1 Kings 20 Parallel Bible

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	BISHOPS Bishops' Bible of 1568	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his hoast together, hauing thirtie & two kinges with him, and horses and charets: and went vp and besieged Samaria, & warred against it.	Ben-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.	Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he went up and besieged Samaria and attacked it.
2	And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the citie, and sayde vnto him, thus saith Benhadad.	And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad:	He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-Hadad says:
3	Thy siluer & thy gold is myne, & the fayrest of thy wiues & of thy childre be mine.	‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’”	Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine.’”
4	And the king of Israel aunswered and said: My lord king, according to thy saying, I am thyne and all that I haue.	And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.”	The king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king. I and all I have are yours.”
5	And when the messengers came againe, they sayd, thus sayth Benhadad: Forasmuch as I haue sent vnto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliuer me thy siluer and thy golde, and thy wyues, and thy children:	The 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.”	The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben-Hadad says: ‘I sent to demand your silver and gold, your wives and your children.
6	I will therfore send my seruauntes vnto thee to morowe this time: and they shall searche thyne house, & the houses of thy seruauntes, and whatsoeuer is pleasaunt in thyne eyes, they shall take it in their handes, and bring it away.	Nevertheless 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.’”	But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.’”
7	Then the king of Israel sent for all the elders of the land, and said: Take heede I pray you, and see howe this felowe goeth about mischiefe: For he sent vnto me for my wiues, for my children, for my siluer, and for my golde, and I denyed him not.	Then 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.”	The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, “See how this man is looking for trouble! When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him.”
8	And all the elders and all the people said: Hearken not vnto him, nor consent.	And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”	The elders and the people all answered, “Don’t listen to him or agree to his demands.”
9	Wherfore he sayde vnto the messengers of Benhadad: Tell my lord the king, all that thou dyddest send for to thy seruaut at the first time, that I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought aunswere againe.	So 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.	So he replied to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Your servant will do all you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.’” They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.
10	And Benhadad sent vnto him againe, and sayde: Thus and thus do the gods vnto me, if the dust of Samaria be enough for al the people that folowe me, to take euery man an handfull.	Ben-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.”	Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”
11	And the king of Israel aunswered, and sayd: Tell him, let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast him selfe, as he that putteth it of.	And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’”	The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’”
12	And it fortuned, that when Benhadad hearde that tydinges, as he was with the kinges drinking within the pauilions, and he saide vnto this seruauntes, Put your selues in order. And they set them selues in aray against the citie.	When 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.	Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he ordered his men: “Prepare to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.
13	And beholde, there came a prophete vnto Ahab king of Israel, saying, thus sayeth the Lord: Hast thou seene all this great multitude? beholde, I will deliuer it into thyne hand this day, & thou shalt knowe that I am the Lorde.	And 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.”	Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
14	And Ahab sayd: By whom? He sayde: Thus sayth the Lorde, euen by the seruauntes of the gouernours of ye shyres. He sayd againe: who shall order the battayle? And he aunswered: Thou.	And 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.”	“But who will do this?” asked Ahab. The prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘The junior officers under the provincial commanders will do it.’” “And who will start the battle?” he asked. The prophet answered, “You will.”
15	Then he numbred the seruauntes of the gouernours of the shyres, & they were two hundred and thirtie and two: And after them also he numbred all the people of the children of Israel euen seuen thousande.	Then 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.	So Ahab summoned the 232 junior officers under the provincial commanders. Then he assembled the rest of the Israelites, 7,000 in all.
16	And they went out at noone: but Benhadad dyd drinke till he was drunken in the pauillions, both he and the kinges: eue thirtie & two kinges, that holpe him.	And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him.	They set out at noon while Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.
17	And the seruauntes of the gouernours of the shyres went out first, and Benhadad sent out, & they shewed him, saying: There are men come out of Samaria.	The 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.”	The junior officers under the provincial commanders went out first. Now Ben-Hadad had dispatched scouts, who reported, “Men are advancing from Samaria.”
18	He sayde: Whether they be come out for peace, take them alyue: or whether they be come out to fight, take them yet alyue.	He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”	He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
19	And so those young men of the gouernours of the shyres came out of the citie, and the hoast after them:	So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them.	The junior officers under the provincial commanders marched out of the city with the army behind them
20	And they slue euery one his enemie that came in his way: and the Syrians fled, & they of Israel folowed after the: And Benhadad the king of Syria scaped on a horse, with his horsemen.	And each struck down his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.	and each one struck down his opponent. At that, the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with some of his horsemen.
21	And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and charettes, & with a great slaughter slue he the Syrians.	And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.	The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans.
22	(And there came a prophete to the king of Israel, and said vnto him: Go foorth, and play the man, be wyse, & take heede what thou doest: for when the yere is gone about, the king of Syria will come vp against thee.)	Then 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.”	Afterward, the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, “Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.”
23	And the seruauntes of the king of Syria sayde vnto him: The gods of the hilles are their gods, and therefore they had the better of vs: but let vs fight against them in the playne, and for what ye will we shall haue the better of them.	And 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.	Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.
24	And this do: Take the kinges away euery man out of his place, & put dukes in their roomes:	And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places,	Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers.
25	And do thou number thee an hoast, lyke the hoast that thou hast lost, such horses and suche charets, and we will fight against them in the plaine, and thou shalt see vs get the better of the. And he hearkened vnto their voyce, and dyd euen so.	and 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.	You must also raise an army like the one you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly.
26	And it fortuned, that after the yere was gone about, Benhadad numbred the Syrians, and went vp to Aphec to fight against Israel.	In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.	The next spring Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27	And the children of Israel were numbred, & with their whole number went they against them, and the children of Israel pitched before them lyke two litle flockes of kiddes: but the Syrians filled the countrey.	And 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.	When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.
28	And there came a man of God, and sayd vnto the king of Israel, thus sayth the Lorde: Because the Syrians haue sayd, the Lorde is but God of the hilles, and not God of the valleys: therfore wil I deliuer all this great multitude into thyne hande, and ye shall knowe that I am the Lorde.	And 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.’”	The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
29	And they pitched one ouer against the other seuen dayes: and it came to passe, that in the seuenth day the battaile was ioyned, and the children of Israel slue of the Syrians an hundred thousande footemen in one day.	And 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.	For seven days they camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle was joined. The Israelites inflicted a hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean foot soldiers in one day.
30	But the rest fled to Aphec into the citie, and there fell a wall vpon twentie and seuen thousande of the men that were left: And Benhadad fled, and came into the citie, from chamber to chamber.	And 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.	The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek, where the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
31	And his seruauntes said vnto him: Behold, we haue heard say that the kinges of the house of Israel are mercyfull kinges: We will therfore put sackcloth about our loynes, and ropes about our heades, and go out to the king of Israel, if happyly he will saue thy lyfe.	And 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.”	His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
32	And so they girded sackcloth about their loynes, & put ropes about their heades, and came to the king of Israel, and said: Thy seruaunt Benhadad sayth, I pray thee let me lyue. He sayde: Is he yet alyue? he is my brother.	So 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.”	Wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says: ‘Please let me live.’” The king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
33	And ye men toke that word for good lucke and hastyly caught it out of his mouth, and sayd: Yea thy brother Benhadad. He sayde: Go, bring him hyther. And Benhadad came out vnto him, and he caused him to come vp into the charet.	Now 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.	The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. “Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!” they said. “Go and get him,” the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
34	And he said vnto him: The cities which my father toke from thy father, I will restore agayne, and thou shalt make streates for thee in Damasco, as my father dyd in Samaria: And I wil make an appoyntment with thee, & send the away. And so he made an appoyntment with him, and sent him away.	And 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.	“I will return the cities my father took from your father,” Ben-Hadad offered. “You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab said, “On the basis of a treaty I will set you free.” So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.
35	And there was a certayne man of the children of the prophetes, whiche sayde vnto his neyghbour in the word of the Lord: Smyte me I pray thee. And the man woulde not smyte him.	And 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.	By the word of the LORD one of the company of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but he refused.
36	Then sayd he vnto him: Because thou hast not hearkened vnto the voyce of the Lorde: beholde, assoone as thou art departed fro me, a lion shal slay thee. And it came to passe, that assoone as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slue him.	Then 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.	So the prophet said, “Because you have not obeyed the LORD, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.
37	Then he founde another man, & sayde: Smyte me I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smyting he wounded him.	Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him.	The prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him and wounded him.
38	So the prophete went foorth, & wayted for the king by the way, and put him selfe out of knowledge with ashes whiche he layed vpon his face.	So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.	Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes.
39	And when the king came by, he cryed vnto the king, and sayde: Thy seruaunt wet out in the middes of the battel, and behold there went away a man, whom another man brought vnto me, & sayde, Kepe this man: and if he be myssed or lost, thy lyfe shall go for his, or els thou shalt pay a talent of siluer.	And 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.’	As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, “Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, ‘Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.’
40	And as thy seruaunt had here & there to do, he was gone. And the king of Israel sayde vnto him: Euen so shall thy iudgement be, as thou hast defined it thy selfe.	And 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.”	While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” “That is your sentence,” the king of Israel said. “You have pronounced it yourself.”
41	And he hasted, & toke the ashes away from his face, and the king of Israel knewe him, that he was of ye prophetes.	Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.	Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
42	And he sayde vnto him, Thus sayth the Lorde: Because thou hast let go out of thy hande a man that is in my curse, thy lyfe shall go for his lyfe, and thy people for his people.	And 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.’”	He said to the king, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.’”
43	And the king of Israel went to his house wayward and in displeasure, and came to Samaria.	And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.	Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria.
	Read Bishops' Bible of 1568 Public domain.	Read English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.	Read New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

1 Kings 20 Parallel Bible Translations