Ben-hadad Attacks Samaria 1 UST Later, King Ben Hadad of Aram attacked the city of Samaria. He marched there with all of his soldiers and horses and chariots. Thirty- two kings who were subject to him brought their own soldiers. They all surrounded Samaria and began fighting to conquer 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 UST Ben Hadad sent messengers into the city{ to speak on his behalf} to King Ahab. BSB BSB: Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel,
3 UST The messengers told Ahab,“King Ben Hadad says,‘You must give to me your silver and gold, as well as your most beautiful wives and finest children.’” BSB BSB: saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’”
4 UST King Ahab responded to Ben Hadad,“I agree to do what you have demanded. I will give you anything you want, and I will become your subject.” 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 UST The messengers{ told that to Ben Hadad, and} he sent them back with another message:“I sent you a message before saying that you had to give me your silver and gold and wives and children. 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 UST In addition to that, about this time tomorrow, I will send some of my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. You must allow them to claim anything valuable of yours and bring it to me.” 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 UST Then King Ahab summoned all the leaders of Israel. He told them,“It should be obvious that this man wants to destroy us. He sent me a message insisting that I must give him my wives and children and silver and gold, and I agreed to do that{, but now he is making further unreasonable demands}.” 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 UST The leaders said to him,“You must not agree to his demands.” The people who were in Samaria supported what the leaders said. BSB BSB: And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”
9 UST So Ahab told Ben Hadad’ s messengers,“Tell the king that I still agree to give him the things that he first requested. But I do not agree to what he is now demanding further.” The messengers went back to King Ben Hadad and told him that. 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 UST Then Ben Hadad sent messengers back to Ahab. They told him on his behalf,“We will destroy your city completely. There will not be enough debris left for each of my soldiers to have a handful of it! If we do not do that, I ask the gods to destroy me completely and do other terrible things to me!” 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 UST King Ahab replied to the messengers,“Tell King Ben Hadad that someone who is putting on his armor{ in order to fight a battle} should not boast like someone who is taking off his armor{ because he has won a battle}.” 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 UST Ben Hadad was drinking wine with his subject kings in their headquarters when the messengers returned and told him what Ahab had said. He immediately ordered his soldiers to organize an attack against the city, and they marched out to attack it. 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 UST At that moment, a prophet came to King Ahab and said to him,“Here is a message from Yahweh for you. He says,‘Do not be at all afraid of the large enemy army that you see! I will enable your army to defeat them today, and you will recognize that I, Yahweh, am the only true God.’” 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 UST So Ahab gathered the servants whom the district governors had brought with them. There were 232 of those young men. Then Ahab counted how many Israelite soldiers were in the city of Samaria. There were only 7, 000 of them. 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 UST Those young mean started to attack at noon, while Ben Hadad and his 32 subject kings were drinking wine in their headquarters. They had already become drunk. BSB BSB: They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.
17 UST When those young soldiers began their attack, Ben Hadad{ realized something was happening} and sent some soldiers to find out what it was. They returned and reported to him,“Some soldiers are approaching us 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 UST He said,“If they are coming out to negotiate a surrender, take them prisoner. If they are coming out to fight with us, capture 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 UST Those young Israelite soldiers came out of the city{ to attack the Aramean army}, and the other soldiers in the Israelite army came out of the city after them. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them,
20 UST Each of them killed the Aramean soldier who came to fight with him.{ When} the rest of the Aramean army{ saw that, they} ran away, and the rest of the Israelite army pursued them. King Ben Hadad had to escape by getting on a horse and fleeing with his soldiers who rode horses. 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 UST Then King Ahab came out of the city{ to lead the Israelite army}. He and his soldiers destroyed the enemy horses and chariots, and they won a great victory over the Arameans. BSB BSB: Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.
22 UST Then that same prophet went to King Ahab and told him,“The king of Aram is going to attack you with his army again in the springtime of next year. So you must increase the size of your army and make careful preparations.” 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 UST { After the Israelites defeated the Aramean army,} Ben Hadad’ s officials told him,“The gods that the Israelites worship are gods who live in the hills{, and Samaria is built on a hill}. That is why their soldiers were able to defeat us when we fought them there. But if we fight against them in the plains, we will certainly defeat them{ because their gods will not be able to help them there}. 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 UST Here is something further that you should do. You should remove the 32 kings who have been commanding their own soldiers and replace them with trained military officers. BSB BSB: So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.
25 UST Then gather an army as large as the one that the Israelites defeated. Make sure that it has as many horses and chariots as the first army had. Then we will fight the Israelites in the plains, and we will certainly defeat them.” Ben Hadad decided that they were right, so he did what they suggested. 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 UST In the spring of the following year, Ben Hadad gathered his soldiers and marched with them to the city of Aphek to fight against the Israelite army. BSB BSB: In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27 UST Then Ahab assembled the Israelite army and gave it food and equipment. The Israelite soldiers marched out to fight the Aramean soldiers, and they set up their tents opposite them. Compared with the great size of the Aramean army, which spread all over the countryside, the Israelite camp seemed like two small flocks of goats. 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 UST A prophet came to King Ahab and told him,“Here is a message from Yahweh for you. He says,‘The Arameans are saying that I am a god who lives in the hills, and so I will not be able to help you if they fight you in a valley. I am going to prove that they are wrong by enabling your soldiers to defeat their huge army here in this valley. Then you will recognize that I, Yahweh, am the only true God.’” 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 UST The two armies remained in their camps opposite each other for seven days. Then, on the seventh day, they started fighting. The Israelite army defeated the Arameans, and that day they killed 100, 000 of their soldiers. 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 UST The other Aramean soldiers ran away into the city of Aphek. But the wall of the city collapsed and killed 27, 000 more of them. Ben Hadad also escaped into the city and hid in the back room of a house. 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 UST His officials came to him and said,“We have heard that the kings of Israel act mercifully. So allow us to go to King Ahab{ and plead for mercy}. We will wrap rough cloth around our waists{ to show humility} and ropes on our heads{ to indicate that we will be his slaves}. If we do that, perhaps he will not kill you.” 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 UST { The king permitted them to do that, so} they wrapped rough cloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to speak with King Ahab. They said to him,“Your subject Ben Hadad begs you not to kill him.” Ahab replied,“Is he still alive? He{ does not need to be my subject,} he is my brother{, another king like me}.” 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 UST Ben Hadad’ s officials were listening carefully to Ahab, and when he said“brother,” they quickly repeated that word. They said,“Yes, your brother{, your fellow king} Ben Hadad.” Ahab said,“Go and bring him to me.”{ So they went and got him, and when} Ben Hadad arrived, Ahab invited him to sit in his chariot with him. 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 UST Ben Hadad told Ahab,“I will give back to you the Israelite cities that my father’ s army captured when your father was king. And I will allow you to set up market areas for your merchants in Damascus, just as my father set up market areas for his merchants in Samaria.” Ahab replied,“If you make a treaty to do those things, I will allow you to go home.” So Ben Hadad made a treaty with Ahab, and Ahab allowed him to go home. 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 UST There was a man who was part of a group of young prophets in training. He told another young prophet in the group,“Yahweh has told me to have someone hit me hard{ and injure me}. So please do that.” But that man refused to hit 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 UST So the first prophet said to him,“Because you refused to do what Yahweh told you to do, as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you.” And as soon as that man left, a lion suddenly came and killed 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 UST Then the prophet went to another prophet and told him,“Hit me hard, please!” So that man hit him very hard and injured him. BSB BSB: Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
38 UST Then the prophet went and waited by the side of the road for King Ahab to come by. He put a bandage over his eyes so that the king would recognize him. BSB BSB: and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 UST As the king was going by, the prophet called out to him. He said,“Your Majesty, I was fighting in the battle{ against the Arameans, and one of them wounded me so that I could not fight any longer}. So another Israelite soldier brought me an{ important} Aramean soldier whom he had captured. He told me,‘Guard this man! If he escapes by any means, you will deserve to die, and you will have to pay me 33 kilograms of silver to save your life!’ 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 UST But while I was busy doing other things, the man escaped!” King Ahab said to him,“I judge that you should suffer one of the punishments you described. It is clear from your own testimony that you deserve punishment.” 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 UST Then the prophet immediately took off the bandage that was covering his eyes, and King Ahab recognized him. He knew that he was one of 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 UST The prophet told him,“Here is a message from Yahweh for you. He says,‘I wanted you to kill Ben Hadad, but even though he was your prisoner{ and you could have done that}, you let him go. As a result, you are going to die instead of him, and many of your people are going to die instead 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 UST Then King Ahab continued back to Samaria. He was angry and depressed when he got home. 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.