,000. 1+@Kin 19:18

16 They went out at noon, while ^aBen-hadad was getting drunk in the temporary shelters, he and the thirty-two kings who were helping him. 17 The young men of the governors of the districts went out first; and Ben-hadad sent men out and they told him, saying, “Men have come out of Samaria.” 18 ^aAnd he said, “Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive.”

19 So these young men of the governors of the districts went out of the city, and the army followed them. 20 And each one killed his man; and the Arameans (Syrians) fled and Israel pursued them. Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21 The king of Israel went out and struck the riders of the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.

22 ^aThen the prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for ^bat the first of next year the king of Aram (Syria) will come up against you.”

23 Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “^aIsrael’s ¹god is a ²god of the hills; that is why they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they. 24 Do this: remove the thirty-two allied kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25 and assemble an army like the army that you have lost in battle, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he listened to their words and did so.

26 ^aAt the first of the year in spring, Ben-hadad assembled and counted the Arameans (Syrians) and went up to ^bAphek east of the Sea of Galilee to fight against Israel. 27 The sons of Israel were counted and given provisions, and they went to meet them. The Israelites camped before the enemy like two ¹little flocks of goats with everything against them, except God, ^aand the Arameans filled the country. 28 ^aA man of God approached and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “^bThe LORD is a god of the hills, but He is not a god of the valleys,” ^cI will give this great army into your hand, and you shall know by experience that I am the LORD.’” Phil 4:13 29 So they camped opposite each other for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle began, and the sons of Israel killed 100,000 of the Aramean foot soldiers in a single day. 30 But the rest ran to the city of ^aAphek, and the city wall fell on 27,000 of the men who were left. Ben-hadad escaped and came into the city, going into an ^binner chamber to hide.

31 ^aBut his servants said to him, “We have heard that the kings of the house (royal line) of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us ^bput sackcloth around our ¹loins and ropes on our necks as symbols of submission, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So ^athey put sackcloth around their loins and ropes on their necks, and came to the king of Israel and said, “^bYour servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And Ahab asked, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 33 Now the men took it as a good omen, and quickly understanding his meaning said, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad lives.” Then the king said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab had him come up into the chariot. 34 Ben-hadad tempting him said to him, “^aI will restore the cities which my father took from your father; and you may set up bazaars (shops) of your own in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Then, Ahab replied, “I will let you go with this covenant (treaty) .” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

35 Now a certain man of ^1athe sons of the prophets said to another ^bby the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. 36 Then the prophet said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you leave me, ^aa lion will kill you.” And as soon as he left him, a lion found him and killed him. 37 Then the prophet found another man and said, “Please strike me.” So the man struck him hard, wounding him. 38 So the prophet left and waited for King Ahab by the road, and ^adisguised himself as a wounded soldier with a bandage over his eyes. 39 As the king passed by, the prophet called out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the middle 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 required for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40 But while your servant was busy here and there, he escaped and was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “Such is your own judgment (verdict) ; you have determined it.” 41 Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and Ahab the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 He said to the king, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have released from your hand the man Ben-hadad whom I had devoted to destruction, ^ayour life shall be required for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43 So ^athe king of Israel went to his house resentful and sullen, and came to Samaria. 1+@Kin 22:34-36