1Kings:20

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* 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 . * And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city , and said unto him , Thus says Benhadad , * Your silver and your gold is mine ; your wives also and your children , even the best , are mine . * And the king of Israel answered and said , My lord , O king , according to your saying , I am yours , and all that I have . * And the messengers came again , and said , Thus speaks Benhadad , saying , Although I have sent unto you , saying , You shall deliver me your silver , and your gold , and your wives , and your children ; * Yet I will send my servants unto you tomorrow about this time , and they shall search yours house , and the houses of your servants ; and it shall be , that whatsoever is pleasant in yours eyes , they shall put it in their hand , and take it away . * Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land , and said , Mark , I pray you , and see how this man seeks 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 . * And all the elders and all the people said unto him , Hearken not unto him , nor consent . * Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad , Tell my lord the king , All that you did send in order to your servant at the first I will do : but this thing I may not do . And the messengers departed , and brought him word again . * And Benhadad 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 . * And the king of Israel answered and said , Tell him , Let not him that girds on his harness boast himself as he that puts it off . * 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 . * And , behold , there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel , saying , Thus says the LORD , Have you seen all this great multitude ? behold , I will deliver it into yours hand this day ; and you shall know that I am the LORD . * And Ahab said , By whom ? And he said , Thus says the LORD , Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces . Then he said , Who shall order the battle ? And he answered , You . * Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces , and they were two hundred and thirty two : and after them he numbered all the people , even all the children of Israel , being seven thousand . * And they went out at noon . But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions , he and the kings , the thirty and two kings that helped him . * And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first ; and Benhadad sent out , and they told him , saying , There are men come out of Samaria . * And he said , Whether they be come out for peace , take them alive ; or whether they be come out for war , take them alive . * So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city , and the army which followed them . * And they slew every one his man : and the Syrians fled ; and Israel pursued them : and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen . * And the king of Israel went out , and stroke the horses and chariots , and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter . * And the prophet came to the king of Israel , and said unto him , Go , strengthen yourself , and mark , and see what you do : for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you . * 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 you an army , like the army that you have 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 numbered the Syrians , and went up to Aphek , to fight against Israel . * 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 spoke unto the king of Israel , and said , Thus says 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 yours hand , and all of you shall know that I am the LORD . * And they pitched one opposite to 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 . * 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 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 you , put sackcloth on our loins , and ropes upon our heads , and go out to the king of Israel : possibly he will save your life . * So they girded sackcloth on their loins , and put ropes on their heads , and came to the king of Israel , and said , Your servant Benhadad says , I pray you , 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 , Your brother Benhadad . Then he said , Go all of you , bring him . Then Benhadad came forth to him ; and he caused him to come up into the chariot . * And Ben-hadad said unto him , The cities , which my father took from your father , I will restore ; and you shall make streets for you in Damascus , as my father made in Samaria . Then said Ahab , I will send you 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 , Strike me , I pray you . And the man refused to strike him . * Then said he unto him , Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD , behold , as soon as you are departed from me , a lion shall slay you . And as soon as he was departed from him , a lion found him , and slew him . * Then he found another man , and said , Strike me , I pray you . And the man stroke 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 , Your 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 your life be for his life , or else you shall pay a talent of silver . * And as your servant was busy here and there , he was gone . And the king of Israel said unto him , So shall your judgment be ; yourself have 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 says the LORD , Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction , therefore your life shall go for his life , and your people for his people . * And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased , and came to Samaria .

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