| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | English Standard Version |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it. |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’” |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.” |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.” |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’” |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you first demanded of your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “The gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’” |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, “Take your positions.” And they took their positions against the city. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the LORD.” |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14And Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the LORD, By the servants of the governors of the districts.” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.” |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand. |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him. |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, “Men are coming out from Samaria.” |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive.” |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20And each struck down his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen. |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow. |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you.” |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. |
| 24[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 24And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places, |
| 25[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 25and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so. |
| 26[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 26In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. |
| 27[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 27And the people of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went against them. The people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country. |
| 28[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 28And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” |
| 29[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 29And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. |
| 30[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 30And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city. |
| 31[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 31And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.” |
| 32[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 32So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.’” And he said, “Does he still live? He is my brother.” |
| 33[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 33Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go and bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot. |
| 34[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 34And Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” And Ahab said, “I will let you go on these terms.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go. |
| 35[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the LORD, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him. |
| 36[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 36Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.” And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down. |
| 37[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 37Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him. |
| 38[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 38So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes. |
| 39[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 39And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ |
| 40[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 40And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” |
| 41[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 41Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. |
| 42[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 42And he said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’” |
| 43[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 43And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria. |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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