1 Reis, Capítulo 20:

Verses from 1 Kings, Chapter 20 of the book of 1 Samuel in the Bible.

1 Kings - Old Testament — 1 Kings – Old Testament

Ben-hadad attacks Samaria

1. King Ben-hadad of Syria gathered his entire army, accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, and surrounded Samaria to attack it.
2. He sent messengers into the city to speak to King Ahab of Israel, and they said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: 'Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and your most beautiful children are mine.'” .
3. King Ahab replied, “As my lord the king wishes, I and everything I possess are at his disposal.”
4. The messengers returned and conveyed the answer to Ben-hadad, who then said to them: “This is what Ben-hadad says: 'I will send messengers tomorrow at this time to search your house and the houses of your officials. They will take everything you consider valuable'”.
5. The king of Israel called together all the authorities of Israel and said: “Look and see how this man seeks our ruin! He sent messengers to take my wives and children, my silver and my gold, and I withheld nothing from him.”
6. All the authorities and the people responded, “Do not listen to him or comply with his demands.”
7. Then Ahab answered Ben-hadad's messengers: “Say to my lord the king, 'I will do everything you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.'” And the messengers brought the answer to Benhadad.
8. Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab, saying, “May the gods punish me severely if there is enough dust in Samaria to fill the hands of my soldiers.”
9. The king of Israel replied, “Say to him, 'Whoever is preparing for battle should not boast like someone who has already won.'
10. When Benhadad received this answer, he and the kings were drinking in their tents. He ordered his servants: “Prepare for the attack.” And they prepared for battle.
11. Meanwhile, a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: 'Have you seen all this army? Today I will deliver him into your hands, so that you may know that I am the Lord.'
12. Ahab asked, “Who will attack?” The prophet replied: “This is what the Lord says: 'The young commanders of the provinces will attack'”. Then Ahab asked, “Who will begin the battle?” The prophet replied: “You.”

Ahab defeats Ben-hadad

13. King Ahab called together the young commanders of the provinces, two hundred and thirty-two in all. Then he gathered together the entire army of Israel, a total of seven thousand men.
14. They left at noon, while Benhadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were getting drunk in their tents.
15. The young provincial commanders left first. Then Ben-hadad sent spies who reported, “Some men are leaving Samaria.”
16. Benhadad ordered, “Whether they are coming out to fight or to surrender, take them alive.”
17. The young provincial commanders left the city, with the army following them.
18. Each of them killed his opponent. The Arameans fled and the Israelites pursued them. Ben-hadad, king of Syria, managed to escape on horseback with some of his knights.
19. The king of Israel advanced and destroyed the Arameans' horses and chariots, causing great casualties.
20. Then the prophet went to the king of Israel and said to him, “Strengthen yourself and take care, because in the spring the king of Syria will come against you again.”
21. Meanwhile, the king of Syria's counselors said to him, “The gods of the Israelites are gods of the mountains. That's why they were stronger than us. But if we fight them on level ground, we will certainly be stronger than them.
22. Therefore, now replace the kings with commanders and reorganize an army like the one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots, so that we can fight against them on the plains. Then we will definitely win.” The king followed their advice and did as they said.
23. The following spring, Benhadad called together the Arameans and marched against Aphek to fight against Israel.
24. The Israelites were summoned, received provisions and went out to face the Arameans. The Israelites camped in front of them, looking like two small herds of goats, while the Arameans covered the entire landscape.
25. Then the man of God went to the king of Israel and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: 'Because the Arameans think that the Lord is a God of the mountains and not a God of the valleys, I will deliver this entire army into their hands, so that you may know that I am the Lord.'
26. For seven days they camped face to face. On the seventh day, they began to fight, and the Israelites killed one hundred thousand Arameans on foot in a single day.
27. The rest of the Arameans fled to the city of Aphek, but the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of them. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid, going from one hiding place to another.
28. Then a man came to the king of Israel and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: 'Because the Arameans think that the Lord is a God of the mountains and not a God of the valleys, I will deliver this entire immense army into their hands. And so you will know that I am the Lord' “.
29. For seven days they camped facing each other, until on the seventh day they began the battle. The Israelites killed one hundred thousand Arameans on foot in a single day.
30. The rest fled to the city of Aphek, but the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of them. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid inside a room.
31. Benhadad's counselors said, “We have heard that the kings of Israel are kind. Let us put on sackcloth and put ropes around our necks, and we will go to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare your life.”
32. Then they put on sackcloth and put ropes around their necks, and went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Benhadad says, 'Please let me live.'” Ahab replied, “Are you still alive? He is my brother!"
33. The men took this as a good sign and were ready to catch him at what he had said. “Yes,” they said, “Benhadad is your brother.” “Bring him here,” said the king. When Benhadad introduced himself, Ahab made him get into his car.
34. Then Benhadad said, “I will restore the cities that my father took from your father, and you will establish markets in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab replied, “On the basis of this treaty, I will let him go.” So they made a treaty and Ben-hadad was released.

The prophet reproves Ahab

35. Meanwhile, one of the prophet's disciples said to another, at the command of the Lord, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to do so.
36. Then the prophet said, “Since you did not obey the command of the Lord, when you go away from here, a lion will kill you.” And as soon as he walked away, a lion attacked him and killed him.
37. The prophet found another man and said to him, “Please hurt me.” And the man struck him.
38. Then the prophet went and stood by the road, waiting for the king to pass by. He disguised himself, covering his eyes with a scarf.
39. As the king passed by, the prophet shouted to him, “See, your servant was in the midst of the battle when a man approached carrying a prisoner. He told me, 'Guard this man. If he escapes, your life will be exchanged for his, or you will pay thirty-five kilos of silver.'
40. While I was busy here and there, the prisoner disappeared.” The king of Israel replied, “This is your sentence; you pronounced it yourself.”
41. Then the prophet quickly removed the scarf from his eyes and the king recognized that he was one of the prophets.
42. The prophet said to the king: “This is what the Lord says: 'You have freed a man whom I had ordered put to death. Therefore, your life will be exchanged for his, and your people for his people' “.
43. Upset and irritated, the king of Israel returned to his palace in Samaria.