I Regum 20
1 Porro Benadad rex Syriæ congregavit omnem exercitum suum, et triginta duos reges secum, et equos, et currus: et ascendens pugnabat contra Samariam, et obsidebat eam.
Now, Ben-hadad, king of Syria, had gathered together all his forces, and, thirty-two kings, were with him, and horses and chariots, —then came he up, and laid siege to Samaria, and made war against it.
2 Mittensque nuntios ad Achab regem Israël in civitatem,
And he sent messengers unto Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, —Thus, saith Ben-hadad,
3 ait: Hæc dicit Benadad: Argentum tuum, et aurum tuum meum est: et uxores tuæ, et filii tui optimi, mei sunt.
Thy silver and thy gold, are, mine, and, thy wives and thy sons, the goodliest, are, mine.
4 Responditque rex Israël: Juxta verbum tuum, domine mi rex, tuus sum ego, et omnia mea.
Then responded the king of Israel, and said, According to thy word, my lord O king! thine, am I, and all that I have.
5 Revertentesque nuntii, dixerunt: Hæc dicit Benadad, qui misit nos ad te: Argentum tuum, et aurum tuum, et uxores tuas, et filios tuos, dabis mihi.
And the messengers came back again, and said, Thus, speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, —Because I sent unto thee, saying, Thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy sons, to me, shalt thou give,
6 Cras igitur hac eadem hora mittam servos meos ad te, et scrutabuntur domum tuam, et domum servorum tuorum: et omne quod eis placuerit, ponent in manibus suis, et auferent.
Therefore, about this time to-morrow, will I send my servants unto thee, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants, —and it shall be, that, all the delight of thine eyes, shall they put in their hand, and take away.
7 Vocavit autem rex Israël omnes seniores terræ, et ait: Animadvertite, et videte quoniam insidietur nobis: misit enim ad me pro uxoribus meis, et filiis, et pro argento et auro: et non abnui.
Then called the king of Israel, for all the elders of the land, and said—Mark, I pray you, and see, how this man is seeking, mischief, —for he had sent unto me, for my wives, and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I refused him not.
8 Dixeruntque omnes majores natu, et universus populus, ad eum: Non audias, neque acquiescas illi.
And all the elders and all the people said unto him, —Do not thou hearken, neither do thou consent.
9 Respondit itaque nuntiis Benadad: Dicite domino meo regi: Omnia propter quæ misisti ad me servum tuum in initio, faciam: hanc autem rem facere non possum.
So he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad—Say ye to my lord the king, —All that thou didst send for, to thy servant at the first, will I do, but, this thing, I cannot do. And the messengers departed, and took him back word.
10 Reversique nuntii retulerunt ei. Qui remisit, et ait: Hæc faciant mihi dii, et hæc addant, si suffecerit pulvis Samariæ pugillis omnis populi qui sequitur me.
Then Ben-hadad sent unto him and said, —So, let the gods do to me, and, so, let them add, —if the dust of Samaria suffice by handfuls, for all the people who are at my feet.
11 Et respondens rex Israël, ait: Dicite ei: Ne glorietur, accinctus æque ut discinctus.
And the king of Israel responded and said: Tell him, —Let not, him that girdeth, boast himself like him, that looseneth.
12 Factum est autem cum audisset Benadad verbum istud, bibebat ipse et reges in umbraculis: et ait servis suis: Circumdate civitatem. Et circumdederunt eam.
And it came to pass, when he heard this message, as, he, was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants—Make ready! So they made ready, against the city.
13 Et ecce propheta unus accedens ad Achab regem Israël, ait ei: Hæc dicit Dominus: Certe vidisti omnem multitudinem hanc nimiam? ecce ego tradam eam in manu tua hodie, ut scias quia ego sum Dominus.
And lo! a certain prophet, drew near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said, —Thus, saith Yahweh, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? Behold me! delivering it into thy hand, to-day, so shalt thou know that, I, am, Yahweh.
14 Et ait Achab: Per quem? Dixitque ei: Hæc dicit Dominus: Per pedissequos principum provinciarum. Et ait: Quis incipiet præliari? Et ille dixit: Tu.
And Ahab said—By whom? And he said—Thus, saith Yahweh, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then said he—Who shall begin the war? And he said—Thou!
15 Recensuit ergo pueros principum provinciarum, et reperit numerum ducentorum triginta duorum: et recensuit post eos populum, omnes filios Israël, septem millia.
Then numbered he the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were found to be, two hundred and thirty-two, —and, after them, he numbered all the people all the sons of Israel, seven thousand.
16 Et egressi sunt meridie. Benadad autem bibebat temulentus in umbraculo suo, et reges triginta duo cum eo, qui ad auxilium ejus venerant.
And they went forth at noon. Now, Ben-hadad, was drinking himself drunk, in the pavilions, he and the thirty-two kings helping him.
17 Egressi sunt autem pueri principum provinciarum in prima fronte. Misit itaque Benadad: qui nuntiaverunt ei, dicentes: Viri egressi sunt de Samaria.
Then went forth the young men of the princes of the provinces, first, —and, when Ben-hadad sent, they told him, saying—Men, have come forth, out of Samaria.
18 Et ille ait: Sive pro pace veniunt, apprehendite eos vivos: sive ut prælientur, vivos eos capite.
And he said—If, peaceably, they have come, take them alive, —or, if, fighting, they have come, alive, take ye them.
19 Egressi sunt ergo pueri principum provinciarum, ac reliquus exercitus sequebatur:
Now, when, these, had come forth out of the city, even the young men of the princes of the provinces, —with the force which was following them,
20 et percussit unusquisque virum qui contra se veniebat: fugeruntque Syri, et persecutus est eos Israël. Fugit quoque Benadad rex Syriæ in equo cum equitibus suis.
then smote they every one his man, and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, —but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on horse, with horsemen.
21 Necnon egressus rex Israël percussit equos et currus, et percussit Syriam plaga magna.
And the king of Israel went forth, and took the horses and the chariots, —and he went on smiting the Syrians, with a great smiting.
22 Accedens autem propheta ad regem Israël, dixit ei: Vade, et confortare, et scito, et vide quid facias: sequenti enim anno rex Syriæ ascendet contra te.
Then drew near the prophet, unto the king of Israel, and said unto him—Go strengthen thyself, and mark and see, what thou wilt do, —for, at the return of the year, is, the king of Syria, coming up against thee.
23 Servi vero regis Syriæ dixerunt ei: Dii montium sunt dii eorum, ideo superaverunt nos: sed melius est ut pugnemus contra eos in campestribus, et obtinebimus eos.
And, the servants of the king of Syria, said unto him, —Gods of the mountains, are their gods, for this cause, prevailed they against us, —but, only let us fight with them in the plain, and verily we shall prevail against them.
24 Tu ergo verbum hoc fac: amove reges singulos ab exercitu tuo, et pone principes pro eis:
But, this thing, do, —set aside the kings, every man out of his place, and put governors in their stead;
25 et instaura numerum militum qui ceciderunt de tuis, et equos secundum equos pristinos, et currus secundum currus quos ante habuisti: et pugnabimus contra eos in campestribus, et videbis quod obtinebimus eos. Credidit consilio eorum, et fecit ita.
and, thou, must number thee a force, like the force which thou hast lost, both horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and, if we fight with them in the plain, verily we shall prevail against them. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
26 Igitur postquam annus transierat, recensuit Benadad Syros, et ascendit in Aphec ut pugnaret contra Israël.
And so it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, —and came up to Aphek, to fight with Israel;
27 Porro filii Israël recensiti sunt, et acceptis cibariis profecti ex adverso, castraque metati sunt contra eos, quasi duo parvi greges caprarum: Syri autem repleverunt terram.
and, the sons of Israel, were numbered, and provisioned, and went to meet them, —and the sons of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, whereas, the Syrians, filled the land.
28 (Et accedens unus vir Dei, dixit ad regem Israël: Hæc dicit Dominus: Quia dixerunt Syri: Deus montium est Dominus, et non est Deus vallium: dabo omnem multitudinem hanc grandem in manu tua, et scietis quia ego sum Dominus.)
Then approached the man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said—Thus, saith Yahweh—Because the Syrians have said—A god of the mountains, is Yahweh, but, not a god of the vales, is he, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude, into thy hand, so shalt thou know, that, I, am Yahweh.
29 Dirigebantque septem diebus ex adverso hi atque illi acies, septima autem die commissum est bellum: percusseruntque filii Israël de Syris centum millia peditum in die una.
So they encamped, these, over against, those, seven days, —and it came to pass, on the seventh day, that the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel smote the Syrians, a hundred thousand footmen, in one day.
30 Fugerunt autem qui remanserant in Aphec, in civitatem: et cecidit murus super viginti septem millia hominum qui remanserant. Porro Benadad fugiens ingressus est civitatem, in cubiculum quod erat intra cubiculum.
And they who were left fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men who were left, —and, Ben-hadad, fled, and came into the city, into a chamber within a chamber.
31 Dixeruntque ei servi sui: Ecce, audivimus quod reges domus Israël clementes sint: ponamus itaque saccos in lumbis nostris, et funiculos in capitibus nostris, et egrediamur ad regem Israël: forsitan salvabit animas nostras.
And his servants said unto him, Lo! we pray thee, we have heard, of the kings of the house of Israel, that, kings known for lovingkindness, they are. Let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth upon our loins, and ropes about our head, and let us go forth unto the king of Israel, peradventure he will save alive thy soul.
32 Accinxerunt saccis lumbos suos, et posuerunt funiculos in capitibus suis, veneruntque ad regem Israël, et dixerunt ei: Servus tuus Benadad dicit: Vivat, oro te, anima mea. Et ille ait: Si adhuc vivit, frater meus est.
So they girded sackcloth upon their loins, and [put] ropes about their heads, and came in unto the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant, Ben-hadad, saith, —Let my soul live, I pray thee. And he said, —Is he yet alive? My brother, he is.
33 Quod acceperunt viri pro omine: et festinantes rapuerunt verbum ex ore ejus, atque dixerunt: Frater tuus Benadad. Et dixit eis: Ite, et adducite eum ad me. Egressus est ergo ad eum Benadad, et levavit eum in currum suum.
Now, the men, could divine, so they hastened to let him confirm the word of his own accord, and they said, —Thy brother, is Ben-hadad! He said therefore, —Go fetch him. So Ben-hadad came forth unto him, and he made him come up unto him on his chariot.
34 Qui dixit ei: Civitates quas tulit pater meus a patre tuo, reddam: et plateas fac tibi in Damasco, sicut fecit pater meus in Samaria, et ego fœderatus recedam a te. Pepigit ergo fœdus, et dimisit eum.
And he said unto him—The cities which my father took from thy father, will I restore, and, bazaars, shalt thou make thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. So then, I, with this covenant, will let thee go. So he solemnised with him a covenant, and let him go.
35 Tunc vir quidam de filiis prophetarum dixit ad socium suum in sermone Domini: Percute me. At ille noluit percutere.
And, a certain man of the sons of the prophets, said unto his neighbour, by the word of Yahweh—Smite me, I pray thee. But the man refused to smite him.
36 Cui ait: Quia noluisti audire vocem Domini, ecce recedes a me, et percutiet te leo. Cumque paululum recessisset ab eo, invenit eum leo, atque percussit.
So he said to him—Because thou hast not hearkened unto the voice of Yahweh, lo! when thou art departing from me, there shall smite thee a lion. And when he departed from beside him, a lion found him, and smote him.
37 Sed alterum inveniens virum, dixit ad eum: Percute me. Qui percussit eum, et vulneravit.
Then found he another man, and said, —Smite me, I pray thee. So the man smote him—kept on smiting and wounding.
38 Abiit ergo propheta, et occurrit regi in via, et mutavit aspersione pulveris os et oculos suos.
Then the prophet departed, and waited for the king, by the way, —and disguised himself with his turban over his eyes.
39 Cumque rex transisset, clamavit ad regem, et ait: Servus tuus egressus est ad præliandum cominus: cumque fugisset vir unus, adduxit eum quidam ad me, et ait: Custodi virum istum: qui si lapsus fuerit, erit anima tua pro anima ejus, aut talentum argenti appendes.
And so it was, when, the king, was passing, he, cried out unto the king, —and said—Thy servant, went out in the midst of the battle, and lo! a man, turned aside and brought unto me a man, and said—Keep this man, if he be, missing, then shall, thy life, go for, his life, or, a talent of silver, shalt thou weigh out.
40 Dum autem ego turbatus huc illucque me verterem, subito non comparuit. Et ait rex Israël ad eum: Hoc est judicium tuum, quod ipse decrevisti.
And so it was, as thy servant was busy here and there, that, he, was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him—Such, is thy judgment, thou thyself, hast decided it.
41 At ille statim abstersit pulverem de facie sua, et cognovit eum rex Israël, quod esset de prophetis.
Then hastened he, and removed the turban from over his eyes, —and the king of Israel knew him, that, of the prophets, was, he.
42 Qui ait ad eum: Hæc dicit Dominus: Quia dimisisti virum dignum morte de manu tua, erit anima tua pro anima ejus, et populus tuus pro populo ejus.
And he said unto him—Thus, saith Yahweh, Because thou hast let go the man whom I had devoted, out of thy hand, therefore shall, thy life, be instead of, his life, and, thy people, instead of, his people.
43 Reversus est igitur rex Israël in domum suam, audire contemnens, et furibundus venit in Samariam.
And the king of Israel departed unto his house, sullen and disturbed, —and entered Samaria.
