1Kings:20

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* Now , Ben-hadad , king of Syria , had gathered together all his forces , and , thirty-two kings , were with him , and horses and chariots , then came he up , and laid siege to Samaria , and made war against it . * And he sent messengers unto Ahab king of Israel , into the city , and said to him , Thus , saith Ben-hadad , * Thy silver and thy gold , are , mine , and , thy wives and thy sons , the goodliest , are , mine . * Then responded the king of Israel , and said , According to thy word , my lord O king ! thine , am I , and all that I have . * And the messengers came back again , and said , Thus , speaketh Ben-hadad , saying , Because I sent unto thee , saying , Thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy sons , to me , shalt thou give , * Therefore , about this time to-morrow , will I send my servants unto thee , and they shall search thy house , and the houses of thy servants , and it shall be , that , all the delight of thine eyes , shall they put in their hand , and take away . * Then called the king of Israel , for all the elders of the land , and said Mark , I pray you , and see , how this man is seeking , mischief , for he had sent unto me , for my wives , and for my sons , and for my silver , and for my gold , and I refused him not . * And all the elders and all the people said unto him , Do not thou hearken , neither do thou consent . * So he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad Say ye to my lord the king , All that thou didst send for , to thy servant at the first , will I do , but , this thing , I cannot do . And the messengers departed , and took him back word . * Then Ben-hadad sent unto him and said , So , let the gods do to me , and , so , let them add , if the dust of Samaria suffice by handfuls , for all the people who are at my feet . * And the king of Israel responded and said : Tell him , Let not , him that girdeth , boast himself like him , that looseneth . * And it came to pass , when he heard this message , as , he , was drinking , he and the kings in the pavilions , that he said unto his servants Make ready ! So they made ready , against the city . * And lo ! a certain prophet , drew near unto Ahab king of Israel , and said , Thus , saith Yahweh , Hast thou seen all this great multitude ? Behold me ! delivering it into thy hand , to-day , so shalt thou know that , I , am , Yahweh . * And Ahab said By whom ? And he said Thus , saith Yahweh , By the young men of the princes of the provinces . Then said he Who shall begin the war ? And he said Thou ! * Then numbered he the young men of the princes of the provinces , and they were found to be , two hundred and thirty-two , and , after them , he numbered all the people all the sons of Israel , seven thousand . * And they went forth at noon . Now , Ben-hadad , was drinking himself drunk , in the pavilions , he and the thirty-two kings helping him . * Then went forth the young men of the princes of the provinces , first , and , when Ben-hadad sent , they told him , saying Men , have come forth , out of Samaria . * And he said If , peaceably , they have come , take them alive , or , if , fighting , they have come , alive , take ye them . * Now , when , these , had come forth out of the city , even the young men of the princes of the provinces , with the force which was following them , * then smote they every one his man , and the Syrians fled , and Israel pursued them , but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on horse , with horsemen . * And the king of Israel went forth , and took the horses and the chariots , and he went on smiting the Syrians , with a great smiting . * Then drew near the prophet , unto the king of Israel , and said unto him Go strengthen thyself , and mark and see , what thou wilt do , for , at the return of the year , is , the king of Syria , coming up against thee . * And , the servants of the king of Syria , said unto him , Gods of the mountains , are their gods , for this cause , prevailed they against us , but , only let us fight with them in the plain , and verily we shall prevail against them . * But , this thing , do , set aside the kings , every man out of his place , and put governors in their stead ; * and , thou , must number thee a force , like the force which thou hast lost , both horse for horse and chariot for chariot , and , if we fight with them in the plain , verily we shall prevail against them . And he hearkened unto their voice , and did so . * And so it came to pass at the return of the year , that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians , and came up to Aphek , to fight with Israel ; * and , the sons of Israel , were numbered , and provisioned , and went to meet them , and the sons of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats , whereas , the Syrians , filled the land . * Then approached the man of God , and spake unto the king of Israel , and said Thus , saith Yahweh Because the Syrians have said A god of the mountains , is Yahweh , but , not a god of the vales , is he , therefore will I deliver all this great multitude , into thy hand , so shalt thou know , that , I , am Yahweh . * So they encamped , these , over against , those , seven days , and it came to pass , on the seventh day , that the battle was joined , and the sons of Israel smote the Syrians , a hundred thousand footmen , in one day . * And they who were left fled to Aphek , into the city , and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men who were left , and , Ben-hadad , fled , and came into the city , into a chamber within a chamber . * And his servants said unto him , Lo ! we pray thee , we have heard , of the kings of the house of Israel , that , kings known for lovingkindness , they are . Let us , we pray thee , put sackcloth upon our loins , and ropes about our head , and let us go forth unto the king of Israel , peradventure he will save alive thy soul . * So they girded sackcloth upon their loins , and ropes about their heads , and came in unto the king of Israel , and said , Thy servant , Ben-hadad , saith , Let my soul live , I pray thee . And he said , Is he yet alive ? My brother , he is . * Now , the men , could divine , so they hastened to let him confirm the word of his own accord , and they said , Thy brother , is Ben-hadad ! He said therefore , Go fetch him . So Ben-hadad came forth unto him , and he made him come up unto him on his chariot . * And he said unto him The cities which my father took from thy father , will I restore , and , bazaars , shalt thou make thee in Damascus , as my father made in Samaria . So then , I , with this covenant , will let thee go . So he solemnised with him a covenant , and let him go . * And , a certain man of the sons of the prophets , said unto his neighbour , by the word of Yahweh Smite me , I pray thee . But the man refused to smite him . * So he said to him Because thou hast not hearkened unto the voice of Yahweh , lo ! when thou art departing from me , there shall smite thee a lion . And when he departed from beside him , a lion found him , and smote him . * Then found he another man , and said , Smite me , I pray thee . So the man smote himkept on smiting and wounding . * Then the prophet departed , and waited for the king , by the way , and disguised himself with his turban over his eyes . * And so it was , when , the king , was passing , he , cried out unto the king , and said Thy servant , went out in the midst of the battle , and lo ! a man , turned aside and brought unto me a man , and said Keep this man , if he be , missing , then shall , thy life , go for , his life , or , a talent of silver , shalt thou weigh out . * And so it was , as thy servant was busy here and there , that , he , was gone . And the king of Israel said unto him Such , is thy judgment , thou thyself , hast decided it . * Then hastened he , and removed the turban from over his eyes , and the king of Israel knew him , that , of the prophets , was , he . * And he said unto him Thus , saith Yahweh , Because thou hast let go the man whom I had devoted , out of thy hand , therefore shall , thy life , be instead of , his life , and , thy people , instead of , his people . * And the king of Israel departed unto his house , sullen and disturbed , and entered Samaria .

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