1Kings:20:22-42

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* And the prophet came to the king of Israel Yisra #el #, 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 . * And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him , Their gods are gods 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 . * And do this thing , Take the kings away , every man out of his place , and put captains in their rooms : * 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 . * And it came to pass at the return of the year , that Benhadad Ben-Hadad # numbered the Syrians , and went up to Aphek , to fight against Israel Yisra #el #. * And the children of Israel were numbered , and were all present , and went against them : and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids ; but the Syrians filled the country . * And there came a man of God , and spake unto the king of Israel Yisra #el #, and said , Thus saith the LORD , Because the Syrians have said , The LORD is God of the hills , but he is not God of the valleys , therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand , and ye shall know that I am the LORD . * And they pitched one #el-leh # over against the other #el-leh # 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 . * But the rest fled to Aphek , into the city ; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left . And Benhadad Ben-Hadad # fled , and came into the city , into an inner chamber . * And his servants said unto him , Behold now , we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings : let us , I pray thee , put sackcloth on our loins , and ropes upon our heads ro #sh #, and go out to the king of Israel Yisra #el #: peradventure he will save thy life . * So they girded sackcloth on their loins , and put ropes on their heads ro #sh #, and came to the king of Israel Yisra #el #, and said , Thy servant Benhadad Ben-Hadad # saith , I pray thee , let me live . And he said , Is he yet alive ? he is my brother . * Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him , and did hastily catch it : and they said , Thy brother Benhadad Ben-Hadad #. Then he said , Go ye , bring him . Then Benhadad Ben-Hadad # came forth to him ; and he caused him to come up into the chariot . * And Benhadad 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 . Then said Ahab , I will send thee away with this covenant . So he made a covenant with him , and sent him away . * And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD , Smite me , I pray thee . And the man refused to smite him . * 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 . * Then he found another man , and said , Smite me , I pray thee . And the man smote him , so that in smiting he wounded him . * So the prophet departed , and waited for the king by the way , and disguised himself with ashes upon his face . * 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 . * 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 . * And he hasted , and took the ashes away from his face ; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets . * And he said unto him , Thus saith the LORD , Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction , therefore thy life shall go for his life , and thy people for his people .

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