11_1KI_20_01 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 .
11_1KI_20_02 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city , And said unto him , thus saith Benhadad ,
11_1KI_20_03 thy silver And thy gold [ Is ] mine ; thy wives also And thy children , [ even ] the goodliest , [ are ] mine .
11_1KI_20_04 And the king of Israel answered And said , my LORD , O king , according to thy saying , I [ am ] thine , And all that I have .
11_1KI_20_05 And the messengers came again , And said , thus speaketh Benhadad , saying , although I have sent unto thee , saying , thou shalt deliver me thy silver , And thy gold , And thy wives , And thy children ;
11_1KI_20_06 yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time , And they shall search thine house , And the houses of thy servants ; And it shall be , [ that ] whatsoever Is pleasant in thine eyes , they shall put [ it ] in their hand , And take [ it ] away .
11_1KI_20_07 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land , And said , Mark , I pray you , And see how this [ man ] seeketh 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 .
11_1KI_20_08 And all the elders And all the people said unto him , hearken not [ unto him ] , nor consent .
11_1KI_20_09 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad , tell my LORD the king , all that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do : but this thing I may not do . And the messengers departed , And brought him word again .
11_1KI_20_10 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 .
11_1KI_20_11 And the king of Israel answered And said , tell [ him ] , let not him that girdeth on [ his harness ] boast himself as he that putteth it off .
11_1KI_20_12 And it came to pass , when [ Benhadad ] 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 .
11_1KI_20_13 And , behold , there came A prophet unto Ahab king of Israel , saying , thus saith the LORD , hast thou seen all this great multitude ? behold , I will deliver it into thine hand this day ; And thou shalt know that I [ am ] the LORD .
11_1KI_20_14 And Ahab said , by whom ? And he said , thus saith the LORD , [ even ] by the young men of the princes of the provinces . Then he said , who shall order the battle ? And he answered , thou .
11_1KI_20_15 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 .
11_1KI_20_16 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 .
11_1KI_20_17 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 .
11_1KI_20_18 And he said , whether they be come out for peace , take them alive ; or whether they be come out for war , take them alive .
11_1KI_20_19 So These young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city , And the army which followed them .
11_1KI_20_20 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 .
11_1KI_20_21 And the king of Israel went out , And smote the horses And chariots , And slew the Syrians with A great slaughter .
11_1KI_20_22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel , 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 .
11_1KI_20_23 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 .
11_1KI_20_24 And do this thing , take the kings away , every man out of his place , And put captains in their rooms :
11_1KI_20_25 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 .
11_1KI_20_26 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 .
11_1KI_20_27 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 .
11_1KI_20_28 And there came A man of God , And spake unto the king of Israel , 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 .
11_1KI_20_29 And they pitched one over against 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 .
11_1KI_20_30 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 .
11_1KI_20_31 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 , And go out to the king of Israel : Peradventure he will save thy life .
11_1KI_20_32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins , And [ put ] ropes on their heads , And came to the king of Israel , And said , thy servant Benhadad saith , I pray thee , let me live . And he said , [ Is ] he yet alive ? he [ Is ] my brother .
11_1KI_20_33 now the men did diligently observe whether [ any thing would come ] from him , And did hastily catch [ it ] : And they said , thy brother Benhadad . Then he said , go ye , bring him . Then Benhadad came forth to him ; And he caused him to come up into the chariot .
11_1KI_20_34 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 .
11_1KI_20_35 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 .
11_1KI_20_36 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 .
11_1KI_20_37 Then he found another man , And said , smite me , I pray thee . And the man smote him , So that in smiting he wounded [ him ] .
11_1KI_20_38 So the prophet departed , And waited for the king by the way , And disguised himself with ashes upon his face .
11_1KI_20_39 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 .
11_1KI_20_40 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 ] .
11_1KI_20_41 And he hasted , And took the ashes away from his face ; And the king of Israel discerned him that he [ was ] of the prophets .
11_1KI_20_42 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 .
11_1KI_20_43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy And displeased , And came to Samaria .