1 Kings 20
1 And Ben Hadad [the] king of Aram he gathered all army his and thirty and two king[s] [were] with him and horse[s] and chariotry and he went up and he laid siege on Samaria and he fought against it.
Ben Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army together. There were thirty-two lesser kings with him, and horses and chariots. He went up, besieged Samaria and fought against it.
2 And he sent messengers to Ahab [the] king of Israel the city towards. And he said to him thus he says Ben Hadad
He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, “Ben Hadad says this:
3 silver your and gold your [belongs] to me it and wives your and children your good [belong] to me they.
'Your silver and your gold are mine. Also your wives and children, the best ones, are now mine.'”
4 And he answered [the] king of Israel and he said according to word your O lord my the king [belong] to you I and all that [belongs] to me.
The king of Israel answered and said, “It is as you say, my master, king. I and all that I have are yours.”
5 And they returned the messengers and they said thus he says Ben Hadad saying that I sent to you saying silver your and gold your and wives your and children your to me you will give.
The messengers came again and said, “Ben Hadad says this, 'I sent word to you saying that you must give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
6 That - except about this time tomorrow I will send servants my to you and they will search house your and [the] houses of servants your and it will be every desirable thing of eyes your they will put in hand their and they will take [it].
But I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they will search your house and your servants' houses. They will seize with their own hands and take away whatever pleases their eyes.'”
7 And he summoned [the] king of Israel all [the] elders of the land and he said know please and see that trouble this [man] [is] seeking for he sent to me for wives my and for children my and for silver my and for gold my and not I withheld [them] from him.
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land together and said, “Please take note and see how this man seeks trouble. He has sent word to me in order to take my wives, children, and silver and gold, and I have not refused him.”
8 And they said to him all the elders and all the people may not you listen and not you must be willing.
All the elders and all the people said to Ahab, “Do not listen to him or consent to his demands.”
9 And he said to [the] messengers of Ben Hadad say to lord my the king all that you sent to servant your at the first I will do and the thing this not I am able to do and they went the messengers and they brought back him word.
So Ahab said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Tell my master the king, 'I agree to everything that you sent your servant to do the first time, but I cannot accept this second demand.'” So the messengers left and took this response to Ben Hadad.
10 And he sent to him Ben Hadad and he said thus may they do! to me [the] gods and thus may they add if it will suffice [the] dust of Samaria for handfuls for all the people which [is] at feet my.
Then Ben Hadad sent his reply to Ahab, and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if even the ashes of Samaria will be enough for all the people who follow me to have a handful each.”
11 And he answered [the] king of Israel and he said speak may not he boast [one who] girds on like [one who] loosens.
The king of Israel answered and said, “Tell Ben Hadad, 'No one who is just putting on his armor, should boast as if he were taking it off.'”
12 And it was when heard the word this and he [was] drinking he and the kings in the booths and he said to servants his set yourselves and they set themselves on the city.
Ben Hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings under him who were in their tents. Ben Hadad commanded his men, “Line yourselves up in position for battle.” So they prepared themselves in position of battle to attack the city.
13 And there! - a prophet one he drew near to Ahab [the] king of Israel and he said thus he says Yahweh ¿ do you see all the multitude great this here I [am] about to give it in hand your this day and you will know that I [am] Yahweh.
Then behold, a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Yahweh says, 'Have you seen this great army? Look, I will place it into your hand today, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'”
14 And he said Ahab by whom? and he said thus he says Yahweh by [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and he said who? will he begin the battle and he said you.
Ahab replied, “By whom?” Yahweh replied and said, “By the young officers who serve the governors of the districts.” Then Ahab said, “Who will begin the battle?” Yahweh answered, “You.”
15 And he mustered [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and they were two hundred two and thirty and after them he mustered all the people all [the] people of Israel [were] seven thousand.
Then Ahab mustered the young officers who served the governors of the districts. They numbered 232. After them he mustered all the soldiers, all the army of Israel; seven thousand in number.
16 And they went out at the noontide and Ben Hadad [was] drinking drunken in the booths he and the kings thirty and two king[s] [who] was helping him.
They went out at noon. Ben Hadad had been drinking himself drunk in his tent, he and the thirty-two lesser kings who were supporting him.
17 And they went out [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces at the first and he sent Ben Hadad and people told to him saying men they have come out from Samaria.
The young officers who served the governors of the districts went forward first. Then Ben Hadad was informed by scouts that he had sent out, “Men are coming out from Samaria.”
18 And he said if for peace they have come out seize them alive and if for battle they have come out alive seize them.
Ben Hadad said, “Whether they have come out for peace or war, take them alive.”
19 And these [men] they went out from the city [the] young men of [the] officials of the provinces and the army which [was] behind them.
So the young officers who served the governors of the districts went out of the city and the army followed them.
20 And they struck down everyone man his and they fled Aram and it pursued them Israel and he escaped Ben Hadad [the] king of Aram on a horse and horsemen.
Each man killed his opponent. The Arameans fled and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Aram escaped on a horse along with some horsemen.
21 And he went out [the] king of Israel and he struck down the horse[s] and the chariotry and he struck down among Aram a slaughter great.
Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.
22 And he drew near the prophet to [the] king of Israel and he said to him go strengthen yourself and know and see [that] which you will do for to [the] return of the year [the] king of Aram [is] coming up on you.
So the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and understand and plan what you are doing, because at the return of the year the king of Aram will come up against you again.”
23 And [the] servants of [the] king of Aram they said to him [is] a god of mountains God their there-fore they were strong more than us and but let us do battle with them on the level ground if not we will be strong more than them.
The servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we were. But now let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they are.
24 And the thing this do remove the kings each from place his and appoint governors in place of them.
So you must do this: Remove all the kings from their positions of authority and replace them with military commanders.
25 And you you will muster for yourself - an army like the army which fell from you and a horse like the horse - and chariotry like the chariotry and let us fight them on the level ground if not we will be strong more than them and he listened to voice their and he did thus.
Raise up an army like the army you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight them in the plain. Then surely we will be stronger than they are.” So Ben Hadad listened to their advice and did what they advised.
26 And it was to [the] return of the year and he mustered Ben Hadad Aram and he went up Aphek towards for battle with Israel.
After the beginning of the new year, Ben Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27 And [the] people of Israel they were mustered and they were supplied and they went to meet them and they encamped [the] people of Israel before them like two little flocks of goats and Aram they filled the land.
The people of Israel were mustered and supplied to fight against them. The people of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the countryside.
28 And he drew near [the] man of God and he said to [the] king of Israel and he said thus he says Yahweh because that they have said Aram [is] a god of mountains Yahweh and not [is] a god of valleys he and I will give all the multitude great this in hand your and you will know that I [am] Yahweh.
Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Yahweh says: 'Because the Arameans have said that Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys, I will place this great army into your hand, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'”
29 And they encamped these opposite to these seven days and it was - on the day seventh and it drew near the battle and they struck down [the] people of Israel Aram one hundred thousand foot soldier[s] in a day one.
So the armies camped opposite each other for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle started. The people of Israel killed 100,000 Aramean footmen in one day.
30 And they fled the [ones who] remained - Aphek towards into the city and it fell the wall on twenty and seven thousand man who remained and Ben Hadad he fled and he went into the city a room in a room.
The rest fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner room.
31 And they said to him servants his here! please we have heard that [the] kings of [the] house of Israel that [are] kings of covenant loyalty they let us put please sackcloth on loins our and ropes on head our and let us go out to [the] king of Israel perhaps he will let live life your.
Ben Hadad's servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
32 And they girded sackcloth on loins their and ropes on heads their and they went to [the] king of Israel and they said servant your Ben Hadad he says let it live please life my and he said ¿ [is] still he alive [is] brother my he.
So they put sackcloth on their waists and ropes around their heads and then went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben Hadad said, 'Please let me live.'” Ahab said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
33 And the men they observed [the] signs and they hastened and they caught ¿ from him and they said [is] brother your Ben Hadad and he said go fetch him and he came out to him Ben Hadad and he brought up him on the chariot.
Now the men were listening for any sign from Ahab, so they quickly answered him, “Yes, your brother Ben Hadad is alive.” Then Ahab said, “Go and bring him.” Then Ben Hadad came to him, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
34 And he said to him the cities which he took father my from with father your I will return and streets you will make for yourself in Damascus just as he made father my in Samaria and I with the covenant I will let go you and he made to him a covenant and he let go him.
Ben Hadad said to Ahab, “I will restore to you the cities that my father took from your father, and you may make markets for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab replied, “I will let you go with this covenant.” So Ahab made a covenant with him and then let him go.
35 And a man one one of [the] sons of the prophets he said to companion his at [the] word of Yahweh strike me please and he refused the man to strike him.
A certain man, one of the sons of the prophets, said to one of his fellow prophets by the word of Yahweh, “Please hit me.” But the man refused to hit him.
36 And he said to him because that not you listened to [the] voice of Yahweh here you [are] about to go from with me and it will strike down you the lion and he went from beside him and it met him the lion and it struck down him.
Then the prophet said to his fellow prophet, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you.” As soon as that man had left him, a lion came upon him and killed him.
37 And he found a man another and he said strike me please and he struck him the man completely and wounded.
Then the prophet found another man and said, “Please hit me.” So the man hit him and wounded him.
38 And he went the prophet and he stood for the king (beside *LAB(H)*) the way and he disguised himself with ashes over eyes his.
Then the prophet left and waited for the king by the road; he had disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 And he was the king passing by and he he cried out to the king and he said servant your - he went out in [the] midst of the battle and there! a man he turned aside and he brought to me a man and he said guard the man this if indeed he will be missing and it will be life your in place of life his or a talent of silver you will weigh out.
As the king passed by, the prophet cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the heat of the battle, and a soldier stopped and brought a man to me and said, 'Watch this man. If by any means he goes missing, your life will be given for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.'
40 And he was servant your doing them and them and he there not [was] he and he said to him [the] king of Israel [is] thus sentence your you you have decided.
But because your servant was busy going here and there, the man escaped.” Then the king of Israel said to him, “This is what your punishment will be—you yourself have decided it.”
41 And he hastened and he removed the bandage (from over *Q(k)*) eyes his and he recognized him [the] king of Israel that [was] one of the prophets he.
Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
42 And he said to him thus he says Yahweh because you have let go [the] man of total destruction my from a hand and it will be life your in place of life his and people your in place of people his.
The prophet said to the king, “Yahweh says, 'Because you have let go from your hand the man whom I had sentenced to death, your life will take the place of his life, and your people for his people.'”
43 And he went [the] king of Israel to house his sullen and furious and he went Samaria towards.
So the king of Israel went to his house resentful and angry, and arrived in Samaria.
