1 Kings 20 Parallel Bible

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	SLT Smith's Literal Translation	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	And the son of Hadad, king of Aram, gathered all his strength; and thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he will go up and press upon Shomeron and war against her.	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 will send messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, to the city,	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	And he will say to him, Thus said the son of Hadad, Thy silver and thy gold it is to me; and thy wives and thy sons, the good, they are to me.	‘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 will answer and say, According to thy word, my lord the king, to thee am I and all which is to me.	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 the messengers will turn back and say, Thus said Ben-hadad, saying, That I sent to thee, saying, Thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy sons thou shalt give to me,	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	But about the time to-morrow I will send my servants to thee, and they searched thy house, and the houses of thy servants; and it was all the delight of thine eyes they shall put in their hand and take.	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	And the king of Israel will call for all the old men of the land, and he will say, Know now, and see that this seeks evil, for he sent to me for my wives and for my sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I withheld not from him.	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 old men and all the people will say to him, Thou shalt not hear, and thou shalt not be willing.	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	And he will say to the messengers of Ben-hadad, Say to my lord the king, All which thou sentest to thy servant at first, I will do: and this word I shall not be able to do. And the messengers will go and turn back word.	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 Ben-hadad will send to him and say, Thus will the gods do to me, and thus will they add, if the dust of Shomeron shall suffice for handfuls for all the people which are at my feet.	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 will answer and say, Speak ye. He binding shall not boast as he loosening.	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 will be when he heard this word he was drinking, and the kings in the booths; and he will say to his servants, Set ye. And they will set against the city.	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 behold, one prophet drew near to Ahab king of Israel, and he will say, Thus said Jehovah, Sawest thou all this great multitude? Behold me giving it into thy hand this day and thou knewest that I am Jehovah.	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 will say, By whom? And he will say, Thus said Jehovah, By the boys of the chiefs of the provinces. And he will say, Who shall bind the war? And he will say, 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	And he will review the boys of the chiefs of the provinces, and they will be two hundred and thirty: and after them he reviewed all the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand.	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 will go forth at noon. And Ben-hadad was drinking strong drink in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings helping 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 boys of the chiefs of the provinces will go forth at the first; and Ben-hadad will send and they will announce to him, saying, Men came forth from Shomeron.	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	And he will say, If for peace they came forth, seize them living; and if for war they came forth, seize them living.	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 these came forth from the city, the boys of the chiefs of the provinces, and the strength which was 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 will strike a man his man: and Aram will flee, and Israel will pursue them: and Ben-hadad king of Aram, will escape upon a horse, and the 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 will go forth and strike the horse and the chariot, and he struck upon Aram a great blow.	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 the prophet will draw near to the king of Israel, and say to him, Go, be strengthened, and know, and see what thou wilt do: for at the return of the year the king of Aram will come up 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 servants of the king of Aram said to him, A god of the mountains is their God; for this they were strong above us; and on the contrary, we will war with them in a plain; surely, shall we not be strong above 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 do this word, Remove the kings a man from his place, and put prefects in their stead.	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 thou shalt divide out to thee an army, as the army having fallen from thee, and horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will war with them in the plain; surely, shall we not be strong above them? And he will hear to their voice and do 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 will be at the return of the year, and Ben-hadad will review Aram, and he will go up to Aphek to the war with the king of 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 sons of Israel were reviewed, and were nourished, and they will go up to their meeting: and the sons of Israel will encamp over against them as two flocks of she goats; and Aram filled the land.	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 a man of God will come near and say to the king of Israel, and he will say, Thus said Jehovah, Because Aram said, A God of the mountains is Jehovah, and he is not the God of the valleys, and I gave all this great multitude into thy hand; and know ye that I am Jehovah.	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 these will encamp over against those seven days. And it will be in the seventh day, and the battle will draw near: and the sons of Israel will strike Aram a hundred thousand footmen 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	And the rest will flee to Aphek, to the city; and the wall will fall upon twenty and seven thousand men being left And Ben-hadad fled, and he will come to the city, to a chamber in a 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 servants will say to him, Behold now, we heard that the kings of the house of Israel that they are kings of mercy; we will now put sackcloth upon our loins and ropes upon our heads, and we will go forth to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save alive thy soul.	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 they will bind sackcloth upon their loins, and ropes upon their heads, and they will come to the king of Israel, and say, Thy servant Ben-hadad said, Now wilt thou save alive my soul? And he will say, Is he yet living? 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 the men will prognosticate, and hasten, and urge whether it was from him, and they will say, Thy brother Benhadad. And he will say, Go take him. And Benhadad will come forth to him, and he will bring him up upon his chariot.	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 will say to him, The cities which my father took from thy father, I will turn back; and thou shalt set streets for thee in Damascus, according as my father set in Shomeron. And I will send thee away with a covenant. And he will cut out to him a covenant and send 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 a man, one of the sons of the prophets, said to his neighbor in the word of Jehovah, Strike me now. And the man refused to strike 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	And he will say to him, Because thou heardst not to the voice of Jehovah, behold thee going from me, and the lion striking thee. And he will go from beside him, and the lion will find him and strike 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	And he will find another man, and he will say, Strike me now. And the man will strike him, striking and wounding.	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	And the prophet will go and stand by the king by the way; and he will be disguised with a bandage over his eyes.	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 it will be the king passing by, and he cried to the king, and he will say, Thy servant went forth into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside, and he will bring a man to me, and say, Watch this man: if missing, he shall be missed, and thy soul being instead of his soul, or thou shalt weigh a talent of silver.	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 it will be thy servant doing here and there, and he was not. And the king of Israel will say to him, Thus thy judgment; thou didst decide.	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 will hasten and remove the bandage from his eyes; and the king of Israel will know him that he is from the prophets.	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 will say to him, Thus said Jehovah, Because thou sentest away a man I devoted to destruction from thy hand, and thy soul being instead of his soul, and thy people instead of 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 will go to his house, rebellious and angry; and he will come to Shomeron.	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 Smith's Literal Translation 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