1 GLT Now Ben Hadad the king of Aram gathered all his strength and 32 kings with him, and horse and chariotry. And he went up and laid seige against Samaria and he fought against 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 GLT 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 GLT And he said to him,‘Thus says Ben Hadad,“Your silver and your gold, it is for me. And your wives and your sons, the good ones, they are for 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 GLT And the king of Israel answered and said,“According to your word, my master the king, I and all that is for me is for 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 GLT And the messengers returned and said,“Thus says Ben Hadad, saying,‘Surely I sent to you, saying, your silver and your gold and your wives and your sons you will 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 GLT but rather around this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search through your house and the houses of your servants. And it will happen that any precious thing of your eyes they will put in their hand and they will take.’” 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 GLT And the king of Israel called to all the elders of the land. And he said,“Please know and see that this one is seeking evil, for he has sent to me for my wives and for my sons and for my silver and for my gold, and I have not withheld 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 GLT And all the elders and all the people said to him,“Do not listen 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 GLT And he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad,“Say to my master the king,‘All that you sent to your servant at the 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 GLT And Ben Hadad sent to him and he said,“Thus may gods do to me and thus may they add, if the dust of Samaria will be sufficient for handfuls for all the people who will be 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 GLT And the king of Israel answered and said,“Speak,‘one about to gird should not boast like one who is 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 GLT And it happened at the hearing of this word as he was drinking, he and the kings in the huts, that he said to his servants,“Set up,” and they set up 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.
13 GLT And behold, one prophet came near to Ahab the king of Israel and he said,“Thus says Yahweh,‘Have you seen all of this great crowd? Behold, I am about to give it into your hand today, and you shall 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 GLT And he mustered the young men of the commanders of the provinces, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people, all 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 GLT And they went out at the midday. And 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 GLT And the young men of the commanders of the provinces went out at the first. And Ben Hadad sent and they told 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 GLT And he said,“If they have gone out for peace, seize them alive, and if they have gone out for war, alive seize them.” 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 GLT And these went out from the city, the young men of the commanders of the provinces and the strength 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 GLT But they struck down, a man his man. And Aram fled and Israel pursued them. And Ben Hadad the king of Aram slipped away on a horse with 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 GLT And the king of Israel went out and he struck down the horse and the chariot. And he struck Aram a great blow. BSB BSB: Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.
22 GLT And the prophet came near to the king of Israel and he said to him,“Go, strengthen yourself, and know and see what you should 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 GLT And the servants of the king of Aram said to him,“Their gods are gods of the mountains. Therefore they were stronger than us. But indeed let us 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 GLT And do this thing: remove the kings, a man from his place, and set governors in their places. BSB BSB: So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.
25 GLT And you should assign for yourself strength like the strength that fell from 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.
26 GLT And it happened at the return of the year, that Ben Hadad mustered Aram. And he went up to Aphek for the battle with Israel. BSB BSB: In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27 GLT And the sons of Israel had been mustered and were sustained and they went to meet them. And the sons of Israel camped in front of them were like two little flocks of goats, and 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 GLT And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, and he said,“Thus says Yahweh,‘Because Aram said“Yahweh is a god of mountains, but he is not a god of valleys,” I shall give all of this great crowd into your hand, and you shall 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 GLT 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 down Aram, 100, 000 on foot 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 GLT And the ones who were left fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell on 127, 000 men, the ones who were left. And Ben Hadad fled and entered into the city, a room in a room. 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.
31 GLT 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 around our loins and ropes on our heads, and we will go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he may let your life 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 GLT And they girded on sackcloth around 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 life 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 GLT And the men sought an omen and they hurried and accepted whether it was from him. And they said,“Your brother is Ben Hadad.” And he said,“Come, bring him!” And Ben Hadad went out to him, and he brought him up on 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 GLT And he said to him,“I will return the cities that my father took from with your father, and the outside you may set up for yourself in Damascus, just as my father set up in Samaria. As for me, by the covenant, I will send you away.” And he cut a covenant for 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.
35 GLT And one man from the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor,“By the word of Yahweh, please strike me.” 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 GLT And he said to him,“Because you did not listen to the voice of Yahweh, behold, you are about to go from with me, and the lion will strike you down.” And he went from beside him and the lion found him and struck him down. 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 GLT And he found one man and said,“Please strike me.” 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 GLT And the prophet went and he stood for the king on the road. And he made himself unrecognizable with the 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 GLT And it happened that the king was passing by and he himself cried out to the king. And he said,“Your servant went out in the middle of the battle, and behold, a man turned aside and he brought a man to me. And he said,‘Keep this man. If he is missing at all, then your life will be in place of his life or you must weigh 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 GLT 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 yourself 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 GLT And he hurried and removed the covering from over 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 GLT And he said to him,“Thus says Yahweh,‘Because you have sent away a man of complete destruction from hand. And 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 GLT And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, 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.