Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria
1Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he went up and besieged Samaria and attacked it. 2He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-Hadad says: 3‘Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine.’ ”
4The king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king. I and all I have are yours.”
5The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben-Hadad says: ‘I sent to demand your silver and gold, your wives and your children. 6But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.’ ”
7The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, “See how this man is looking for trouble! When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him.”
8The elders and the people all answered, “Don’t listen to him or agree to his demands.”
9So he replied to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Your servant will do all you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.’ ” They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.
10Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”
11The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’ ”
12Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents,20:12 Or in Sukkoth; also in verse 16 and he ordered his men: “Prepare to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.
Ahab Defeats Ben-Hadad
13Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
14“But who will do this?” asked Ahab.
The prophet replied, “This is what the Lord says: ‘The junior officers under the provincial commanders will do it.’ ”
“And who will start the battle?” he asked.
The prophet answered, “You will.”
15So Ahab summoned the 232 junior officers under the provincial commanders. Then he assembled the rest of the Israelites, 7,000 in all. 16They set out at noon while Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. 17The junior officers under the provincial commanders went out first.
Now Ben-Hadad had dispatched scouts, who reported, “Men are advancing from Samaria.”
18He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
19The junior officers under the provincial commanders marched out of the city with the army behind them 20and each one struck down his opponent. At that, the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with some of his horsemen. 21The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans.
22Afterward, the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, “Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.”
23Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they. 24Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers. 25You must also raise an army like the one you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly.
26The next spring Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.
28The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
29For seven days they camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle was joined. The Israelites inflicted a hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean foot soldiers in one day. 30The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek, where the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
31His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
32Wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says: ‘Please let me live.’ ”
The king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
33The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. “Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!” they said.
“Go and get him,” the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
34“I will return the cities my father took from your father,” Ben-Hadad offered. “You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”
Ahab said, “On the basis of a treaty I will set you free.” So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.
A Prophet Condemns Ahab
35By the word of the Lord one of the company of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but he refused.
36So the prophet said, “Because you have not obeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.
37The prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him and wounded him. 38Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes. 39As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, “Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, ‘Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent20:39 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms of silver.’ 40While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”
“That is your sentence,” the king of Israel said. “You have pronounced it yourself.”
41Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42He said to the king, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have set free a man I had determined should die.20:42 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.’ ” 43Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria.
Beni-Hadadi kọlu Samaria
1Beni-Hadadi ọba Aramu sì gbá gbogbo ogun rẹ̀ jọ. Ọba méjìlélọ́gbọ̀n sì ń bẹ pẹ̀lú rẹ̀ àti ẹṣin àti kẹ̀kẹ́, ó sì gòkè lọ, ó sì dó ti Samaria, ó sì kọlù ú. 2Ó sì rán àwọn ìránṣẹ́ sí ìlú sí Ahabu ọba Israẹli wí pé, “Báyìí ni Beni-Hadadi wí: 3Fàdákà àti wúrà rẹ tèmi ni, àti àwọn tí ó dára jùlọ nínú àwọn aya rẹ àti àwọn ọmọ rẹ tèmi ni wọ́n.”
4Ọba Israẹli sì dá a lóhùn pé, “Gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìwọ ṣe wí olúwa mi ọba, èmi àti ohun gbogbo tí mo ní tìrẹ ni.”
5Àwọn oníṣẹ́ náà sì tún padà wá, wọ́n sì wí pé, “Báyìí ni Beni-Hadadi sọ wí pé: ‘Mo ránṣẹ́ láti béèrè fún fàdákà rẹ àti wúrà rẹ, àwọn aya rẹ àti àwọn ọmọ rẹ. 6Ṣùgbọ́n ní ìwòyí ọ̀la Èmi yóò rán àwọn ìránṣẹ́ mi sí ọ láti wá ilé rẹ wò àti ilé àwọn ìránṣẹ́ rẹ. Wọn yóò gba gbogbo ohun tí ó bá dára lójú rẹ, wọn yóò sì kó o lọ.’ ”
7Nígbà náà ni ọba Israẹli pe gbogbo àwọn àgbàgbà ìlú, ó sì wí fún wọn pé, “Ẹ wo bí ọkùnrin yìí ti ń fẹ́ ìyọnu! Nígbà tí ó ránṣẹ́ fún àwọn aya mi, àti fún àwọn ọmọ mi, àti fún fàdákà mi, àti fún wúrà mi, èmi kò sì fi dù ú.”
8Àwọn àgbàgbà àti gbogbo ènìyàn dá a lóhùn pé, “Má ṣe fi etí sí tirẹ̀ tàbí kí ó gbà fún un.”
9Nígbà náà ni ó sọ fún àwọn oníṣẹ́ Beni-Hadadi pé, “Sọ fún olúwa mi ọba pé, ‘ìránṣẹ́ rẹ̀ yóò ṣe ohun gbogbo tí ó ránṣẹ́ fún látètèkọ́ṣe, ṣùgbọ́n nǹkan yìí ni èmi kò le ṣe.’ ” Wọ́n padà lọ, wọ́n sì mú èsì padà wá fún Beni-Hadadi.
10Beni-Hadadi sì tún rán oníṣẹ́ mìíràn sí Ahabu wí pé, “Kí àwọn òrìṣà kí ó ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀ sí mi àti jù bẹ́ẹ̀ lọ pẹ̀lú bí eruku Samaria yóò tó fún ìkúnwọ́ fún gbogbo ènìyàn tí ń tẹ̀lé mi.”
11Ọba Israẹli sì dáhùn wí pé, “Sọ fún un pé: ‘Má jẹ́ kí ẹni tí ń hámọ́ra halẹ̀ bí ẹni tí ń bọ́ ọ sílẹ̀.’ ”
12Beni-Hadadi sì gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ yìí nígbà tí òun àti àwọn ọba ń mu ọtí nínú àgọ́ wọn, ó sì pàṣẹ fún àwọn ìránṣẹ́ rẹ̀ wí pé, “Ẹ ṣígun sí ìlú náà.” Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọ́n sì ṣe tan láti kọlu ìlú náà.
Ahabu ṣẹ́gun Beni-Hadadi
13Sì kíyèsi i, wòlíì kan tọ Ahabu ọba Israẹli wá, ó sì wí pé, “Báyìí ni Olúwa wí: ‘Ìwọ rí gbogbo ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ogun yìí? Èmi yóò fi wọ́n lé ọ lọ́wọ́ lónìí, nígbà náà ni ìwọ yóò mọ̀ pé Èmi ni Olúwa.’ ”
14Ahabu sì béèrè pé, “Ṣùgbọ́n ta ni yóò ṣe èyí?”
Wòlíì náà sì dáhùn wí pé, “Èyí ni ohun tí Olúwa wí: ‘Nípa ìpẹ́ẹ̀rẹ̀ àwọn ìjòyè ìgbèríko.’ ”
Nígbà náà ni ó wí pé. “Ta ni yóò bẹ̀rẹ̀ ogun náà?”
Wòlíì sì dalóhùn pé, “Ìwọ ni yóò ṣe é.”
15Nígbà náà ni Ahabu ka àwọn ìjòyè kéékèèkéé ìgbèríko, wọ́n sì jẹ́ igba ó lé méjìlélọ́gbọ̀n (232). Nígbà náà ni ó sì kó gbogbo àwọn ọmọ Israẹli tókù jọ, gbogbo wọn sì jẹ́ ẹ̀ẹ́dẹ́gbàárin (7,000). 16Wọ́n sì jáde lọ ní ọ̀sán gangan, nígbà tí Beni-Hadadi àti àwọn ọba méjìlélọ́gbọ̀n tí ń ràn án lọ́wọ́ ń mu àmupara nínú àgọ́. 17Àwọn ìjòyè kéékèèkéé ìgbèríko tètè kọ́ jáde lọ.
Beni-Hadadi sì ránṣẹ́ jáde, wọ́n sì sọ fún un wí pé, “Àwọn ọkùnrin ń ti Samaria jáde wá.”
18Ó sì wí pé, “Bí wọ́n bá bá ti àlàáfíà jáde wá, ẹ mú wọn láààyè; bí ti ogun ni wọ́n bá bá jáde, ẹ mú wọn láààyè.”
19Àwọn ìjòyè kéékèèkéé wọ̀nyí ti àwọn ìjòyè ìgbèríko jáde ti ìlú wá, àti ogun tí ó tẹ̀lé wọn. 20Olúkúlùkù sì pa ọkùnrin kọ̀ọ̀kan. Àwọn ará Aramu sì sá, Israẹli sì lépa wọn. Ṣùgbọ́n Beni-Hadadi ọba Aramu sì sálà lórí ẹṣin pẹ̀lú àwọn ẹlẹ́ṣin. 21Ọba Israẹli sì jáde lọ, ó sì kọlu àwọn ẹṣin àti kẹ̀kẹ́, ó pa àwọn ará Aramu ní ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀.
22Lẹ́yìn náà, wòlíì náà sì wá sọ́dọ̀ ọba Israẹli, ó sì wí pé, “Lọ, mú ara rẹ gírí, kí o sì mọ̀, kí o sì wo ohun tí ìwọ yóò ṣe, nítorí ní àmọ́dún ọba Aramu yóò tún gòkè tọ̀ ọ́ wá.”
23Àwọn ìránṣẹ́ ọba Aramu sì wí fún un pé, “Ọlọ́run wọn, ọlọ́run òkè ni. Ìdí nìyìí tí wọ́n ṣe ní agbára jù wá lọ. Ṣùgbọ́n bí a bá bá wọn jà ní pẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀, àwa yóò ní agbára jù wọ́n lọ dájúdájú. 24Nǹkan yìí ni kí o sì ṣe: Mú àwọn ọba kúrò, olúkúlùkù kúrò ní ipò rẹ̀, kí o sì fi baálẹ̀ sí ipò wọn. 25Kí o sì tún kó ogun jọ fún ara rẹ bí èyí tí ó ti sọnù; ẹṣin fún ẹṣin, kẹ̀kẹ́ fún kẹ̀kẹ́; kí a bá lè bá Israẹli jà ní pẹ̀tẹ́lẹ̀. Nítòótọ́ àwa yóò ní agbára jù wọ́n lọ.” Ó sì gba tiwọn, ó sì ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀.
26Ó sì ṣe ní àmọ́dún, Beni-Hadadi ka iye àwọn ará Aramu, ó sì gòkè lọ sí Afeki, láti bá Israẹli jagun. 27Nígbà tí a sì ka àwọn ọmọ Israẹli, wọ́n sì pèsè oúnjẹ, wọ́n sì lọ pàdé wọn. Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì dó ní òdìkejì wọn gẹ́gẹ́ bí agbo ọmọ ewúrẹ́ kékeré méjì, nígbà tí àwọn ará Aramu kún ilẹ̀ náà.
28Ènìyàn Ọlọ́run kan sì gòkè wá, ó sì sọ fún ọba Israẹli pé, “Báyìí ni Olúwa wí: ‘Nítorí tí àwọn ará Aramu rò pé Olúwa, Ọlọ́run òkè ni, ṣùgbọ́n òun kì í ṣe Ọlọ́run Àfonífojì, nítorí náà èmi ó fi gbogbo ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ènìyàn yìí lé ọ lọ́wọ́, ẹ̀yin yóò sì mọ̀ pé, Èmi ni Olúwa.’ ”
29Wọ́n sì dó sí òdìkejì ara wọn fún ọjọ́ méje, àti ní ọjọ́ keje, wọ́n pàdé ogun. Àwọn ọmọ Israẹli sì pa ọ̀kẹ́ márùn-ún (100,000) ẹlẹ́ṣẹ̀ nínú àwọn ará Aramu ní ọjọ́ kan. 30Àwọn tókù sì sá àsálà lọ sí Afeki, sínú ìlú tí odi ti wó lù ẹgbàá-mẹ́tàlá-lé ẹgbẹ̀rún (27,000) nínú wọn. Beni-Hadadi sì sálọ sínú ìlú, ó sì fi ara pamọ́ sínú ìyẹ̀wù.
31Àwọn ìránṣẹ́ rẹ̀ sì wí fún un pé, “Wò ó, a ti gbọ́ pé àwọn ọba ilẹ̀ Israẹli jẹ́ ọba aláàánú, mo bẹ̀ ọ́ jẹ́ kí àwa kí ó tọ̀ ọ́ lọ pẹ̀lú aṣọ ọ̀fọ̀ ní ẹ̀gbẹ́ wa, àti okùn yí orí wa ká. Bóyá òun yóò gba ẹ̀mí rẹ là.”
32Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọ́n di aṣọ ọ̀fọ̀ mọ́ ẹ̀gbẹ́ wọn, Wọ́n sì fi okùn yí orí wọn ká, wọ́n sì tọ ọba Israẹli wá, wọ́n sì wí pé, “ìránṣẹ́ rẹ Beni-Hadadi wí pé, ‘Èmi bẹ̀ ọ́ jẹ́ kí èmi kí ó yè.’ ”
Ọba sì dáhùn wí pé, “Ó ń bẹ láààyè bí? Arákùnrin mi ni òun.”
33Àwọn ọkùnrin náà sì ṣe àkíyèsí gidigidi, wọ́n sì yára gbá ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀ mú, wọ́n sì wí pé, “Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni, Beni-Hadadi arákùnrin rẹ.”
Ọba sì wí pé, “Ẹ lọ mú u wá.” Nígbà tí Beni-Hadadi jáde tọ̀ ọ́ wá, Ahabu sì mú u gòkè wá sínú kẹ̀kẹ́.
34Beni-Hadadi sì wí pé, “Èmi yóò dá àwọn ìlú tí baba mi ti gbà lọ́wọ́ baba rẹ padà, ìwọ sì le la ọ̀nà fún ara rẹ ní Damasku, bí baba mi ti ṣe ní Samaria.”
Ahabu sì wí pé, “Èmi yóò rán ọ lọ pẹ̀lú májẹ̀mú yìí.” Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ó ba dá májẹ̀mú, ó sì rán an lọ.
35Nípa ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa, ọkùnrin kan nínú àwọn ọmọ àwọn wòlíì sì wí fún èkejì rẹ̀ pé, “Jọ̀ ọ́, lù mí,” ṣùgbọ́n ó kọ̀ láti lù ú.
36Nígbà náà ni ó wí pé, “Nítorí tí ìwọ kò gba ohùn Olúwa gbọ́, kíyèsi i, bí ìwọ bá kúrò ní ọ̀dọ̀ mi, kìnnìún yóò pa ọ́.” Bí ó ti jáde lọ kúrò lọ́dọ̀ rẹ̀, kìnnìún kan rí i, ó sì pa á.
37Wòlíì náà sì rí ọkùnrin mìíràn, ó sì wí fún un pé, “Jọ̀ ọ́, lù mí.” Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ọkùnrin náà sì lù ú, ó sì pa á lára. 38Wòlíì náà sì lọ, ó sì dúró de ọba ní ojú ọ̀nà. Ó pa ara rẹ̀ dà ní fífi eérú bo ojú. 39Bí ọba sì ti ń rékọjá, wòlíì náà ké sí i, ó sì wí pé, “ìránṣẹ́ rẹ jáde wọ àárín ogun lọ, ẹnìkan sì wá sí ọ̀dọ̀ mi pẹ̀lú ìgbèkùn kan, ó sì wí pé, ‘Pa ọkùnrin yìí mọ́. Bí a bá fẹ́ ẹ kù, ẹ̀mí rẹ yóò lọ dípò ẹ̀mí rẹ̀, tàbí kí ìwọ san tálẹ́ǹtì fàdákà kan.’ 40Nígbà tí ìránṣẹ́ rẹ̀ sì ní ìṣe níhìn-ín àti lọ́hùn ún, a fẹ́ ẹ kù.”
Ọba Israẹli sì wí fún un pé, “Bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ìdájọ́ rẹ yóò rí, ìwọ fúnrarẹ̀ ti dá a.”
41Nígbà náà ni wòlíì náà yára, ó sì mú eérú kúrò ní ojú rẹ̀, ọba Israẹli sì mọ̀ ọ́n pé ọ̀kan nínú àwọn wòlíì ni ó ń ṣe. 42Ó sì wí fún ọba pé, “Báyìí ni Olúwa wí: ‘Ìwọ ti jọ̀wọ́ ọkùnrin tí èmi ti yàn sí ìparun pátápátá lọ́wọ́ lọ. Nítorí náà, ẹ̀mí rẹ yóò lọ fún ẹ̀mí rẹ, ènìyàn rẹ fún ènìyàn rẹ̀.’ ” 43Ọba Israẹli sì lọ sí ilé rẹ̀ ní wíwú gbọ́, inú rẹ sì bàjẹ́, ó sì wá sí Samaria.
