1 Kings 20

1 And Benhadad the king of Syria (Aram) gathered all his army together; and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria (Shomeron), and warred against it.

2 And he sent messengers to Achav king of Yisrael into the city, and said unto him, “Thus saith Benhadad:

3 ‘Your silver and your gold is mine; your wives also and your children, even the goodliest, are mine.’”

4 And the king of Yisrael answered and said, “My lord (Adoni), O king, according to your saying, I am yours, and all that I have.”

5 And the messengers came again, and said, “Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, ‘Although I have sent unto you, saying, “You shalt deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;”

6 Yet I will send my servants unto you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.”

7 Then the king of Yisrael called all the elders of the land, and said, “Please mark, and see how this man seeketh mischief; for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.”

8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, “Hearken not unto him, nor consent.”

9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, “Tell my lord (adoni) the king: ‘All that you didst send for to your servant at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do.’” And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

10 And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, “The gods (elohim) do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria (Shomeron) shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.”

11 And the king of Yisrael answered and said, “Tell him: ‘Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.’”

12 And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, “Set yourselves in array.” And they set themselves in array against the city.

13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Achav king of Yisrael, saying, “Thus saith יהוה: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shalt know that I am יהוה.’”

14 And Achav said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus saith יהוה: ‘Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall order the battle?” And he answered, “You!”

15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two; and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Yisrael, being seven thousand.

16 And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, “There are men come out of Samaria (Shomeron).”

18 And he said, “Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.”

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.

20 And they slew every one his man; and the Syrians (Arammim) fled; and Yisrael pursued them; and Benhadad the king of Syria (Aram) escaped on a horse with the horsemen.

21 And the king of Yisrael went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians (Arammim) with a great slaughter.

22 And the prophet came to the king of Yisrael, and said unto him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you doest; for at the return of the year, the king of Syria (Aram) will come up against you.”

23 And the servants of the king of Syria (Aram) said unto him, “Their God (Elohim) are God (Elohim) of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

24 And do this thing: Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms;

25 And number you an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians (Aramim), and went up to Aphek, to fight against Yisrael.

27 And the children of Yisrael were numbered, and were all present, and went against them; and the children of Yisrael pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians (Arammim) filled the country.

28 And there came a man of God (Elohim), and spake unto the king of Yisrael, and said, “Thus saith יהוה: ‘Because the Syrians (Arammim) have said, “יהוה is God (Elohim) of the hills, but He is not God (Elohim) of the valleys,” therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am יהוה.’”

29 And they pitched one opposite the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Yisrael slew of the Syrians (Arammim) a hundred thousand footmen in one day.

30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

31 And his servants said unto him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Yisrael are merciful kings; please let us put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Yisrael; perhaps he will save your life.

32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Yisrael, and said, “Your servant Benhadad saith: ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he yet alive? He is my brother.”

33 Now the men did diligently observe whether anything would come from him, and did hastily catch it; and they said, “Your brother Benhadad.” Then he said, “Go you, bring him.” Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

34 And Benhadad said unto him, “The cities, which my father took from your father, I will restore; and you shalt make streets for you in Damascus (Dammeseq), as my father made in Samaria (Shomeron).” Then said Achav, “I will send you away with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of יהוה, “Smite me, please.” But the man refused to smite him.

36 Then said he unto him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of יהוה, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall slay you.” And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

37 Then he found another man, and said, “Smite me, please.” And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king; and he said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life, or else you shalt pay a talent of silver.’

40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Yisrael said unto him, “So shall your judgment be; yourself hast decided it.”

41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Yisrael discerned him that he was of the prophets.

42 And he said unto him, “Thus saith יהוה: ‘Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’”

43 And the king of Yisrael went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria (Shomeron).