1 Kings 20

1 And Ben-Hadad king of Aram has gathered all his force, and thirty-two kings [are] with him, and horse and chariot, and he goes up and lays siege against Samaria, and fights with it,

١ وَحَشَدَ بَنْهَدَدُ مَلِكُ أَرَامَ كُلَّ جَيْشِهِ، بَعْدَ أَنِ انْضَمَّ إِلَيْهِ اثْنَانِ وَثَلاثُونَ مَلِكاً بِخَيْلِهِمْ وَمَرْكَبَاتِهِمْ، وَحَاصَرَ السَّامِرَةَ عَاصِمَةَ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

2 and sends messengers to Ahab king of Israel, to the city,

٢ ثُمَّ بَعَثَ بَنْهَدَدُ رِسَالَةً إِلَى آخْابَ مَلِكِ إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي السَّامِرَةِ تَقُولُ:

3 and says to him, “Thus said Ben-Hadad: Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and your sons—the best—are mine.”

٣ «لِي كُلُّ فِضَّتِكَ وَذَهَبِكَ وَأَجْمَلُ نِسَائِكَ وَبَنُوكَ الْحِسَانُ».

4 And the king of Israel answers and says, “According to your word, my lord, O king: I [am] yours, and all that I have.”

٤ فَأَجَابَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: «لَكَ مَا طَلَبْتَهُ يَا سَيِّدِي الْمَلِكُ، فَأَنَا وَكُلُّ مَا أَمْلِكُهُ لَكَ».

5 And the messengers turn back and say, “Thus spoke Ben-Hadad, saying, Surely I sent to you, saying, Your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your sons, you give to me;

٥ فَبَعَثَ بَنْهَدَدُ رِسَالَةً أُخْرَى إِلَى آخْابَ تَقُولُ: «كُنْتُ قَدْ أَرْسَلْتُ إِلَيْكَ طَالِباً أَنْ تُقَدِّمَ لِي كُلَّ فِضَّتِكَ وَذَهَبِكَ وَأَجْمَلَ نِسَائِكَ وَبَنِيكَ الْحِسَانَ،

6 for if, at this time tomorrow, I send my servants to you, then they have searched your house, and the houses of your servants, and it has been [that] every desirable thing of your eyes they place in their hand, and have taken [them] away.”

٦ وَلَكِنِّي أَيْضاً فِي نَحْوِ هَذَا الْوَقْتِ غَداً أُرْسِلُ رِجَالِي إِلَيْكَ لِيُفَتِّشُوا قَصْرَكَ وَبُيُوتَ عَبِيدِكَ، لَيَسْتَوْلُوا عَلَى كُلِّ مَا هُوَ نَفِيسٌ».

7 And the king of Israel calls to all [the] elderly of the land and says, “Please know and see that this [one] is seeking evil, for he sent to me for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I did not withhold from him.”

٧ فَاسْتَدْعَى مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ جَمِيعَ زُعَمَاءِ الْبِلادِ وَقَالَ: «اعْلَمُوا وَانْظُرُوا أَنَّ بَنْهَدَدَ يَبْغِي الشَّرَّ، فَقَدْ بَعَثَ يَطْلُبُ إِلَيَّ تَسْلِيمَ نِسَائِي وَبَنِيَّ وَفِضَّتِي وَذَهَبِي، فَوَافَقْتُ».

8 And all the elderly and all the people say to him, “Do not listen, nor consent.”

٨ فَقَالَ لَهُ كُلُّ زُعَمَاءِ الْبِلادِ وَسائِرُ الشَّعْبِ: «لا تَسْمَعْ لَهُ وَلا تَخْضَعْ لِطَلَبِهِ».

9 And he says to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Say to my lord the king, All that you sent to your servant for at the first I do, and this thing I am not able to do”; and the messengers go and take him back word.

٩ فَقَالَ آخْابُ لِرُسُلِ بَنْهَدَدَ: «قُولُوا لِسَيِّدِي الْمَلِكِ إِنَّنِي مُسْتَعِدٌّ أَنْ أُنَفِّذَ جَمِيعَ مَطَالِبِهِ الأُولَى، أَمَّا الْمَطَالِبُ الثَّانِيَةُ فَلا أَسْتَطِيعُ تَلْبِيَتَهَا». فَرَجَعَ الرُّسُلُ بِجَوَابِهِ إِلَى بَنْهَدَدَ.

10 And Ben-Hadad sends to him and says, “Thus the gods do to me, and thus do they add, if the dust of Samaria suffice for handfuls for all the people who [are] at my feet.”

١٠ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ بَنْهَدَدُ قَائِلاً: «لِتُعَاقِبْنِي الآلِهَةُ أَشَّدَ عِقَابٍ وَتَزِدْ، إِنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ تُرَابِ السَّامِرَةِ مَا يَكْفِي لِمِلْءِ قَبْضَةِ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِي».

11 And the king of Israel answers and says, “Speak: Do not let him who is girding on boast himself as him who is loosing [his armor].”

١١ فَأَجَابَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: «قُولُوا لَهُ: لَا يَفْتَخِرُ مَنْ يَشُدُّ دِرْعَهُ كَمَنْ يَحُلُّهُ» (أَي الفَخْرُ يَكُونُ بَعْدَ الْمَعْرَكَةِ لَا قَبْلَهَا).

12 And it comes to pass at the hearing of this word—and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the shelters—that he says to his servants, “Set yourselves”; and they set themselves against the city.

١٢ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ بَنْهَدَدُ هَذَا الْكَلامَ وَهُوَ يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ فِي الْخِيَامِ مَعَ حُلَفَائِهِ الْمُلُوكِ، أَمَرَ رِجَالَهُ أَنْ يَتَأَهَّبُوا لِلْقِتَالِ، فَاسْتَعَدُّوا لِلْهُجُومِ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ.

13 And behold, a certain prophet has come near to Ahab king of Israel and says, “Thus said YHWH: Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I am giving it into your hand today, and you have known that I [am] YHWH.”

١٣ وَإذَا بِنَبِيٍّ يَتَقَدَّمُ إِلَى آخْابَ قَائِلاً: «هَذَا مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ: هَلْ تَرَى هَذَا الْجَيْشَ الْغَفِيرَ؟ هَا أَنَا أَنْصُرُكَ عَلَيْهِ الْيَوْمَ، فَتَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَنَا الرَّبُّ».

14 And Ahab says, “By whom?” And he says, “Thus said YHWH: By the young men of the heads of the provinces”; and he says, “Who directs the battle?” And he says, “You.”

١٤ فَسَأَلَ آخْابُ: «بِمَنْ يَكُونُ النَّصْرُ؟» فَأَجَابَ: «هَذَا مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ: بِقُوَّاتِ رُؤَسَاءِ الْمُقَاطَعَاتِ» فَعَادَ يَسْأَلُ: «مَنْ يَبْتَدِئُ الْحَرْبَ؟» فَأَجَابَ: «أَنْتَ».

15 And he inspects the young men of the heads of the provinces, and they are two hundred and thirty-two, and after them he has mustered all the people, all the sons of Israel—seven thousand,

١٥ فَأَحْصَى آخْابُ رِجَالَ رُؤَسَاءِ الْمُقَاطَعَاتِ، فَبَلَغُوا مِئَتَيْنِ وَاثْنَيْنِ وَثَلاثِينَ. ثُمَّ أَحْصَى بَعْدَهُمْ بَقِيَّةَ جَيْشِ إِسْرَائِيلَ فَكَانُوا سَبْعَةَ آلافٍ.

16 and they go out at noon, and Ben-Hadad is drinking—drunk in the shelters, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings helping him.

١٦ وَانْدَفَعُوا عِنْدَ الظُّهْرِ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ وَبَنْهَدَدُ مُنْهَمِكٌ فِي السُّكْرِ فِي الْخِيَامِ مَعَ حُلَفَائِهِ الْمُلُوكِ الاثْنَيْنِ وَالثَّلاثِينَ،

17 And the young men of the heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sends, and they declare to him, saying, “Men have come out of Samaria.”

١٧ وَتَقَدَّمَتْ قُوَّاتُ رُؤَسَاءِ الْمُقَاطَعَاتِ أَوَّلاً، فَقَالَ الْمُرَاقِبُونَ لِبَنْهَدَدَ: «رِجَالٌ مِنَ السَّامِرَةِ قَادِمُونَ عَلَيْنَا»

18 And he says, “If they have come out for peace, catch them alive; and if they have come out for battle, catch them alive.”

١٨ فَقَالَ: «اقْبِضُوا عَلَيْهِمْ أَحْيَاءَ، سَوَاءٌ كَانَ قُدُومُهُمْ لِلْهُدْنَةِ أَوْ لِلْحَرْبِ».

19 And these have gone out of the city—the young men of the heads of the provinces—and the force that [is] after them,

١٩ وَهَكَذَا انْدَفَعَتْ قُوَّاتُ رُؤَسَاءِ الْمُقَاطَعَاتِ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ، وَفِي أَعْقَابِهَا تَقَدَّمَ الْجَيْشُ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّ

20 and each strikes his man, and Aram flees, and Israel pursues them, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapes on a horse—and the horsemen;

٢٠ وَهَاجَمَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ وَاحِداً مِنْ جَيْشِ الأَرَامِيِّينَ، فَهَرَبَ الأَرَامِيُّونَ، وَلاحَقَهُمُ الإِسْرَائِيلِيُّونَ. وَتَمَكَّنَ بَنْهَدَدُ مَلِكُ أَرَامَ مَعَ بَعْضِ فُرْسَانِهِ مِنَ النَّجَاةِ عَلَى خُيُولِهِمْ.

21 and the king of Israel goes out, and strikes the horses, and the charioteers, and has struck among the Arameans a great striking.

٢١ وَتَقَدَّمَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ وَاقْتَحَمَ الْخَيْلَ وَالْمَرْكَبَاتِ، وَأَنْزَلَ بِالأَرَامِيِّينَ هَزِيمَةً فَادِحَةً.

22 And the prophet comes near to the king of Israel and says to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and know and see that which you do, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram is coming up against you.”

٢٢ وَاقْتَرَبَ النَّبِيُّ مِنْ آخْابَ وَقَالَ لَهُ: «اذْهَبْ وَتَأَهَّبْ، وَدَبِّرْ شُؤُونَكَ، وَفَكِّرْ بِمَا تَفْعَلُ، لأَنَّهُ فِي نِهَايَةِ هَذَا الْعَامِ يُهَاجِمُكَ مَلِكُ أَرَامَ،

23 And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods [are] gods of hills, therefore they were stronger than us; and yet, we fight with them in the plain—are we not stronger than they?

٢٣ لأَنَّ رِجَالَهُ قَدْ قَالُوا لَهُ: إِنَّ آلِهَةَ الإِسْرَائِيلِيِّينَ آلِهَةُ جِبَالٍ، لِذَلِكَ انْتَصَرُوا هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ، وَلَكِنْ إِنْ حَارَبْنَاهُمْ فِي السَّهْلِ فَإِنَّنَا نَهْزِمُهُمْ.

24 And this thing you do: turn aside each of the kings out of his place, and set captains in their stead;

٢٤ كَمَا اقْتَرَحُوا عَلَيْهِ عَزْلَ الْمُلُوكِ مِنْ قِيَادَةِ الْجُيُوشِ، وَتَعْيِينَ ضُبَّاطٍ بَدَلاً مِنْهُمْ.

25 and you, number for yourself a force as the force that is fallen from you, and horse for horse, and chariot for chariot, and we fight with them in the plain; are we not stronger than they?” And he listens to their voice, and does so.

٢٥ وَقَالُوا لِبَنْهَدَدَ: جَهِّزْ لِنَفْسِكَ جَيْشاً ضَخْماً، يَكُونُ عَدَدُهُ كَعَدَدِ الْجَيْشِ الَّذِي فَقَدْتَهُ، فَرَساً بِفَرَسٍ وَمَرْكَبَةً بِمَرْكَبَةٍ، فَنُحَارِبَهُمْ فِي السَّهْلِ وَنَقْهَرَهُمْ». فَعَمِلَ بَنْهَدَدُ بِاقْتِرَاحِهِمْ وَرَأْيِهِمْ.

26 And it comes to pass at the turn of the year, that Ben-Hadad inspects the Arameans, and goes up to Aphek, to battle with Israel,

٢٦ وَفِي نِهَايَةِ الْعَامِ جَهَّزَ بَنْهَدَدُ جَيْشاً مِنَ الأَرَامِيِّينَ، وَانْطَلَقَ إِلَى أَفِيقَ لِيُحَارِبَ الإِسْرَائِيلِيِّينَ.

27 and the sons of Israel have been inspected, and supported, and go to meet them, and the sons of Israel encamp before them, like two flocks of goats, and the Arameans have filled the land.

٢٧ وَحَشَدَتْ إِسْرَائِيلُ جَيْشَهَا وَجَهَّزَتْ مَؤُونَتَهُ وَتَقَدَّمُوا لِلِقَائِهِمْ، فَكَانُوا بِالْمُقَارَنَةِ بِالأَرَامِيِّينَ الَّذِينَ مَلَأُوا الأَرْضَ نَظِيرَ قَطِيعَيْنِ مِنْ الْمِعْزَى.

28 And a man of God comes near, and speaks to the king of Israel and says, “Thus said YHWH: Because that the Arameans have said, YHWH [is] God of [the] hills, but He [is] not God of [the] valleys—I have given the whole of this great multitude into your hand, and you have known that I [am] YHWH.”

٢٨ فَجَاءَ رَجُلُ اللهِ إِلَى آخْابَ وَقَالَ: «هَذَا مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ: لأَنَّ الأَرَامِيِّينَ قَدِ ادَّعُوا أَنَّ الرَّبَّ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَهُ جِبَالٍ وَلَيْسَ هُوَ إِلَهُ أَوْدِيَةٍ، فَإِنَّنِي سَأَنْصُرُكَ عَلَى كُلِّ هَذَا الْجَيْشِ الْغَفِيرِ، فَتَعْلَمُونَ أَنِّي أَنَا الرَّبُّ».

29 And they encamp opposite one another [for] seven days, and it comes to pass on the seventh day, that the battle draws near, and the sons of Israel strike one hundred thousand footmen of Aram in one day.

٢٩ وَهَكَذَا تَوَاجَهَ الطَّرَفَانِ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ. وَفِي الْيَوْمِ السَّابِعِ دَارَتْ رَحَى الْحَرْبِ، فَقَتَلَ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ مِئَةَ أَلْفٍ مِنْ مُشَاةِ أَرَامَ،

30 And those left flee to Aphek, into the city, and the wall falls on twenty-seven chief men who are left, and Ben-Hadad has fled, and comes into the city, into the innermost part.

٣٠ وَهَرَبَ الأَحْيَاءُ إِلَى دَاخِلِ مَدِينَةِ أَفِيقَ، فَانْهَارَ السُّورُ عَلَى السَّبْعَةِ وَالْعِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ رَجُلٍ الْبَاقِينَ. أَمَّا بَنْهَدَدُ فَقَدْ لَجَأَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَاخْتَبَأَ فِيهَا فِي مُخْدَعٍ دَاخِلَ مُخْدَعٍ.

31 And his servants say to him, “Now behold, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel—that they are kind kings; please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and we go out to the king of Israel; it may be he keeps you alive.”

٣١ فَقَالَ لَهُ رِجَالُهُ: «لَقَدْ سَمِعْنَا أَنَّ مُلُوكَ إِسْرَائِيلَ مُلُوكٌ حَلِيمُونَ، فَلْنَرْتَدِ مُسُوحاً حَوْلَ أَحْقَائِنَا، وَنَضَعْ حِبَالاً عَلَى رُؤُوسِنَا، وَنَخْرُجْ إِلَى مَلِكِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، لَعَلَّهُ يَعْفُو عَنْكَ».

32 And they gird sackcloth on their loins, and ropes [are] on their heads, and they come to the king of Israel, and say, “Your servant Ben-Hadad has said, Please let me live”; and he says, “Is he still alive? He [is] my brother.”

٣٢ فَارْتَدَوْا مُسُوحاً حَوْلَ أَحْقَائِهِمْ، وَوَضَعُوا حِبَالاً عَلَى رُؤُوسِهِمْ، وَمَثَلُوا أَمَامَ مَلِكِ إِسْرَائِيلَ قَائِلِينَ: «عَبْدُكَ بَنْهَدَدُ يَرْجُو الْعَفْوَ عَنْ حَيَاتِهِ». فَقَالَ: «أَلا يَزَالُ حَيًّا؟ هُوَ أَخِي!»

33 And the men observe diligently, and hurry, and catch [the word] from him, and say, “Your brother Ben-Hadad”; and he says, “Go in, bring him”; and Ben-Hadad comes out to him, and he causes him to come up on the chariot.

٣٣ فَتَفَاءَلَ رِجَالُ بَنْهَدَدَ، وَتَشَبَّثُوا بِالأَمَلِ، وَقَالُوا: «نَعَمْ هُوَ أَخُوكَ». فَقَالَ لَهُمْ آخْابُ: «اذْهَبُوا وَأَحْضِرُوهُ.» وَعِنْدَمَا وَصَلَ، أَصْعَدَهُ مَعَهُ فِي مَرْكَبَتِهِ،

34 And he says to him, “The cities that my father took from your father, I give back, and you make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria; and I, with a covenant, send you away”; and he makes a covenant with him, and sends him away.

٣٤ فَقَالَ بَنْهَدَدُ: «إِنِّي أَرُدُّ الْمُدُنَ الَّتِي اسْتَوْلَى عَلَيْهَا أَبِي مِنْ أَبِيكَ، وَتُقِيمُ لِنَفْسِكَ أَسْوَاقاً تِجَارِيَّةً فِي دِمَشْقَ مُمَاثِلَةً لِلأَسْوَاقِ الَّتِي أَقَامَهَا أَبِي فِي السَّامِرَةِ». فَأَجَابَهُ الْمَلِكُ: «وَبِنَاءً عَلَى هَذَا الْعَهْدِ فَإِنَّنِي أُطْلِقُكَ حُرّاً». فَقَطَعَ لَهُ بَنْهَدَدُ عَهْداً وَأَطْلَقَهُ آخْابُ.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of YHWH, “Please strike me”; and the man refuses to strike him,

٣٥ وَنُزُولاً عِنْدَ أَمْرِ الرَّبِّ، قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي الأَنْبِيَاءِ لِصَاحِبِهِ: «اضْرِبْنِي بِسَيْفِكَ». فَأَبَى الرَّجُلُ أَنْ يَضْرِبَهُ.

36 and he says to him, “Because that you have not listened to the voice of YHWH, behold, you are going from me, and the lion has struck you”; and he goes from him, and the lion finds him, and strikes him.

٣٦ فَقَالَ لَهُ: «إِنَّكَ لَمْ تُطِعْ أَمْرَ الرَّبِّ، فَعِنْدَ انْصِرَافِكَ مِنْ عِنْدِي يَقْتُلُكَ أَسَدٌ». وَحِينَ خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ لَقِيَهُ أَسَدٌ وَصَرَعَهُ.

37 And he finds another man and says, “Please strike me”; and the man strikes him, striking and wounding,

٣٧ ثُمَّ صَادَفَ النَّبِيُّ رَجُلاً آخَرَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: «اضْرِبْنِي». فَضَرَبَهُ وَجَرَحَهُ،

38 and the prophet goes and stands for the king on the way, and disguises himself with ashes on his eyes.

٣٨ فَمَضَى النَّبِيُّ وَاعْتَرَضَ طَرِيقَ الْمَلِكَ مُتَنَكِّراً بِعِصَابَةٍ عَلَى عَيْنَيْهِ.

39 And it comes to pass—the king is passing by—that he has cried to the king and says, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a man has turned aside and brings a man to me, and says, Keep this man; if he is at all missing, then your life has been for his life, or you weigh out a talent of silver;

٣٩ وَعِنْدَمَا اجْتَازَ آخْابُ أَمَامَهُ نَادَاهُ وَقَالَ: «خَرَجَ عَبْدُكَ فِي أَثْنَاءِ اشْتِدَادِ الْمَعْرَكَةِ، وَإذَا بِرَجُلٍ أَقْبَلَ إِلَيَّ بِأَسِيرٍ، وَقَالَ: احْرُسْ هَذَا الرَّجُلَ، وَإِنْ فُقِدَ تَكُونُ نَفْسُكَ عِوَضَ نَفْسِهِ، أَوْ تَدْفَعُ وَزْنَةً مِنَ الفِضَّةِ (نَحْوَ سِتَّةٍ وَثَلاثِينَ كِيلُو جِرَاماً)

40 and it comes to pass, your servant is working here and there, and he is not!” And the king of Israel says to him, “Your judgment [is] right; you have determined [it].”

٤٠ وَفِيمَا عَبْدُكَ مُنْهَمِكٌ فِي بَعْضِ الأُمُورِ، اخْتَفَى الأَسِيرُ». فَقَالَ لَهُ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ: «لَقَدْ حَكَمْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ بِمَا قَضَيْتَ بِهِ».

41 And he hurries and turns aside the ashes from off his eyes, and the king of Israel discerns him, that he [is] of the prophets,

٤١ عِنْدَئِذٍ بَادَرَ النَّبِيُّ فَرَفَعَ الْعِصَابَةَ عَنْ عَيْنَيْهِ فَأَدْرَكَ الْمَلِكُ أَنَّهُ مِنْ بَنِي الأَنْبِيَاءِ.

42 and he says to him, “Thus said YHWH: Because you have sent away the man I devoted, out of [your] hand, even your life has been for his life, and your people for his people”;

٤٢ وَقَالَ لِلْمَلِكِ: «هَذَا مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ: لأَنَّكَ أَبْقَيْتَ عَلَى حَيَاةِ رَجُلٍ قَضَيْتُ بِهَلاكِهِ، فَسَتَمُوتُ بَدَلاً مِنْهُ، وَيَهْلِكُ شَعْبُكَ بَدَلاً مِنْ شَعْبِهِ».

43 and the king of Israel goes to his house, sulky and angry, and comes to Samaria.

٤٣ فَانْصَرَفَ مَلِكُ إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَى قَصْرِهِ فِي السَّامِرَةِ مُكْتَئِباً مَغْمُوماً.

The Israelites Slaughter the Syrians