Verse
BSB
Berean Standard Bible
YLT
Young's Literal Translation
Now
Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled
his entire
army.
Accompanied
by
thirty -
two kings with their
horses
and chariots
, he marched
up ,
besieged
Samaria, and waged
war
against
it .
And
Ben-Hadad king of Aram hath
gathered
all
his force,
and
thirty and
two kings `are'
with him,
and horse
and
chariot
, and
he goeth
up and
layeth
siege
against
Samaria, and fighteth
with
it ,
Then
he
sent
messengers into
the
city
to
Ahab king of Israel,
and
sendeth
messengers unto
Ahab king of Israel, to
the
city,
saying
, “This
is
what
Ben-hadad says:
‘Your
silver and gold are mine, and your
best
wives and children
are mine !’”
and
saith
to
him
, `Thus
said
Ben-Hadad ,
`Thy
silver and thy
gold are mine, and thy
wives and thy
sons
--
the
best
--
are mine .'
And the king of Israel replied
, “Just
as
you
say
, my lord the
king: I am yours
, along
with
all that I have. ”
And the king of Israel answereth
and
saith
, `According
to
thy
word
, my lord ,
O
king: I `
am '
thine
, and
all that I have. '
The messengers came
back and said
, “This
is
what
Ben-hadad says:
‘
I have
sent to
you
to
demand
your
silver, your
gold, your
wives, and your
children.
And
the messengers turn
back and say
, `Thus
spake
Ben-Hadad ,
saying,
Surely
I sent unto
thee,
saying,
Thy
silver, and
thy
gold, and
thy
wives, and thy
sons,
to
me
thou
dost
give;
But
about
this time tomorrow
I will
send my servants to
search
your
palace
and the houses of your
servants .
They will
seize
and carry
away all
that
is
precious
to
you
. ’”
for
if,
at
this time to-morrow,
I send my servants unto
thee
then
they
have
searched
thy
house,
and the houses of thy
servants ,
and
it
hath
been,
every
desirable
thing
of
thine
eyes
they place
in
their
hand,
and have
taken
away. '
Then
the king of Israel summoned
all the elders of the land and said
, “Please
take
note
and see that this man
is looking
for
trouble
, for when
he demanded
my wives, my children
, my silver, and my gold, I did
not deny
him. ”
And
the king of Israel calleth
to
all the elders of the land ,
and saith
, `Know,
I
pray
you,
and see that evil
this `one'
is seeking
, for he sent
unto
me
for
my wives, and
for
my sons
, and
for
my silver, and for
my gold, and
I withheld
not from
him. '
And the elders and the people all
said
, “
Do not listen
to
him
or
consent to
his
terms
. ”
And all
the elders and all
the people say
unto
him
, `
Do not hearken,
nor
consent. '
So
Ahab
answered
the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell
my lord the king, ‘
All that you
demanded
of
your
servant the first time
I will
do, but
this thing I cannot
do .’”
So
the messengers departed
and relayed
the
message
to
Ben-hadad
.
And
he
saith
to
the messengers of Ben-Hadad, `Say
to
my lord the king, All that thou
didst
send
for
unto
thy
servant at
the first I do, and
this thing I am
not
able
to
do ;'
and
the messengers go
and take
him
back
word
.
Then
Ben-hadad sent
another
message
to
Ahab:
“May
the gods deal
with
me, and ever
so
severely
, if enough
dust remains
of Samaria for each
of
my men
to
have
a
handful
. ”
And
Ben-Hadad sendeth
unto
him,
and
saith,
`Thus
do
the gods to
me, and thus
do
they
add
, if the
dust of Samaria suffice
for handfuls
for
all
the
people
who
`are'
at
my feet
. '
And the king of Israel replied
, “Tell
him
: ‘The
one
putting
on
his
armor
should
not boast like
one
taking
it
off
. ’”
And the king of Israel answereth
and
saith
, `Speak
ye
: let
not him
who
is
girding
on
boast himself
as
him
who
is
loosing
`his
armour'
. '
Ben-hadad
received
this message
while
he and the kings were
drinking
in
their
tents
, and
he said
to
his servants, “Take
your
positions.”
So
they stationed
themselves against the city.
And
it
cometh
to
pass
at
the
hearing
of
this word
--
and
he is
drinking,
he
and the kings, in
the
booths
--
that
he saith
unto
his servants, `Set
yourselves;'
and
they set
themselves against the city.
Meanwhile
a prophet approached
Ahab king of Israel and declared
, “This
is
what
the
LORD
says:
‘Do
you
see
this entire
great army
? Behold
, I will
deliver
it into your
hand this
very
day, and you
will
know
that I am the
LORD
. ’”
And
lo,
a certain
prophet hath
come
nigh
unto
Ahab king of Israel ,
and saith
, `Thus
said
Jehovah,
`Hast
thou
seen
all
this great multitude
? lo
, I am
giving
it into thy
hand to-
day, and thou
hast
known
that I `
am '
Jehovah
. '
“
By whom? ”
Ahab
asked.
And the
prophet
replied
, “This
is
what
the
LORD
says:
‘
By the young officers
of the district
governors.’”
“
Who will
start
the battle? ”
asked
Ahab.
“You
will
, ”
answered
the
prophet
.
And
Ahab
saith,
`
By whom? '
and he
saith
, `Thus
said
Jehovah,
By the young men
of the heads
of
the
provinces;'
and
he
saith,
`
Who doth
direct
the battle? '
and
he
saith
, `Thou
. '
So
Ahab
assembled
the young officers
of the district
governors
, and there
were
232
men.
And after them ,
he assembled
the rest
of the Israelite
troops,
7
, 000
in
all .
And
he
inspecteth
the young men
of the heads
of
the
provinces
, and they
are
two
hundred,
two
and thirty,
and
after them he hath
inspecteth
the whole
of the people
, all the
sons
of
Israel,
seven
thousand,
They marched
out at noon while
Ben-hadad and the 32
kings allied
with
him were
in
their
tents
getting
drunk
.
and
they go
out at noon ,
and
Ben-Hadad is
drinking
--
drunk
in
the
booths,
he
and the kings ,
the
thirty
and
two
kings,
helping
him.
And the young officers
of the district
governors
marched
out first .
Now
Ben-hadad had
sent
out
scouts
, who
reported
to him, “
Men are
marching
out of Samaria. ”
And the young men
of the heads
of
the
provinces
go
out at
the
first ,
and
Ben-Hadad sendeth
, and
they
declare
to him, saying,
`
Men have
come
out of Samaria. '
“
If they have marched
out in
peace,”
he
said,
“take
them alive .
Even
if they have marched
out for
war,
take
them
alive. ”
And
he
saith,
`
If for
peace
they have come
out --
catch
them alive ;
and
if for
battle
they have come
out --
alive catch
them
. '
Meanwhile,
these young officers
of the district
governors
marched
out
of the city,
with
the army
behind
them,
And
these have
gone
out
of
the
city
--
the
young men
of the heads
of the provinces
--
and
the force
that
`is'
after
them,
and each one
struck
down
his opponent.
So
the
Arameans
fled
, with
the
Israelites
in
pursuit.
But
Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped
on horseback
with
the cavalry.
and smite
each his man
, and
Aram
fleeth,
and
Israel
pursueth
them,
and
Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapeth
on a
horse,
and
the horsemen;
Then
the king of Israel marched
out and attacked
the horses and chariots
, inflicting
a great slaughter
on
the
Arameans
.
and
the king of Israel goeth
out ,
and smiteth
the horses ,
and the
charioteers
, and
hath
smitten
among
the
Aramaeans
a great smiting
.
Afterward,
the prophet approached
the king of Israel and said
, “
Go and
strengthen your
position
, and take
note
what
you
must
do
, for in
the spring
the king of Aram will
come
up against you
. ”
And
the prophet cometh
nigh
unto
the king of Israel ,
and saith
to
him
, `
Go ,
strengthen thyself
, and know
and
see
that
which
thou
dost
, for at
the turn
of
the year
the
king of Aram is
coming
up against thee
. '
Meanwhile,
the servants of the king of Aram said to
him, “Their
gods
are
gods of the
hills .
That
is
why
they prevailed
over
us.
Instead
, we should
fight them on
the plains;
surely
then
we will
prevail.
And
the servants of the king of Aram said unto
him, `
Gods of hills `are'
their
gods,
therefore
they were
stronger
than
we;
and
yet
, we fight with
them in
the plain
--
are
we not
stronger
than
they?
So
do
this: Dismiss
all
the kings from
their
positions
and replace
them
with
other
officers.
`And
this thing
do
thou
: turn
aside
the kings each
out
of
his
place,
and set
captains
in
their
stead;
And you
must
raise
an
army
like
the one
you
have
lost—
horse for horse and chariot for chariot —so
we can
fight the
Israelites
on
the plain ,
where
we will
surely
prevail.”
And the
king
approved
their plan
and acted
accordingly
.
and thou,
number
to
thee
a
force
as
the force
that
is
fallen
from
thee,
and
horse for horse ,
and chariot for chariot ,
and
we fight with
them
in
the plain ;
are
we not
stronger
than
they?'
and he
hearkeneth
to
their voice,
and doth
so
.
In
the spring
, Ben-hadad mobilized
the Arameans
and went
up to Aphek to fight
against
Israel .
And
it
cometh
to
pass
at
the turn
of
the
year
, that
Ben-Hadad inspecteth
the Aramaeans,
and goeth
up to Aphek ,
to battle
with
Israel ,
The Israelites
also
mobilized
, gathered
supplies
, and marched
out
to meet them .
The Israelites
camped
before them like two small
flocks of goats, while
the Arameans
covered
the countryside
.
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 Aramaeans
have
filled
the land
.
Then
the
man of God approached
the king of Israel and said, “This
is
what
the
LORD
says:
‘
Because the
Arameans
think
the LORD
is
a
god of the
hills and not of the
valleys ,
I will
deliver
all
this great army
into your
hand .
Then
you
will
know
that I am the
LORD
. ’”
And
there
cometh
nigh
a
man of God ,
and
speaketh
unto
the king of Israel ,
and saith,
`Thus
said Jehovah
, Because that
the Aramaeans
have
said,
God of hills `is'
Jehovah,
and He
`is'
not God
of valleys --
I have
given
the
whole
of
this great multitude
into thy
hand ,
and
ye
have
known
that I `
am '
Jehovah
. '
For
seven days the
armies
camped
opposite
each
other
, and on the seventh day the battle ensued
, and the Israelites
struck
down
the
Arameans—
a hundred thousand foot
soldiers
in one day.
And
they
encamp
one
over-against
another
seven days, and it
cometh
to
pass
on the seventh day ,
that
the battle draweth
near
, and the sons
of
Israel
smite
Aram
--
a hundred thousand footmen
in one day.
The
rest
of
them
fled
into
the city of
Aphek
, where
the wall fell
on twenty -
seven thousand
of
the
remaining
men .
Ben-hadad also
fled to
the
city
and hid
in an
inner
room
.
And
those
left
flee
to
Aphek,
unto
the city, and
the wall falleth
on twenty and
seven chief
men who
are
left,
and
Ben-Hadad hath
fled ,
and cometh
in unto
the
city,
into
the
innermost
part
.
Then
the
servants of
Ben-hadad
said
to
him, “Look
now
, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful.
Let us go
out
to
the
king
of
Israel
with
sackcloth around
our waists
and ropes around
our heads .
Perhaps
he will
spare
your
life
. ”
And
his
servants say
unto
him, `Lo
, we pray
thee,
we
have heard that the kings of the house of Israel --
that
they
are kind
kings;
let us put,
we
pray
thee,
sackcloth on
our loins,
and ropes on
our heads ,
and
we
go
out
unto
the
king
of
Israel;
it
may
be
he doth
keep
thee
alive
. '
So
with
sackcloth around
their waists
and ropes around
their heads, they went
to
the king of Israel and said
, “Your
servant Ben-hadad says
, ‘Please
spare
my
life.’”
And the
king
answered
, “
Is he still
alive? He is my brother. ”
And
they
gird
sackcloth on
their loins,
and ropes `are'
on
their heads, and
they come
in
unto
the king of Israel ,
and say
, `Thy
servant Ben-Hadad hath
said
, Let
me
live,
I
pray
thee;'
and he
saith
, `
Is he yet
alive? he `
is '
my brother. '
Now
the men were
looking
for
a
sign
of
hope
, and they
quickly
grasped
at
this
word
and replied
, “Yes
, your
brother Ben-hadad .”
“Go
and get
him !”
said
the
king.
Then
Ben-hadad came
out, and Ahab
had
him come up into
his
chariot.
And
the men observe
diligently
, and hasten,
and catch
it
from
him
, and
say
, `Thy
brother Ben-Hadad ;'
and he
saith,
`Go
ye
in,
bring
him ;'
and
Ben-Hadad cometh
out unto
him
, and he
causeth
him to
come up on
the
chariot.
Ben-hadad
said
to
him, “I
will
restore
the cities my father took from your
father ;
you
may
set
up
your
own
marketplaces
in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria .”
“By
this
treaty
I release
you
, ”
Ahab
replied.
So
he
made
a treaty
with him and sent
him away.
And
he
saith
unto
him, `
The cities that
my father took from thy
father ,
I
give
back,
and
streets
thou
dost
make
for
thee
in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria ;'
--
`and
I, with
a covenant,
send
thee
away;'
and
he
maketh
with him a
covenant,
and sendeth
him away.
Meanwhile,
by
the
word
of
the
LORD,
one
of the sons of the prophets said to
his companion
, “Strike
me, please!”
But
the man refused
to strike
him .
And
a
certain
man
of the sons of the prophets said unto
his neighbour
by
the
word
of
Jehovah
, `Smite
me, I
pray
thee;'
and
the man refuseth
to smite
him ,
Then
the
prophet
said
to him, “
Because you
have
not obeyed
the voice of the
LORD
, as
soon
as
you
depart
from me a
lion will
kill
you.”
And when
he left
, a
lion found
him and killed
him.
and
he
saith
to him, `
Because that
thou
hast
not hearkened
to
the voice of Jehovah
, lo,
thou
art
going
from me ,
and
the
lion hath
smitten
thee;'
and he goeth
from
him
, and
the
lion findeth
him ,
and smiteth
him.
Then
the
prophet
found
another man and said
, “Strike
me, please!”
So
the man struck
him and wounded
him
,
And
he
findeth
another man ,
and saith
, `Smite
me, I
pray
thee;'
and
the man smiteth
him ,
smiting
and wounding
,
and the prophet went
and waited
on
the
road
for the king, disguising
himself with a
bandage
over
his eyes.
and the prophet goeth
and standeth
for the king on
the
way
, and
disguiseth
himself with ashes
on
his eyes.
As
the king passed
by ,
he cried out
to
the king :
“Your
servant had
marched
out into the middle
of the battle, when
suddenly
a man came
over
with
a
captive
and told
me, ‘Guard
this man !
If he goes
missing for
any
reason
, your
life will
be
exchanged
for his life, or you
will
weigh
out
a talent of silver .’
And
it
cometh
to
pass
--
the king is
passing
by --
that
he hath
cried unto
the king ,
and
saith,
`Thy
servant went
out into the midst
of the battle, and
lo,
a man hath
turned
aside
and bringeth
in
unto
me a
man
, and
saith,
Keep
this man ;
if he be
at
all
missing, then
hath
thy
life been
for his life, or a talent of silver thou
dost
weigh
out;
But
while
your
servant was
busy
here
and there
, the
man
disappeared.”
And the king of Israel said
to
him, “So
shall
your
judgment be
; you
have
pronounced
it on
yourself
. ”
and
it
cometh
to
pass,
thy
servant is
working
hither
and thither
, and he
is
not!'
and
the king of Israel saith
unto
him, Right
`is'
thy
judgment; thou
hast
determined
`
it '
. '
Then
the
prophet
quickly
removed
the bandage
from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized
him as
one
of the prophets .
And
he
hasteth
and
turneth
aside
the ashes
from off
his eyes, and the king of Israel discerneth
him ,
that
he
`is'
of the prophets ,
And the
prophet
said to
the
king
, “This
is
what
the
LORD
says:
‘
Because you
have
let
slip
from
your
hand
the man I had
devoted to
destruction
, your
life will
be
exchanged
for his life, and your
people for his people .’”
and he
saith
unto
him,
`Thus
said Jehovah
, Because thou
hast
sent
away
the man I devoted, out
of
`thy'
hand,
even
thy
life hath
been
for his life, and thy
people for his people ;'
Sullen
and angry,
the king of Israel went
home
to Samaria.
and the king of Israel goeth
unto
his
house,
sulky
and
wroth,
and
cometh
in
to Samaria.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible and Young's Literal Translation. Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC.; Public domain..