1 Kings 20:29-43
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 20
29So they camped, one opposite the other, for seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans a hundred thousand foot soldiers in a single day. 30But the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city, going from one inner room to another.
31But his servants said to him, 'Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let’s put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will let you live.'
32So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, 'Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’?' And Ahab said, 'Is he still alive? He is my brother.'
33Now the men took this as a good omen, and quickly accepting it from him, they said, 'Your brother Ben-hadad.' Then he said, 'Go, bring him.' Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he had him mount the chariot.
34And Ben-hadad said to him, 'The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you can make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.' Ahab said, 'And I will let you go with this covenant.' So he made a covenant with him and let him go.
35Now a man from the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of the Lord, 'Please strike me.' But the man refused to strike him.
36Then he said to him, 'Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you.' And as soon as he left him a lion found him and killed him.
37Then he found another man and said, 'Please strike me.' And the man struck him, injuring him.
38So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39And as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, 'Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he goes missing, then your life shall be forfeited in place of his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’
40Now while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared.' And the king of Israel said to him, 'So shall your judgment be; you yourself determined it.'
41Then he quickly took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him, that he was one of the prophets.
42And the prophet said to him, 'This is what the Lord says: ‘Since you have let go from your hand the man I had designated for destruction, your life shall be forfeited in place of his life, and your people in place of his people.’?'
43So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and furious, and came to Samaria.
King James Version
Chapter 20
29And 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. 30But 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. 31And 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. 32So 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. 33Now 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. 34And 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. 35And 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. 36Then 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. 37Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him. 38So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. 39And 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. 40And 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. 41And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. 42And 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. 43And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.Christian Standard Bible
30The ones who remained fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on those twenty-seven thousand remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled and went into an inner room in the city.
31His servants said to him, "Consider this: we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. So let’s put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and let’s go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life."
37The prophet found another man and said to him, "Strike me!" So the man struck him, inflicting a wound.
38Then the prophet went and waited for the king on the road. He disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39As the king was passing by, he cried out to the king and said, "Your servant marched out into the middle of the battle. Suddenly, a man turned aside and brought someone to me and said, ‘Guard this man! If he is ever missing, it will be your life in place of his life, or you will weigh out seventy-five pounds of silver.’
41He quickly removed the bandage from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
42The prophet said to him, "This is what the Lord says: ‘Because you released from your hand the man I had set apart for destruction, it will be your life in place of his life and your people in place of his people.’"
43The king of Israel left for home resentful and angry, and he entered Samaria.
New Living Translation
Chapter 20
29The two armies camped opposite each other for seven days, and on the seventh day the battle began. The Israelites killed 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers in one day. 30The rest fled into the town of Aphek, but the wall fell on them and killed another 27,000. Ben-hadad fled into the town and hid in a secret room.
35Meanwhile, the Lord instructed one of the group of prophets to say to another man, 'Hit me!' But the man refused to hit the prophet.
36Then the prophet told him, 'Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me.' And when he had gone, a lion did attack and kill him.
38The prophet placed a bandage over his eyes to disguise himself and then waited beside the road for the king.
39As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, 'Sir, I was in the thick of battle, and suddenly a man brought me a prisoner. He said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he gets away, you will either die or pay a fine of seventy-five pounds of silver!’
41Then the prophet quickly pulled the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
42The prophet said to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Because you have spared the man I said must be destroyed, now you must die in his place, and your people will die instead of his people.'
43So the king of Israel went home to Samaria angry and sullen.
English Standard Version
Chapter 20
29And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city.
31And his servants said to him, "Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life."
32So they tied sackcloth around their waists and put ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please, let me live.’" And he said, "Does he still live? He is my brother."
33Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go and bring him." Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
34And Ben-hadad said to him, "The cities that my father took from your father I will restore, and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." And Ahab said, "I will let you go on these terms." So he made a covenant with him and let him go.
35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the Lord, "Strike me, please." But the man refused to strike him.
36Then he said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down." And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down.
37Then he found another man and said, "Strike me, please." And the man struck him — struck him and wounded him.
38So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, "Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’
40And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
41Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
42And he said to him, "Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’"
43And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.
New International Version
Chapter 20
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.
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 talent of silver.’
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. 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.
New King James Version
35Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” And the man refused to strike him.
36Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, surely, as soon as you depart from me, a lion shall kill you.” And as soon as he left him, a lion found him and killed him.
37And he found another man, and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound.
38Then the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’
41And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
42Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have let slip 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.’ ”
