And Benhadad¹¹³⁰ the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Syria⁷⁵⁸ gathered all his host²⁴²⁸ together:⁶⁹⁰⁸ and there were thirty⁷⁹⁷⁰ and two⁸¹⁴⁷ kings⁴⁴²⁸ with him, and horses,⁵⁴⁸³ and chariots:⁷³⁹³ and he went up⁵⁹²⁷ and besieged⁶⁶⁹⁶ Samaria,⁸¹¹¹ and warred³⁸⁹⁸ against it.

And he sent⁷⁹⁷¹ messengers⁴³⁹⁷ to Ahab²⁵⁶ king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ into the city,⁵⁸⁹² and said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Benhadad,¹¹³⁰

Thy silver³⁷⁰¹ and thy gold²⁰⁹¹ is mine; thy wives⁸⁰² also and thy children,¹¹²¹ even the goodliest,²⁸⁹⁶ are mine.

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ answered⁶⁰³⁰ and said,⁵⁵⁹ My sovereign,¹¹³ O king,⁴⁴²⁸ according to thy saying,¹⁶⁹⁷ I am thine, and all that I have.

And the messengers⁴³⁹⁷ came again,⁷⁷²⁵ and said,⁵⁵⁹ Thus speaketh⁵⁵⁹ Benhadad,¹¹³⁰ saying,⁵⁵⁹ Although I have sent⁷⁹⁷¹ unto thee, saying,⁵⁵⁹ Thou shalt deliver⁵⁴¹⁴ me thy silver,³⁷⁰¹ and thy gold,²⁰⁹¹ and thy wives,⁸⁰² and thy children;¹¹²¹

Yet I will send⁷⁹⁷¹ my servants⁵⁶⁵⁰ unto thee to morrow⁴²⁷⁹ about this time,⁶²⁵⁶ and they shall search²⁶⁶⁴ thine house,¹⁰⁰⁴ and the houses¹⁰⁰⁴ of thy servants;⁵⁶⁵⁰ and it shall be,¹⁹⁶¹ that whatsoever is pleasant⁴²⁶¹ in thine eyes,⁵⁸⁶⁹ they shall put⁷⁷⁶⁰ it in their hand,³⁰²⁷ and take it away.³⁹⁴⁷

Then the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ called⁷¹²¹ all the elders²²⁰⁵ of the land,⁷⁷⁶ and said,⁵⁵⁹ Mark,³⁰⁴⁵ I pray you, and see⁷²⁰⁰ how this man seeketh¹²⁴⁵ mischief:⁷⁴⁵¹ for he sent⁷⁹⁷¹ unto me for my wives,⁸⁰² and for my children,¹¹²¹ and for my silver,³⁷⁰¹ and for my gold;²⁰⁹¹ and I denied⁴⁵¹³ him not.

And all the elders²²⁰⁵ and all the people⁵⁹⁷¹ said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Hearken⁸⁰⁸⁵ not unto him, nor consent.¹⁴

Wherefore he said⁵⁵⁹ unto the messengers⁴³⁹⁷ of Benhadad,¹¹³⁰ Tell⁵⁵⁹ my sovereign¹¹³ the king,⁴⁴²⁸ All that thou didst send⁷⁹⁷¹ for to thy servant⁵⁶⁵⁰ at the first⁷²²³ I will do:⁶²¹³ but this thing¹⁶⁹⁷ I may³²⁰¹ not do.⁶²¹³ And the messengers⁴³⁹⁷ departed,³²¹² and brought him word¹⁶⁹⁷ again.⁷⁷²⁵

And Benhadad¹¹³⁰ sent⁷⁹⁷¹ unto him, and said,⁵⁵⁹ The mighty ones⁴³⁰ do⁶²¹³ so unto me, and more³²⁵⁴ also, if the dust⁶⁰⁸³ of Samaria⁸¹¹¹ shall suffice⁵⁶⁰⁶ for handfuls⁸¹⁶⁸ for all the people⁵⁹⁷¹ that follow⁷²⁷² me.

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ answered⁶⁰³⁰ and said,⁵⁵⁹ Tell¹⁶⁹⁶ him, Let not him that girdeth²²⁹⁶ on his harness boast¹⁹⁸⁴ himself as he that putteth it off.⁶⁶⁰⁵

And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard⁸⁰⁸⁵ this message,¹⁶⁹⁷ as he was drinking,⁸³⁵⁴ he and the kings⁴⁴²⁸ in the pavilions,⁵⁵²¹ that he said⁵⁵⁹ unto his servants,⁵⁶⁵⁰ Set⁷⁷⁶⁰ yourselves in array. And they set⁷⁷⁶⁰ themselves in array against the city.⁵⁸⁹²

And, behold, there came⁵⁰⁶⁶ a²⁵⁹ prophet⁵⁰³⁰ unto Ahab²⁵⁶ king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ saying,⁵⁵⁹ Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ Hast thou seen⁷²⁰⁰ all this great¹⁴¹⁹ multitude?¹⁹⁹⁵ behold, I will deliver⁵⁴¹⁴ it into thine hand³⁰²⁷ this day;³¹¹⁷ and thou shalt know³⁰⁴⁵ that I am Yahweh.³⁰⁶⁸

And Ahab²⁵⁶ said,⁵⁵⁹ By whom? And he said,⁵⁵⁹ Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ Even by the young men⁵²⁸⁸ of the princes⁸²⁶⁹ of the provinces.⁴⁰⁸² Then he said,⁵⁵⁹ Who shall order⁶³¹ the battle?⁴⁴²¹ And he answered,⁵⁵⁹ Thou.

Then he numbered⁶⁴⁸⁵ the young men⁵²⁸⁸ of the princes⁸²⁶⁹ of the provinces,⁴⁰⁸² and they were two hundred³⁹⁶⁷ and thirty⁷⁹⁷⁰ two:⁸¹⁴⁷ and after³¹⁰ them he numbered⁶⁴⁸⁵ all the people,⁵⁹⁷¹ even all the children¹¹²¹ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ being seven⁷⁶⁵¹ thousand.⁵⁰⁵

And they went out³³¹⁸ at noon.⁶⁶⁷² But Benhadad¹¹³⁰ was drinking⁸³⁵⁴ himself drunk⁷⁹¹⁰ in the pavilions,⁵⁵²¹ he and the kings,⁴⁴²⁸ the thirty⁷⁹⁷⁰ and two⁸¹⁴⁷ kings⁴⁴²⁸ that helped⁵⁸²⁶ him.

And the young men⁵²⁸⁸ of the princes⁸²⁶⁹ of the provinces⁴⁰⁸² went out³³¹⁸ first;⁷²²³ and Benhadad¹¹³⁰ sent out,⁷⁹⁷¹ and they told⁵⁰⁴⁶ him, saying,⁵⁵⁹ There are men⁵⁸² come out³³¹⁸ of Samaria.⁸¹¹¹

And he said,⁵⁵⁹ Whether they be come out³³¹⁸ for peace,⁷⁹⁶⁵ take⁸⁶¹⁰ them alive;²⁴¹⁶ or whether they be come out³³¹⁸ for war,⁴⁴²¹ take⁸⁶¹⁰ them alive.²⁴¹⁶

So these young men⁵²⁸⁸ of the princes⁸²⁶⁹ of the provinces⁴⁰⁸² came out³³¹⁸ of the city,⁵⁸⁹² and the army²⁴²⁸ which followed³¹⁰ them.

And they slew⁵²²¹ every one³⁷⁶ his man:³⁷⁶ and the Syrians⁷⁵⁸ fled;⁵¹²⁷ and Israel³⁴⁷⁸ pursued⁷²⁹¹ them: and Benhadad¹¹³⁰ the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Syria⁷⁵⁸ escaped⁴⁴²² on an horse⁵⁴⁸³ with the horsemen.⁶⁵⁷¹

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ went out,³³¹⁸ and smote⁵²²¹ the horses⁵⁴⁸³ and chariots,⁷³⁹³ and slew⁵²²¹ the Syrians⁷⁵⁸ with a great¹⁴¹⁹ slaughter.⁴³⁴⁷

And the prophet⁵⁰³⁰ came⁵⁰⁶⁶ to the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ and said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Go,³²¹² strengthen²³⁸⁸ thyself, and mark,³⁰⁴⁵ and see⁷²⁰⁰ what thou doest:⁶²¹³ for at the return⁸⁶⁶⁶ of the year⁸¹⁴¹ the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Syria⁷⁵⁸ will come up⁵⁹²⁷ against thee.

And the servants⁵⁶⁵⁰ of the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Syria⁷⁵⁸ said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Their mighty ones⁴³⁰ are mighty ones⁴³⁰ of the hills;²⁰²² therefore they were stronger²³⁸⁸ than we; but¹⁹⁹ let us fight³⁸⁹⁸ against them in the plain,⁴³³⁴ and surely³⁸⁰⁸ we shall be stronger²³⁸⁸ than they.

And do⁶²¹³ this thing,¹⁶⁹⁷ Take the kings⁴⁴²⁸ away,⁵⁴⁹³ every man³⁷⁶ out of his place,⁴⁷²⁵ and put⁷⁷⁶⁰ captains⁶³⁴⁶ in their rooms:

And number⁴⁴⁸⁷ thee an army,²⁴²⁸ like the army²⁴²⁸ that thou hast lost,⁵³⁰⁷ horse⁵⁴⁸³ for horse,⁵⁴⁸³ and chariot⁷³⁹³ for chariot:⁷³⁹³ and we will fight³⁸⁹⁸ against them⁸⁵⁴ in the plain,⁴³³⁴ and surely we shall be stronger²³⁸⁸ than they. And he hearkened⁸⁰⁸⁵ unto their voice,⁶⁹⁶³ and did⁶²¹³ so.

And it came to pass at the return⁸⁶⁶⁶ of the year,⁸¹⁴¹ that Benhadad¹¹³⁰ numbered⁶⁴⁸⁵ the Syrians,⁷⁵⁸ and went up⁵⁹²⁷ to Aphek,⁶⁶³ to fight⁴⁴²¹ against Israel.³⁴⁷⁸

And the children¹¹²¹ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ were numbered,⁶⁴⁸⁵ and were all present,³⁵⁵⁷ and went³²¹² against⁷¹²⁵ them: and the children¹¹²¹ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ pitched²⁵⁸³ before them like two⁸¹⁴⁷ little flocks²⁸³⁵ of kids;⁵⁷⁹⁵ but the Syrians⁷⁵⁸ filled⁴³⁹⁰ the country.⁷⁷⁶

And there came⁵⁰⁶⁶ a man³⁷⁶ of Elohim,⁴³⁰ and spake⁵⁵⁹ unto the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ and said,⁵⁵⁹ Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ Because the Syrians⁷⁵⁸ have said,⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh³⁰⁶⁸ is Elohim⁴³⁰ of the hills,²⁰²² but he is not Elohim⁴³⁰ of the valleys,⁶⁰¹⁰ therefore will I deliver⁵⁴¹⁴ all this great¹⁴¹⁹ multitude¹⁹⁹⁵ into thine hand,³⁰²⁷ and ye shall know³⁰⁴⁵ that I am Yahweh.³⁰⁶⁸

And they pitched²⁵⁸³ one⁴²⁸ over against⁵²²⁷ the other⁴²⁸ seven⁷⁶⁵¹ days.³¹¹⁷ And so it was, that in the seventh⁷⁶³⁷ day³¹¹⁷ the battle⁴⁴²¹ was joined:⁷¹²⁶ and the children¹¹²¹ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ slew⁵²²¹ of the Syrians⁷⁵⁸ an hundred³⁹⁶⁷ thousand⁵⁰⁵ footmen⁷²⁷³ in one²⁵⁹ day.³¹¹⁷

But the rest³⁴⁹⁸ fled⁵¹²⁷ to Aphek,⁶⁶³ into the city;⁵⁸⁹² and there a wall²³⁴⁶ fell⁵³⁰⁷ upon twenty⁶²⁴² and seven⁷⁶⁵¹ thousand⁵⁰⁵ of the men³⁷⁶ that were left.³⁴⁹⁸ And Benhadad¹¹³⁰ fled,⁵¹²⁷ and came⁹³⁵ into the city,⁵⁸⁹² into an inner²³¹⁵ chamber.²³¹⁵

And his servants⁵⁶⁵⁰ said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Behold now, we have heard⁸⁰⁸⁵ that the kings⁴⁴²⁸ of the house¹⁰⁰⁴ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ are merciful²⁶¹⁷ kings:⁴⁴²⁸ let us, I pray thee, put⁷⁷⁶⁰ sackcloth⁸²⁴² on our loins,⁴⁹⁷⁵ and ropes²²⁵⁶ upon our heads,⁷²¹⁸ and go out³³¹⁸ to the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel:³⁴⁷⁸ peradventure he will save²⁴²¹ thy life.⁵³¹⁵

So they girded²²⁹⁶ sackcloth⁸²⁴² on their loins,⁴⁹⁷⁵ and put ropes²²⁵⁶ on their heads,⁷²¹⁸ and came⁹³⁵ to the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel,³⁴⁷⁸ and said,⁵⁵⁹ Thy servant⁵⁶⁵⁰ Benhadad¹¹³⁰ saith,⁵⁵⁹ I pray thee, let me⁵³¹⁵ live.²⁴²¹ And he said,⁵⁵⁹ Is he yet alive?²⁴¹⁶ he is my brother.²⁵¹

Now the men⁵⁸² did diligently observe⁵¹⁷² whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily⁴¹¹⁶ catch²⁴⁸⁰ it: and they said,⁵⁵⁹ Thy brother²⁵¹ Benhadad.¹¹³⁰ Then he said,⁵⁵⁹ Go⁹³⁵ ye, bring³⁹⁴⁷ him. Then Benhadad¹¹³⁰ came forth³³¹⁸ to him; and he caused him to come up⁵⁹²⁷ into the chariot.⁴⁸¹⁸

And Benhadad said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, The cities,⁵⁸⁹² which my father¹ took³⁹⁴⁷ from thy father,¹ I will restore;⁷⁷²⁵ and thou shalt make⁷⁷⁶⁰ streets²³⁵¹ for thee in Damascus,¹⁸³⁴ as my father¹ made⁷⁷⁶⁰ in Samaria.⁸¹¹¹ Then said Ahab, I will send thee away⁷⁹⁷¹ with this covenant.¹²⁸⁵ So he made³⁷⁷² a covenant¹²⁸⁵ with him, and sent him away.⁷⁹⁷¹

And a certain²⁵⁹ man³⁷⁶ of the sons¹¹²¹ of the prophets⁵⁰³⁰ said⁵⁵⁹ unto his neighbour⁷⁴⁵³ in the word¹⁶⁹⁷ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ Smite⁵²²¹ me, I pray thee. And the man³⁷⁶ refused³⁹⁸⁵ to smite⁵²²¹ him.

Then said⁵⁵⁹ he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed⁸⁰⁸⁵ the voice⁶⁹⁶³ of Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ behold, as soon as thou art departed¹⁹⁸⁰ from me, a lion⁷³⁸ shall slay⁵²²¹ thee. And as soon as he was departed³²¹² from him,⁶⁸¹ a lion⁷³⁸ found⁴⁶⁷² him, and slew⁵²²¹ him.

Then he found⁴⁶⁷² another³¹² man,³⁷⁶ and said,⁵⁵⁹ Smite⁵²²¹ me, I pray thee. And the man³⁷⁶ smote⁵²²¹ him, so that in smiting⁵²²¹ he wounded⁶⁴⁸¹ him.

So the prophet⁵⁰³⁰ departed,³²¹² and waited⁵⁹⁷⁵ for the king⁴⁴²⁸ by the way,¹⁸⁷⁰ and disguised²⁶⁶⁴ himself with ashes⁶⁶⁶ upon his face.⁵⁸⁶⁹

And as the king⁴⁴²⁸ passed by,⁵⁶⁷⁴ he cried⁶⁸¹⁷ unto the king:⁴⁴²⁸ and he said,⁵⁵⁹ Thy servant⁵⁶⁵⁰ went out³³¹⁸ into the midst⁷¹³⁰ of the battle;⁴⁴²¹ and, behold, a man³⁷⁶ turned aside,⁵⁴⁹³ and brought⁹³⁵ a man³⁷⁶ unto me, and said,⁵⁵⁹ Keep⁸¹⁰⁴ this man:³⁷⁶ if by any means⁶⁴⁸⁵ he be missing,⁶⁴⁸⁵ then shall thy life⁵³¹⁵ be for his life,⁵³¹⁵ or else thou shalt pay⁸²⁵⁴ a talent³⁶⁰³ of silver.³⁷⁰¹

And as thy servant⁵⁶⁵⁰ was busy⁶²¹³ here and there, he was gone.³⁶⁹ And the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, So shall thy judgment⁴⁹⁴¹ be; thyself hast decided²⁷⁸² it.

And he hasted,⁴¹¹⁶ and took the ashes⁶⁶⁶ away⁵⁴⁹³ from his face;⁵⁸⁶⁹ and the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ discerned⁵²³⁴ him that he was of the prophets.⁵⁰³⁰

And he said⁵⁵⁹ unto him, Thus saith⁵⁵⁹ Yahweh,³⁰⁶⁸ Because thou hast let go⁷⁹⁷¹ out of thy hand³⁰²⁷ a man³⁷⁶ whom I appointed to utter destruction,²⁷⁶⁴ therefore thy life⁵³¹⁵ shall go for his life,⁵³¹⁵ and thy people⁵⁹⁷¹ for his people.⁵⁹⁷¹

And the king⁴⁴²⁸ of Israel³⁴⁷⁸ went³²¹² to his house¹⁰⁰⁴ heavy⁵⁶²⁰ and displeased,²¹⁹⁸ and came⁹³⁵ to Samaria.⁸¹¹¹