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Verse 1

And Ben-hadad{H1130} the king{H4428} of Syria{H758} gathered{H6908} all his host{H2428} together;{H6908} and there were thirty{H7970} and two{H8147} kings{H4428} with him, and horses{H5483} and chariots:{H7393} and he went up{H5927} and besieged{H6696} Samaria,{H8111} and fought{H3898} against it.

Verse 2

And he sent{H7971} messengers{H4397} to Ahab{H256} king{H4428} of Israel,{H3478} into the city,{H5892} and said{H559} unto him, Thus saith{H559} Ben-hadad,{H1130}

Verse 3

Thy silver{H3701} and thy gold{H2091} is mine; thy wives{H802} also and thy children,{H1121} even the goodliest,{H2896} are mine.

Verse 4

And the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} answered{H6030} and said,{H559} It is according to thy saying,{H1697} my lord,{H113} O king;{H4428} I am thine, and all that I have.

Verse 5

And the messengers{H4397} came again,{H7725} and said,{H559} Thus speaketh{H559} Ben-hadad,{H1130} saying,{H559} I sent{H7971} indeed unto thee, saying,{H559} Thou shalt deliver{H5414} me thy silver,{H3701} and thy gold,{H2091} and thy wives,{H802} and thy children;{H1121}

Verse 6

but I will send{H7971} my servants{H5650} unto thee to-morrow{H4279} about this time,{H6256} and they shall search{H2664} thy house,{H1004} and the houses{H1004} of thy servants;{H5650} and it shall be,{H1961} that whatsoever is pleasant{H4261} in thine eyes,{H5869} they shall put{H7760} it in their hand,{H3027} and take it away.{H3947}

Verse 7

Then the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} called{H7121} all the elders{H2205} of the land,{H776} and said,{H559} Mark,{H3045} I pray you, and see{H7200} how this man seeketh{H1245} mischief:{H7451} for he sent{H7971} unto me for my wives,{H802} and for my children,{H1121} and for my silver,{H3701} and for my gold;{H2091} and I denied{H4513} him not.

Verse 8

And all the elders{H2205} and all the people{H5971} said{H559} unto him, Hearken{H8085} thou not, neither consent.{H14}

Verse 9

Wherefore he said{H559} unto the messengers{H4397} of Ben-hadad,{H1130} Tell{H559} my lord{H113} the king,{H4428} All that thou didst send{H7971} for to thy servant{H5650} at the first{H7223} I will do;{H6213} but this thing{H1697} I may{H3201} not do.{H6213} And the messengers{H4397} departed,{H3212} and brought{H7725} him word{H1697} again.{H7725}

Verse 10

And Ben-hadad{H1130} sent{H7971} unto him, and said,{H559} The gods{H430} do so{H6213} unto me, and more also,{H3254} if the dust{H6083} of Samaria{H8111} shall suffice{H5606} for handfuls{H8168} for all the people{H5971} that follow{H7272} me.

Verse 11

And the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} answered{H6030} and said,{H559} Tell{H1696} him, Let not him that girdeth{H2296} on [his armor] boast{H1984} himself as he that putteth it off.{H6605}

Verse 12

And it came to pass, when [Ben-hadad] heard{H8085} this message,{H1697} as he was drinking,{H8354} he and the kings,{H4428} in the pavilions,{H5521} that he said{H559} unto his servants,{H5650} Set{H7760} [yourselves in array]. And they set{H7760} [themselves in array] against the city.{H5892}

Verse 13

And, behold, a{H259} prophet{H5030} came{H5066} near unto Ahab{H256} king{H4428} of Israel,{H3478} and said,{H559} Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} Hast thou seen{H7200} all this great{H1419} multitude?{H1995} behold, I will deliver{H5414} it into thy hand{H3027} this day;{H3117} and thou shalt know{H3045} that I am Jehovah.{H3068}

Verse 14

And Ahab{H256} said,{H559} By whom? And he said,{H559} Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} By the young men{H5288} of the princes{H8269} of the provinces.{H4082} Then he said,{H559} Who shall begin{H631} the battle?{H4421} And he answered,{H559} Thou.

Verse 15

Then he mustered{H6485} the young men{H5288} of the princes{H8269} of the provinces,{H4082} and they were two{H8147} hundred{H3967} and thirty -{H7970} two:{H8147} and after{H310} them he mustered{H6485} all the people,{H5971} even all the children{H1121} of Israel,{H3478} being seven{H7651} thousand.{H505}

Verse 16

And they went out{H3318} at noon.{H6672} But Ben-hadad{H1130} was drinking{H8354} himself drunk{H7910} in the pavilions,{H5521} he and the kings,{H4428} the thirty{H7970} and two{H8147} kings{H4428} that helped{H5826} him.

Verse 17

And the young men{H5288} of the princes{H8269} of the provinces{H4082} went out{H3318} first;{H7223} and Ben-hadad{H1130} sent out,{H7971} and they told{H5046} him, saying,{H559} There are men{H582} come out{H3318} from Samaria.{H8111}

Verse 18

And he said,{H559} Whether they are come out{H3318} for peace,{H7965} take{H8610} them alive,{H2416} or whether they are come out{H3318} for war,{H4421} take{H8610} them alive.{H2416}

Verse 19

So these went out{H3318} of the city,{H5892} the young men{H5288} of the princes{H8269} of the provinces,{H4082} and the army{H2428} which followed{H310} them.

Verse 20

And they slew{H5221} every one{H376} his man;{H376} and the Syrians{H758} fled,{H5127} and Israel{H3478} pursued{H7291} them: and Ben-hadad{H1130} the king{H4428} of Syria{H758} escaped{H4422} on a horse{H5483} with horsemen.{H6571}

Verse 21

And the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} went out,{H3318} and smote{H5221} the horses{H5483} and chariots,{H7393} and slew{H5221} the Syrians{H758} with a great{H1419} slaughter.{H4347}

Verse 22

And the prophet{H5030} came{H5066} near to the king{H4428} of Israel,{H3478} and said{H559} unto him, Go,{H3212} strengthen{H2388} thyself, and mark,{H3045} and see{H7200} what thou doest;{H6213} for at the return{H8666} of the year{H8141} the king{H4428} of Syria{H758} will come up{H5927} against thee.

Verse 23

And the servants{H5650} of the king{H4428} of Syria{H758} said{H559} unto him, Their god{H430} is a god{H430} of the hills;{H2022} therefore they were stronger{H2388} than we: but{H199} let us fight{H3898} against them in the plain,{H4334} and surely{H3808} we shall be stronger{H2388} than they.

Verse 24

And do{H6213} this thing:{H1697} take{H5493} the kings{H4428} away, every man{H376} out of his place,{H4725} and put{H7760} captains{H6346} in their room;

Verse 25

and number{H4487} thee an army,{H2428} like the army{H2428} that thou hast lost,{H5307} horse{H5483} for horse,{H5483} and chariot{H7393} for chariot;{H7393} and we will fight{H3898} against{H854} them in the plain,{H4334} and surely we shall be stronger{H2388} than they. And he hearkened{H8085} unto their voice,{H6963} and did so.{H6213}

Verse 26

And it came to pass at the return{H8666} of the year,{H8141} that Ben-hadad{H1130} mustered{H6485} the Syrians,{H758} and went up{H5927} to Aphek,{H663} to fight{H4421} against Israel.{H3478}

Verse 27

And the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} were mustered,{H6485} and were victualled,{H3557} and went{H3212} against{H7125} them: and the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} encamped{H2583} before them like two{H8147} little flocks{H2835} of kids;{H5795} but the Syrians{H758} filled{H4390} the country.{H776}

Verse 28

And a man{H376} of God{H430} came{H5066} near and spake{H559} unto the king{H4428} of Israel,{H3478} and said,{H559} Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} Because the Syrians{H758} have said,{H559} Jehovah{H3068} is a god{H430} of the hills,{H2022} but he is not a god{H430} of the valleys;{H6010} therefore will I deliver{H5414} all this great{H1419} multitude{H1995} into thy hand,{H3027} and ye shall know{H3045} that I am Jehovah.{H3068}

Verse 29

And they encamped{H2583} one{H428} over against{H5227} the other{H428} seven{H7651} days.{H3117} And so it was, that in the seventh{H7637} day{H3117} the battle{H4421} was joined;{H7126} and the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} slew{H5221} of the Syrians{H758} a hundred{H3967} thousand{H505} footmen{H7273} in one{H259} day.{H3117}

Verse 30

But the rest{H3498} fled{H5127} to Aphek,{H663} into the city;{H5892} and the wall{H2346} fell{H5307} upon twenty{H6242} and seven{H7651} thousand{H505} men{H376} that were left.{H3498} And Ben-hadad{H1130} fled,{H5127} and came{H935} into the city,{H5892} into an inner{H2315} chamber.{H2315}

Verse 31

And his servants{H5650} said{H559} unto him, Behold now, we have heard{H8085} that the kings{H4428} of the house{H1004} of Israel{H3478} are merciful{H2617} kings:{H4428} let us, we pray thee, put{H7760} sackcloth{H8242} on our loins,{H4975} and ropes{H2256} upon our heads,{H7218} and go out{H3318} to the king{H4428} of Israel:{H3478} peradventure he will save{H2421} thy life.{H5315}

Verse 32

So they girded{H2296} sackcloth{H8242} on their loins,{H4975} and [put] ropes{H2256} on their heads,{H7218} and came{H935} to the king{H4428} of Israel,{H3478} and said,{H559} Thy servant{H5650} Ben-hadad{H1130} saith,{H559} I pray thee, let me live.{H2421} And he said,{H559} Is he yet alive?{H2416} he is my brother.{H251}

Verse 33

Now the men{H582} observed{H5172} diligently, and hasted{H4116} to catch{H2480} whether it were his mind; and they said,{H559} Thy brother{H251} Ben-hadad.{H1130} Then he said,{H559} Go{H935} ye, bring{H3947} him. Then Ben-hadad{H1130} came forth{H3318} to him; and he caused him to come up{H5927} into the chariot.{H4818}

Verse 34

And [Ben-hadad] said{H559} unto him, The cities{H5892} which my father{H1} took{H3947} from thy father{H1} I will restore;{H7725} and thou shalt make{H7760} streets{H2351} for thee in Damascus,{H1834} as my father{H1} made{H7760} in Samaria.{H8111} And I, [said Ahab], will let thee go{H7971} with this covenant.{H1285} So he made{H3772} a covenant{H1285} with him, and let him go.{H7971}

Verse 35

And a certain{H259} man{H376} of the sons{H1121} of the prophets{H5030} said{H559} unto his fellow{H7453} by the word{H1697} of Jehovah,{H3068} Smite{H5221} me, I pray thee. And the man{H376} refused{H3985} to smite{H5221} him.

Verse 36

Then said{H559} he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed{H8085} the voice{H6963} of Jehovah,{H3068} behold, as soon as thou art departed{H1980} from me, a lion{H738} shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed{H3212} from him,{H681} a lion{H738} found{H4672} him,{H681} and slew him.{H681}

Verse 37

Then he found{H4672} another{H312} man,{H376} and said,{H559} Smite{H5221} me, I pray thee. And the man{H376} smote{H5221} him, smiting{H5221} and wounding{H6481} him.

Verse 38

So the prophet{H5030} departed,{H3212} and waited{H5975} for the king{H4428} by the way,{H1870} and disguised{H2664} himself with his headband{H666} over his eyes.{H5869}

Verse 39

And as the king{H4428} passed by,{H5674} he cried{H6817} unto the king;{H4428} and he said,{H559} Thy servant{H5650} went out{H3318} into the midst{H7130} of the battle;{H4421} and, behold, a man{H376} turned aside,{H5493} and brought{H935} a man{H376} unto me, and said,{H559} Keep{H8104} this man:{H376} if by any means{H6485} he be missing,{H6485} then shall thy life{H5315} be for his life,{H5315} or else thou shalt pay{H8254} a talent{H3603} of silver.{H3701}

Verse 40

And as thy servant{H5650} was busy{H6213} here and there, he was gone.{H369} And the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} said{H559} unto him, So shall thy judgment{H4941} be; thyself hast decided{H2782} it.

Verse 41

And he hasted,{H4116} and took the headband{H666} away{H5493} from his eyes;{H5869} and the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} discerned{H5234} him that he was of the prophets.{H5030}

Verse 42

And he said{H559} unto him, Thus saith{H559} Jehovah,{H3068} Because thou hast let go{H7971} out of thy hand{H3027} the man{H376} whom I had devoted to destruction,{H2764} therefore thy life{H5315} shall go for his life,{H5315} and thy people{H5971} for his people.{H5971}

Verse 43

And the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} went{H3212} to his house{H1004} heavy{H5620} and displeased,{H2198} and came{H935} to Samaria.{H8111}

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