Chapter 20
1 Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together ; and there were thirty-two kings with him , with horses and chariots . He went up and besieged Samaria , and fought against it .
2 He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him , "Ben Hadad says,
3 ‘ Your silver and your gold are mine. Your wives also and your children , even the best , are mine.’"
4 The king of Israel answered , " It is according to your saying , my lord, O king . I am yours, and all that I have ."
5 The messengers came again and said, "Ben Hadad says , ‘ I sent indeed to you , saying, " You shall deliver me your silver , your gold , your wives, and your children ;
6 but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time , and they will search your house and the houses of your servants . Whatever is pleasant in your eyes , they will put it in their hand , and take it away ."’"
7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said , " Please notice how this man seeks mischief ; for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children , and for my silver , and for my gold ; and I didn’t deny him ."
8 All the elders and all the people said to him , "Don’t listen , and don’t consent."
9 Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, " Tell my lord the king , ‘ All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do , but this thing I cannot do .’" The messengers departed and brought him back the message .
10 Ben Hadad sent to him , and said, " The gods do so to me , and more also , if the dust of Samaria will be enough for handfuls for all the people who follow me ."
11 The king of Israel answered , " Tell him , ‘Don’t let him who puts on his armour brag like he who takes it off .’"
12 When Ben Hadad heard this message as he was drinking , he and the kings in the pavilions , he said to his servants , " Prepare to attack!" So they prepared to attack the city .
13 Behold , a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel , and said, " The LORD says , ‘ Have you seen all this great multitude ? Behold , I will deliver it into your hand today . Then you will know that I am the LORD .’"
14 Ahab said, " By whom ?" He said, " The LORD says , ‘ By the young men of the princes of the provinces .’" Then he said, " Who shall begin the battle ?" He answered, " You ."
15 Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces , and they were two hundred and thirty-two . After them , he mustered all the people , even all the children of Israel , being seven thousand.
16 They went out at noon . But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions , he and the kings , the thirty-two kings who helped him .
17 The young men of the princes of the provinces went out first ; and Ben Hadad sent out , and they told him , saying, " Men are coming out from Samaria ."
18 He said , "If they have come out for peace , take them alive ; or if they have come out for war , take them alive ."
19 So these went out of the city , the young men of the princes of the provinces , and the army which followed them .
20 They each killed his man. The Syrians fled , and Israel pursued them . Ben Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen .
21 The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots , and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter .
22 The prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him , " Go , strengthen yourself , and plan what you must do , for at the return of the year , the king of Syria will come up against you ."
23 The servants of the king of Syria said to him , " Their god is a god of the hills ; therefore they were stronger than we . But let ’s fight against them in the plain , and surely we will be stronger than they .
24 Do this thing : take the kings away , every man out of his place , and put captains in their place .
25 Muster an army like the army that you have lost , horse for horse and chariot for chariot . We will fight against them in the plain , and surely we will be stronger than they are ." He listened to their voice and did so .
26 At the return of the year , Ben Hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel .
27 The children of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and went against them . The children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of young goats , but the Syrians filled the country.
28 A man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel , and said, " The LORD says , ‘ 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 deliver all this great multitude into your hand , and you shall know that I am the LORD .’"
29 They encamped opposite each other for seven days . Then on the seventh day the battle was joined ; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand footmen of the Syrians in one day .
30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city ; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left . Ben Hadad fled and came into the city , into an inner room .
31 His servants said to him , " See now , we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings . Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies and ropes on our heads , and go out to the king of Israel . Maybe he will save your life ."
32 So they put sackcloth on their bodies and ropes on their heads , and came to the king of Israel , and said, " Your servant Ben Hadad says, ‘ Please let me live .’" He said, " Is he still alive ? He is my brother."
33 Now the men observed diligently and hurried to take this phrase; and they said , " Your brother Ben Hadad." Then he said , " Go , bring him ." Then Ben Hadad came out to him ; and he caused him to come up into the chariot .
34 Ben Hadad said to him , " The cities which my father took from your father I will restore . You shall make streets for yourself in Damascus , as my father made in Samaria ." " I ", said Ahab, " will let you go with this covenant ." So he made a covenant with him and let him go .
35 A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by the LORD ’s word , " Please strike me !" The man refused to strike him .
36 Then he said to him , " Because you have not obeyed the LORD ’s voice , behold , as soon as you have departed from me , a lion will kill you ." As soon as he had departed from him , a lion found him and killed him .
37 Then he found another man, and said, " Please strike me ." The man struck him and wounded him .
38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way , and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes .
39 As the king passed by , he cried to the king , and he said , " Your servant went out into the middle of the battle ; and behold , a man came over and brought a man to me , and said , ‘ Guard this man ! If by any means he is missing , then your life shall be for his life , or else you shall pay a talent of silver .’
40 As your servant was busy here and there , he was gone ." The king of Israel said to him , " So shall your judgement be . You yourself have decided it ."
41 He hurried , and took the headband away from his eyes ; and the king of Israel recognised that he was one of the prophets .
42 He said to him , " The LORD says , ‘ Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction , therefore your life will take the place of his life , and your people take the place of his people .’"
43 The king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry, and came to Samaria .