Ben-hadad Attacks Samaria 1 ULT Now Ben Hadad, the king of Aram, gathered all of his army, and 32 kings with him, and horse and chariot. And he went up and besieged against Samaria, and he fought with it. BSB BSB: 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.
2 ULT And he sent messengers to Ahab, the king of Israel, at the city, BSB BSB: Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel,
3 ULT and he said to him,“Thus says Ben Hadad,‘Your silver and your gold, it{ is} to me, and your wives and your sons, the best ones, they{ are} to me.’” BSB BSB: saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’”
4 ULT And the king of Israel answered and said,“According to your word, my lord the king, I and all that{ is} to me{ are} to you.” BSB BSB: And the king of Israel replied, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”
5 ULT And the messengers returned and said,“Thus says Ben Hadad, saying,‘Indeed I sent to you, saying,“Your silver and your gold and your wives and your sons, you shall give to me,” BSB BSB: 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.
6 ULT but rather, around{ this} time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants. And it will happen, every desire of your eyes, they will put in their hand and take away.’” BSB BSB: 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.’”
7 ULT And the king of Israel called to all of the elders of the land. And he said,“Please know and see that this one is seeking harm, for he sent to me for my wives and for my sons and for my silver and for my gold, and I did not withhold from him.” BSB BSB: 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.”
8 ULT And all of the elders and all of the people said to him,“Do not hear and do not consent.” BSB BSB: And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”
9 ULT And he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad,“Say to my lord the king,‘All that you sent to your servant at first, I will do, but this thing I am not able to do.’” And the messengers went and returned him word. BSB BSB: 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.
10 ULT And Ben Hadad sent to him and said,“Thus may the gods do to me, and thus may they add, if the dust of Samaria is enough for handfuls for all of the people who{ are} at my feet!” BSB BSB: 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.”
11 ULT And the king of Israel answered and said,“Tell{ him},‘Let one girding not boast like one ungirding.’” BSB BSB: And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”
12 ULT And it happened when he heard this word(and he was drinking, he and the kings, in huts), that he said to his servants,“Set!” And they set against the city. BSB BSB: 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.
Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad 13 ULT And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab, the king of Israel, and he said,“Thus says Yahweh,‘Have you seen all of this great multitude? Behold me, giving it into your hand today, and you will know that I{ am} Yahweh.’” BSB BSB: 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.’”
15 ULT And he mustered the servants of the leaders of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all of the people. All of the sons of Israel{ were} 7, 000. BSB BSB: 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.
16 ULT And they went out at midday.(Now Ben Hadad was drinking drunk in the huts, he and the kings, 32 kings who helped him.) BSB BSB: They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.
17 ULT And the servants of the leaders of the districts went out at first. And Ben Hadad sent, and they declared to him, saying,“Men have gone out from Samaria.” BSB BSB: 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.”
18 ULT And he said,“If they have gone out for peace, seize them alive, and if they have gone out for battle, seize them alive.” BSB BSB: “If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”
19 ULT And these went out from the city, the servants of the leaders of the districts, and the army that was behind them. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them,
20 ULT And they struck, a man his man. And Aram fled, and Israel pursued them. And Ben Hadad, the king of Aram, escaped on a horse with the horsemen. BSB BSB: 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.
21 ULT And the king of Israel went out, and he struck the horse and the chariot. And he struck Aram a great striking. BSB BSB: Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.
22 ULT And the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him,“Go, strengthen yourself, and know and see what you shall do, because at the return of the year the king of Aram will be coming up against you.” BSB BSB: 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.”
23 ULT And the servants of the king of Aram said to him,“Their gods{ are} gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than us. But indeed, we shall fight them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than them. BSB BSB: 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.
24 ULT And do this thing: remove the kings, a man from his place, and appoint captains instead of them. BSB BSB: So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.
25 ULT And you, you shall muster for yourself an army like the army having fallen from with you, and a horse like the horse and a chariot like the chariot, and we will fight them in the plain. Surely will we be stronger than them.” And he listened to their voice and did so. BSB BSB: 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.
Another War with Ben-hadad 26 ULT And it happened at the return of the year that Ben Hadad mustered Aram. And he went up to Aphek for battle with Israel. BSB BSB: In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27 ULT And the sons of Israel were mustered and were sustained, and they went to meet them. And the sons of Israel camped in front of them like two little flocks of goats, but Aram filled the land. BSB BSB: 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.
28 ULT And a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said,“Thus says Yahweh,‘Because Aram has said,“Yahweh{ is} a god of the hills, but he{ is} not a god of the valleys,” I will give all of this great multitude into your hand, and you will know that I{ am} Yahweh.’” BSB BSB: Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans have said that 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.’”
29 ULT And they camped, these opposite these, seven days. And it happened on the seventh day that the battle approached, and the sons of Israel struck Aram, 100, 000 foot soldiers in one day. BSB BSB: 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.
30 ULT And the remaining ones fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell on 27, 000 remaining men. And Ben Hadad fled and entered into the city, a chamber in a chamber. BSB BSB: 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.
Ahab Spares Ben-hadad 31 ULT And his servants said to him,“Behold, please, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel, that they{ are} kings of mercy. Please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and we will go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will let your soul live.” BSB BSB: 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.”
32 ULT And they girded sackcloth on their waists and ropes on their heads, and they came to the king of Israel. And they said,“Your servant Ben Hadad says,‘Please let my soul live.’” And he said,“{ Is} he still alive? He{ is} my brother.” BSB BSB: 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.”
33 ULT And the men were observing signs, and they hastened and caught the{ thing} from him. And they said,“Your brother Ben Hadad.” And he said,“Come, bring him!” And Ben Hadad came out to him, and he brought him up onto the chariot. BSB BSB: 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.
34 ULT And he said to him,“I will return the cities that my father took from your father, and you may establish marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, just as my father established in Samaria.”“And I, I will send you away with a covenant.” And he cut a covenant with him, and he sent him away. BSB BSB: 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.
A Prophet Reproves Ahab 35 ULT And a man from the sons of the prophets said to his fellow,“By the word of Yahweh, strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him. BSB BSB: 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.
36 ULT And he said to him,“Because you did not listen to the voice of Yahweh, behold you, going from with me, and a lion will strike you.” And he went from beside him, and a lion found him and struck him. BSB BSB: 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.
37 ULT And he found a man and said,“Strike me, please.” And the man struck him, striking and wounding. BSB BSB: Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
38 ULT And the prophet went, and he stood on the road for the king. And he disguised himself with a covering over his eyes. BSB BSB: and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 ULT And it happened that the king was passing by, and he, he cried out to the king and said,“Your servant went out into the middle of the battle, and behold, a man turned and brought a man to me. And he said,‘Guard this man. If missing, he is missing, then your life will be in place of his life, or you shall pay a kikkar of silver.’ BSB BSB: 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.’
40 ULT And it happened that your servant was doing here and there, and he{ was} not{ there}.” And the king of Israel said to him,“Thus{ is} your judgment, you, you have decided.” BSB BSB: 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.”
41 ULT And he hurried and removed the covering from upon his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him, that he{ was} from the prophets. BSB BSB: Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
42 ULT And he said to him,“Thus says Yahweh,‘Because you have sent away a man of my devotion from{ your} hand, so it will be your life in place of his life and your people in place of his people.’” BSB BSB: 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.’”
43 ULT And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and he came to Samaria. BSB BSB: Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.