1 Kings 20 And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together : and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses , and chariots : and he went up and besieged Samaria , and warred against it.

KJV_Strongs⁽ⁱ⁾

1 H1130 And Benhadad H4428 the king H758 of Syria H6908 gathered H2428 all his host H6908 together [H8804] H7970 : and there were thirty H8147 and two H4428 kings H5483 with him, and horses H7393 , and chariots H5927 : and he went up [H8799] H6696 and besieged [H8799] H8111 Samaria H3898 , and warred [H8735] against it.

2 H7971 And he sent [H8799] H4397 messengers H256 to Ahab H4428 king H3478 of Israel H5892 into the city H559 , and said [H8799] H559 unto him, Thus saith [H8804] H1130 Benhadad,

3 H3701 Thy silver H2091 and thy gold H802 is mine; thy wives H1121 also and thy children H2896 , even the goodliest, are mine.

4 H4428 And the king H3478 of Israel H6030 answered [H8799] H559 and said [H8799] H113 , My lord H4428 , O king H1697 , according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

5 H4397 And the messengers H7725 came again [H8799] H559 , and said [H8799] H559 , Thus speaketh [H8804] H1130 Benhadad H559 , saying [H8800] H7971 , Although I have sent [H8804] H559 unto thee, saying [H8800] H5414 , Thou shalt deliver [H8799] H3701 me thy silver H2091 , and thy gold H802 , and thy wives H1121 , and thy children;

6 H7971 Yet I will send [H8799] H5650 my servants H4279 unto thee to morrow H6256 about this time H2664 , and they shall search [H8765] H1004 thine house H1004 , and the houses H5650 of thy servants H1961 ; and it shall be [H8804] H4261 , that whatsoever is pleasant H5869 in thine eyes H7760 , they shall put [H8799] H3027 it in their hand H3947 , and take it away [H8804] .

7 H4428 Then the king H3478 of Israel H7121 called [H8799] H2205 all the elders H776 of the land H559 , and said [H8799] H3045 , Mark [H8798] H7200 , I pray you, and see [H8798] H1245 how this man seeketh [H8764] H7451 mischief H7971 : for he sent [H8804] H802 unto me for my wives H1121 , and for my children H3701 , and for my silver H2091 , and for my gold H4513 ; and I denied [H8804] him not.

8 H2205 And all the elders H5971 and all the people H559 said [H8799] H8085 unto him, Hearken [H8799] H14 not unto him, nor consent [H8799] .

9 H559 Wherefore he said [H8799] H4397 unto the messengers H1130 of Benhadad H559 , Tell [H8798] H113 my lord H4428 the king H7971 , All that thou didst send [H8804] H5650 for to thy servant H7223 at the first H6213 I will do [H8799] H1697 : but this thing H3201 I may [H8799] H6213 not do [H8800] H4397 . And the messengers H3212 departed [H8799] H7725 , and brought H1697 him word H7725 again [H8686] .

10 H1130 And Benhadad H7971 sent [H8799] H559 unto him, and said [H8799] H430 , The gods H6213 do so [H8799] H3254 unto me, and more also [H8686] H6083 , if the dust H8111 of Samaria H5606 shall suffice [H8799] H8168 for handfuls H5971 for all the people H7272 that follow me.

11 H4428 And the king H3478 of Israel H6030 answered [H8799] H559 and said [H8799] H1696 , Tell [H8761] H2296 him, Let not him that girdeth [H8802] H1984 on his harness boast [H8691] H6605 himself as he that putteth it off [H8764] .

12 H8085 And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard [H8800] H1697 this message H8354 , as he was drinking [H8802] H4428 , he and the kings H5521 in the pavilions H559 , that he said [H8799] H5650 unto his servants H7760 , Set [H8798] H7760 yourselves in array . And they set [H8799] H5892 themselves in array against the city.

13 H5066 And, behold, there came [H8738] H259 a H5030 prophet H256 unto Ahab H4428 king H3478 of Israel H559 , saying [H8799] H559 , Thus saith [H8804] H3068 the LORD H7200 , Hast thou seen [H8804] H1419 all this great H1995 multitude H5414 ? behold, I will deliver [H8802] H3027 it into thine hand H3117 this day H3045 ; and thou shalt know [H8804] H3068 that I am the LORD.

14 H256 And Ahab H559 said [H8799] H559 , By whom? And he said [H8799] H559 , Thus saith [H8804] H3068 the LORD H5288 , Even by the young men H8269 of the princes H4082 of the provinces H559 . Then he said [H8799] H631 , Who shall order [H8799] H4421 the battle H559 ? And he answered [H8799] , Thou.

15 H6485 Then he numbered [H8799] H5288 the young men H8269 of the princes H4082 of the provinces H8147 , and they were two H3967 hundred H7970 and thirty H8147 two H310 : and after H6485 them he numbered [H8804] H5971 all the people H1121 , even all the children H3478 of Israel H7651 , being seven H505 thousand.

16 H3318 And they went out [H8799] H6672 at noon H1130 . But Benhadad H8354 was drinking [H8802] H7910 himself drunk H5521 in the pavilions H4428 , he and the kings H7970 , the thirty H8147 and two H4428 kings H5826 that helped [H8802] him.

17 H5288 And the young men H8269 of the princes H4082 of the provinces H3318 went out [H8799] H7223 first H1130 ; and Benhadad H7971 sent out [H8799] H5046 , and they told [H8686] H559 him, saying [H8800] H582 , There are men H3318 come out [H8804] H8111 of Samaria.

18 H559 And he said [H8799] H3318 , Whether they be come out [H8804] H7965 for peace H8610 , take [H8798] H2416 them alive H3318 ; or whether they be come out [H8804] H4421 for war H8610 , take [H8798] H2416 them alive.

19 H5288 So these young men H8269 of the princes H4082 of the provinces H3318 came out [H8804] H5892 of the city H2428 , and the army H310 which followed them.

20 H5221 And they slew [H8686] H376 every one H376 his man H758 : and the Syrians H5127 fled [H8799] H3478 ; and Israel H7291 pursued [H8799] H1130 them: and Benhadad H4428 the king H758 of Syria H4422 escaped [H8735] H5483 on an horse H6571 with the horsemen.

21 H4428 And the king H3478 of Israel H3318 went out [H8799] H5221 , and smote [H8686] H5483 the horses H7393 and chariots H5221 , and slew [H8689] H758 the Syrians H1419 with a great H4347 slaughter.

22 H5030 And the prophet H5066 came [H8799] H4428 to the king H3478 of Israel H559 , and said [H8799] H3212 unto him, Go [H8798] H2388 , strengthen [H8690] H3045 thyself, and mark [H8798] H7200 , and see [H8798] H6213 what thou doest [H8799] H8666 : for at the return H8141 of the year H4428 the king H758 of Syria H5927 will come up [H8802] against thee.

23 H5650 And the servants H4428 of the king H758 of Syria H559 said [H8804] H430 unto him, Their gods H430 are gods H2022 of the hills H2388 ; therefore they were stronger [H8804] H199 than we; but H3898 let us fight [H8735] H4334 against them in the plain H3808 , and surely H2388 we shall be stronger [H8799] than they.

24 H6213 And do [H8798] H1697 this thing H5493 , Take [H8685] H4428 the kings H376 away, every man H4725 out of his place H7760 , and put [H8798] H6346 captains in their rooms:

25 H4487 And number [H8799] H2428 thee an army H2428 , like the army H5307 that thou hast lost [H8802] H5483 , horse H5483 for horse H7393 , and chariot H7393 for chariot H3898 : and we will fight [H8735] H854 against H4334 them in the plain H2388 , and surely we shall be stronger [H8799] H8085 than they. And he hearkened [H8799] H6963 unto their voice H6213 , and did so [H8799] .

26 H8666 And it came to pass at the return H8141 of the year H1130 , that Benhadad H6485 numbered [H8799] H758 the Syrians H5927 , and went up [H8799] H663 to Aphek H4421 , to fight H3478 against Israel.

27 H1121 And the children H3478 of Israel H6485 were numbered [H8719] H3557 , and were all present [H8791] H3212 , and went [H8799] H7125 against [H8800] H1121 them: and the children H3478 of Israel H2583 pitched [H8799] H8147 before them like two H2835 little flocks H5795 of kids H758 ; but the Syrians H4390 filled [H8765] H776 the country.

28 H5066 And there came [H8799] H376 a man H430 of God H559 , and spake [H8799] H4428 unto the king H3478 of Israel H559 , and said [H8799] H559 , Thus saith [H8804] H3068 the LORD H758 , Because the Syrians H559 have said [H8804] H3068 , The LORD H430 is God H2022 of the hills H430 , but he is not God H6010 of the valleys H5414 , therefore will I deliver [H8804] H1419 all this great H1995 multitude H3027 into thine hand H3045 , and ye shall know [H8804] H3068 that I am the LORD.

29 H2583 And they pitched [H8799] H428 one H5227 over against H428 the other H7651 seven H3117 days H7637 . And so it was, that in the seventh H3117 day H4421 the battle H7126 was joined [H8799] H1121 : and the children H3478 of Israel H5221 slew [H8686] H758 of the Syrians H3967 an hundred H505 thousand H7273 footmen H259 in one H3117 day.

30 H3498 But the rest [H8737] H5127 fled [H8799] H663 to Aphek H5892 , into the city H2346 ; and there a wall H5307 fell [H8799] H6242 upon twenty H7651 and seven H505 thousand H376 of the men H3498 that were left [H8737] H1130 . And Benhadad H5127 fled [H8804] H935 , and came [H8799] H5892 into the city H2315 , into an inner H2315 chamber.

31 H5650 And his servants H559 said [H8799] H8085 unto him, Behold now, we have heard [H8804] H4428 that the kings H1004 of the house H3478 of Israel H2617 are merciful H4428 kings H7760 : let us, I pray thee, put [H8799] H8242 sackcloth H4975 on our loins H2256 , and ropes H7218 upon our heads H3318 , and go out [H8799] H4428 to the king H3478 of Israel H2421 : peradventure he will save [H8762] H5315 thy life.

32 H2296 So they girded [H8799] H8242 sackcloth H4975 on their loins H2256 , and put ropes H7218 on their heads H935 , and came [H8799] H4428 to the king H3478 of Israel H559 , and said [H8799] H5650 , Thy servant H1130 Benhadad H559 saith [H8804] H2421 , I pray thee, let me live [H8799] H5315 H559 . And he said [H8799] H2416 , Is he yet alive H251 ? he is my brother.

33 H582 Now the men H5172 did diligently observe [H8762] H4116 whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily [H8762] H2480 catch [H8686] H559 it : and they said [H8799] H251 , Thy brother H1130 Benhadad H559 . Then he said [H8799] H935 , Go [H8798] H3947 ye, bring [H8798] H1130 him. Then Benhadad H3318 came forth [H8799] H5927 to him; and he caused him to come up [H8686] H4818 into the chariot.

34 H559 And Benhadad said [H8799] H5892 unto him, The cities H1 , which my father H3947 took [H8804] H1 from thy father H7725 , I will restore [H8686] H7760 ; and thou shalt make [H8799] H2351 streets H1834 for thee in Damascus H1 , as my father H7760 made [H8804] H8111 in Samaria H7971 . Then said Ahab, I will send thee away [H8762] H1285 with this covenant H3772 . So he made [H8799] H1285 a covenant H7971 with him, and sent him away [H8762] .

35 H259 And a certain H376 man H1121 of the sons H5030 of the prophets H559 said [H8804] H7453 unto his neighbour H1697 in the word H3068 of the LORD H5221 , Smite [H8685] H376 me, I pray thee. And the man H3985 refused [H8762] H5221 to smite [H8687] him.

36 H559 Then said [H8799] H8085 he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed [H8804] H6963 the voice H3068 of the LORD H1980 , behold, as soon as thou art departed [H8802] H738 from me, a lion H5221 shall slay [H8689] H3212 thee. And as soon as he was departed [H8799] H681 from him H738 , a lion H4672 found [H8799] H5221 him, and slew [H8686] him.

37 H4672 Then he found [H8799] H312 another H376 man H559 , and said [H8799] H5221 , Smite [H8685] H376 me, I pray thee. And the man H5221 smote [H8686] H5221 him, so that in smiting [H8687] H6481 he wounded [H8800] him .

38 H5030 So the prophet H3212 departed [H8799] H5975 , and waited [H8799] H4428 for the king H1870 by the way H2664 , and disguised [H8691] H666 himself with ashes H5869 upon his face.

39 H4428 And as the king H5674 passed by [H8802] H6817 , he cried [H8804] H4428 unto the king H559 : and he said [H8799] H5650 , Thy servant H3318 went out [H8804] H7130 into the midst H4421 of the battle H376 ; and, behold, a man H5493 turned aside [H8804] H935 , and brought [H8686] H376 a man H559 unto me, and said [H8799] H8104 , Keep [H8798] H376 this man H6485 : if by any means [H8736] H6485 he be missing [H8735] H5315 , then shall thy life H5315 be for his life H8254 , or else thou shalt pay [H8799] H3603 a talent H3701 of silver.

40 H5650 And as thy servant H6213 was busy [H8802] H369 here and there, he was gone H4428 . And the king H3478 of Israel H559 said [H8799] H4941 unto him, So shall thy judgment H2782 be; thyself hast decided [H8804] it .

41 H4116 And he hasted [H8762] H666 , and took the ashes H5493 away [H8686] H5869 from his face H4428 ; and the king H3478 of Israel H5234 discerned [H8686] H5030 him that he was of the prophets.

42 H559 And he said [H8799] H559 unto him, Thus saith [H8804] H3068 the LORD H7971 , Because thou hast let go [H8765] H3027 out of thy hand H376 a man H2764 whom I appointed to utter destruction H5315 , therefore thy life H5315 shall go for his life H5971 , and thy people H5971 for his people.

43 H4428 And the king H3478 of Israel H3212 went [H8799] H1004 to his house H5620 heavy H2198 and displeased H935 , and came [H8799] H8111 to Samaria.

ERV⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. ² And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad, ³ Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. ⁴ And the king of Israel answered and said, It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king; I am thine, and all that I have. ⁵ And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, I sent indeed unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; ⁶ but I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away. ⁷ Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. ⁸ And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken thou not, neither consent. ⁹ Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again. ¹⁰ And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. ¹¹ And the king of Israel answered and said, tell him, Let not him that girdeth on [his armour] boast himself as he that putteth it off. ¹² And it came to pass, when [Ben-hadad] heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set [yourselves in array]. And they set [themselves in array] against the city. ¹³ And, behold, a prophet came near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold; I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD. ¹⁴ And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou. ¹⁵ Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand. ¹⁶ And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him. ¹⁷ And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out from Samaria. ¹⁸ And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be 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 And they slew every one his man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with horsemen. ²¹ And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. ²² And the prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. ²³ And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we: but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. ²⁴ And do this thing; take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their room: ²⁵ and number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so. ²⁶ And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. ²⁷ And the children of Israel were mustered, and were victualled, and went against them: and the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country. ²⁸ And a man of God came near and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith 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 will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD. ²⁹ And they encamped one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day. ³⁰ But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber. ³¹ And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life. ³² So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and [put] ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. ³³ Now the men observed diligently, and hasted to catch whether it were his mind; and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. ³⁴ And [Ben-hadad] said unto him, The cities which my father took from thy father I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. And I, [said Ahab], will let thee go with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and let him go. ³⁵ And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his fellow by the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. ³⁶ Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. ³⁷ Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, smiting and wounding him. ³⁸ So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes. ³⁹ And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. ⁴⁰ And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it. ⁴¹ And he hasted, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. ⁴² And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. ⁴³ And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.