﻿1 Kings.
Chapter 20.
Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered his whole army, with thirty-two kings, horses, and chariots. He went up, besieged Samaria, and fought against it. 
He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel. 
He told him, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your wives and finest children are mine.’” 
The king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord the king. I and all I have are yours.” 
The messengers returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I sent you word, saying, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and children.” 
But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and your servants’ houses. They will lay hands on everything precious in your eyes and take it away.’” 
The king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man seeks harm. He sent to me for my wives, children, silver, and gold, and I did not refuse him.” 
All the elders and all the people told him, “Do not listen or consent.” 
He told Ben-hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘I will do all you first demanded of your servant, but I cannot do this.’” The messengers left and brought him the answer. 
Ben-hadad sent him this message: “May the gods punish me ever so severely if Samaria’s dust is enough for a handful for each of the people following me.” 
The king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘One who puts on armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’” 
When Ben-hadad heard this message, he and the kings were drinking in the shelters. He told his servants, “Take your positions!” So they took their positions against the city. 
A prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Have you seen this whole great multitude? Today I will give it into your hand, and you will know that I am the LORD.’” 
Ahab asked, “Through whom?” He answered, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Through the young attendants of the provincial governors.’” Ahab asked, “Who will begin the battle?” He answered, “You.” 
He mustered the young attendants of the provincial governors, and they numbered two hundred thirty-two. After them he mustered all the people, all the Israelites, seven thousand. 
They went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the shelters with the thirty-two kings who were helping him. 
The young attendants of the provincial governors went out first. Ben-hadad sent men out, and they reported to him, “Men have come out of Samaria.” 
He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. If they have come out for war, take them alive.” 
So the young attendants of the provincial governors and the army following them came out of the city. 
Each struck down his opponent. The Arameans fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with horsemen. 
The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, inflicting a great defeat on the Arameans. 
The prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go, strengthen yourself and consider carefully what you must do, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.” 
The servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills; that is why they were stronger than we were. But let us fight them on the plain, and we will surely be stronger than they are. 
Do this: remove each king from his position and put governors in their places. 
Muster an army like the army you lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. We will fight them on the plain and surely be stronger than they are.” He listened to them and did so. 
At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight Israel. 
The Israelites were mustered, supplied with provisions, and went out to meet them. They camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the land. 
The man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a God of the hills, but he is not a God of the valleys,” I will give this whole great multitude into your hand, and you will all know that I am the LORD.’” 
They camped opposite one another for seven days. On the seventh day battle was joined, and the Israelites struck down a hundred thousand Aramean foot soldiers in one day. 
The survivors fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who remained. Ben-hadad fled into the city and entered an inner room. 
His servants said to him, “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.” 
They tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads. They came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” He answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother!” 
The men were watching for a favorable sign and quickly seized on his words. They said, “Your brother Ben-hadad!” He said, “Go and bring him.” Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab brought him up into the chariot. 
Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father, and you may establish trading quarters in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab said, “I will release you under a covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go. 
One of the company of prophets said to his companion by the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. 
He said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, a lion will strike you down when you leave me.” When he left him, a lion found him and struck him down. 
The prophet found another man and said, “Please strike me.” The man struck him and wounded him. 
Then the prophet went and waited for the king beside the road. He disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 
As the king passed by, he cried out to him, “Your servant went into the thick of the battle. A man turned aside and brought me another man, saying, ‘Guard this man. If he goes missing, your life will answer for his life, or you must pay about 75 pounds of silver.’ 
But while your servant was busy here and there, the man was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “That is your sentence; you have decided it yourself.” 
He quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 
He said to him, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because you have released from your hand the man I devoted to destruction, your life will answer for his life, and your people for his people.’” 
The king of Israel went home sullen and angry, and came to Samaria. 
