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1 Kings 20:22-43
New King James Version
1 Kings 20:22-43
New King James Version
22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do, (A)for [a]in the spring of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.”
The Syrians Again Defeated
23 Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they. 24 So do this thing: Dismiss the kings, each from his position, and put captains in their [b]places; 25 and you shall muster an army like the army [c]that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain; surely we will be stronger than they.”
And he listened to their voice and did so.
26 So it was, in the spring of the year, that Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to (B)Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 And the children of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and they went against them. Now the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Syrians filled the (C)countryside.
28 Then a (D)man of God came and spoke to 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 (E)I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ” 29 And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day. 30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; then a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left.
And Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber.
Ahab’s Treaty with Ben-Hadad
31 Then his servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please, let us (F)put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.” 32 So they wore sackcloth around their waists and put ropes around their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ”
And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
33 Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.”
So he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot.
34 So Ben-Hadad said to him, (G)“The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.”
Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty.” So he made a treaty with him and sent him away.
Ahab Condemned
35 Now a certain man of (H)the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor (I)by the word of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” And the man refused to strike him. 36 Then 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, (J)a lion found him and killed him.
37 And he found another man, and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound. 38 Then the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 Now (K)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, (L)your life shall be for his life, or else you shall [d]pay a talent of silver.’ 40 While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.”
Then the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”
41 And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 Then he said to him, “Thus says the Lord: (M)‘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.’ ”
43 So the king of Israel (N)went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 20:22 Lit. at the return
- 1 Kings 20:24 positions
- 1 Kings 20:25 Lit. that fell from you
- 1 Kings 20:39 Lit. weigh
列 王 紀 上 20:22-43
Chinese Union Version (Traditional)
列 王 紀 上 20:22-43
Chinese Union Version (Traditional)
22 那 先 知 來 見 以 色 列 王 ， 對 他 說 ： 你 當 自 強 ， 留 心 怎 樣 防 備 ； 因 為 到 明 年 這 時 候 ， 亞 蘭 王 必 上 來 攻 擊 你 。
23 亞 蘭 王 的 臣 僕 對 亞 蘭 王 說 ： 以 色 列 人 的 神 是 山 神 ， 所 以 他 們 勝 過 我 們 ； 但 在 平 原 與 他 們 打 仗 ， 我 們 必 定 得 勝 。
24 王 當 這 樣 行 ： 把 諸 王 革 去 ， 派 軍 長 代 替 他 們 ，
25 又 照 著 王 喪 失 軍 兵 之 數 ， 再 招 募 一 軍 ， 馬 補 馬 ， 車 補 車 ， 我 們 在 平 原 與 他 們 打 仗 ， 必 定 得 勝 。 王 便 聽 臣 僕 的 話 去 行 。
26 次 年 ， 便 哈 達 果 然 點 齊 亞 蘭 人 上 亞 弗 去 ， 要 與 以 色 列 人 打 仗 。
27 以 色 列 人 也 點 齊 軍 兵 ， 預 備 食 物 ， 迎 著 亞 蘭 人 出 去 ， 對 著 他 們 安 營 ， 好 像 兩 小 群 山 羊 羔 ； 亞 蘭 人 卻 滿 了 地 面 。
28 有 神 人 來 見 以 色 列 王 ， 說 ： 耶 和 華 如 此 說 ： 亞 蘭 人 既 說 我 ─ 耶 和 華 是 山 神 ， 不 是 平 原 的 神 ， 所 以 我 必 將 這 一 大 群 人 都 交 在 你 手 中 ， 你 們 就 知 道 我 是 耶 和 華 。
29 以 色 列 人 與 亞 蘭 人 相 對 安 營 七 日 ， 到 第 七 日 兩 軍 交 戰 ； 那 一 日 以 色 列 人 殺 了 亞 蘭 人 步 兵 十 萬 ，
30 其 餘 的 逃 入 亞 弗 城 ； 城 牆 塌 倒 ， 壓 死 剩 下 的 二 萬 七 千 人 。 便 哈 達 也 逃 入 城 ， 藏 在 嚴 密 的 屋 子 裡 。
31 他 的 臣 僕 對 他 說 ： 我 們 聽 說 以 色 列 王 都 是 仁 慈 的 王 ， 現 在 我 們 不 如 腰 束 麻 布 ， 頭 套 繩 索 ， 出 去 投 降 以 色 列 王 ， 或 者 他 存 留 王 的 性 命 。
32 於 是 他 們 腰 束 麻 布 ， 頭 套 繩 索 ， 去 見 以 色 列 王 ， 說 ： 王 的 僕 人 便 哈 達 說 ， 求 王 存 留 我 的 性 命 。 亞 哈 說 ： 他 還 活 著 麼 ？ 他 是 我 的 兄 弟 。
33 這 些 人 留 心 探 出 他 的 口 氣 來 ， 便 急 忙 就 著 他 的 話 說 ： 便 哈 達 是 王 的 兄 弟 ！ 王 說 ： 你 們 去 請 他 來 。 便 哈 達 出 來 見 王 ， 王 就 請 他 上 車 。
34 便 哈 達 對 王 說 ： 我 父 從 你 父 那 裡 所 奪 的 城 邑 ， 我 必 歸 還 。 你 可 以 在 大 馬 色 立 街 市 ， 像 我 父 在 撒 瑪 利 亞 所 立 的 一 樣 。 亞 哈 說 ： 我 照 此 立 約 ， 放 你 回 去 ， 就 與 他 立 約 ， 放 他 去 了 。
35 有 先 知 的 一 個 門 徒 奉 耶 和 華 的 命 對 他 的 同 伴 說 ： 你 打 我 罷 ！ 那 人 不 肯 打 他 。
36 他 就 對 那 人 說 ： 你 既 不 聽 從 耶 和 華 的 話 ， 你 一 離 開 我 ， 必 有 獅 子 咬 死 你 。 那 人 一 離 開 他 ， 果 然 遇 見 獅 子 ， 把 他 咬 死 了 。
37 先 知 的 門 徒 又 遇 見 一 個 人 ， 對 他 說 ： 你 打 我 罷 ！ 那 人 就 打 他 ， 將 他 打 傷 。
38 他 就 去 了 ， 用 頭 巾 蒙 眼 ， 改 換 面 目 ， 在 路 旁 等 候 王 。
39 王 從 那 裡 經 過 ， 他 向 王 呼 叫 說 ： 僕 人 在 陣 上 的 時 候 ， 有 人 帶 了 一 個 人 來 ， 對 我 說 ： 你 看 守 這 人 ， 若 把 他 失 了 ， 你 的 性 命 必 代 替 他 的 性 命 ； 不 然 ， 你 必 交 出 一 他 連 得 銀 子 來 。
40 僕 人 正 在 忙 亂 之 間 ， 那 人 就 不 見 了 。 以 色 列 王 對 他 說 ： 你 自 己 定 妥 了 ， 必 照 樣 判 斷 你 。
41 他 急 忙 除 掉 蒙 眼 的 頭 巾 ， 以 色 列 王 就 認 出 他 是 一 個 先 知 。
42 他 對 王 說 ： 耶 和 華 如 此 說 ： 因 你 將 我 定 要 滅 絕 的 人 放 去 ， 你 的 命 就 必 代 替 他 的 命 ， 你 的 民 也 必 代 替 他 的 民 。
43 於 是 以 色 列 王 悶 悶 不 樂 地 回 到 撒 瑪 利 亞 ， 進 了 他 的 宮 。
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1 Kings 20:22-43
New International Version
1 Kings 20:22-43
New International Version
22 Afterward, the prophet(A) came to the king of Israel and said, “Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring(B) the king of Aram will attack you again.”
23 Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods(C) 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. 24 Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers. 25 You 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.
26 The next spring(D) Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek(E) to fight against Israel. 27 When 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.(F)
28 The 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(G) of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know(H) that I am the Lord.’”
29 For 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. 30 The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek,(I) where the wall collapsed(J) on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid(K) in an inner room.
31 His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful.(L) Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth(M) around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
32 Wearing 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.”
33 The 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(N) my father took from your father,” Ben-Hadad(O) offered. “You may set up your own market areas(P) in Damascus,(Q) as my father did in Samaria.”
Ahab said, “On the basis of a treaty(R) I will set you free.” So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.
A Prophet Condemns Ahab
35 By the word of the Lord one of the company of the prophets(S) said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but he refused.(T)
36 So the prophet said, “Because you have not obeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion(U) will kill you.” And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.
37 The prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him and wounded him. 38 Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes. 39 As 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,(V) or you must pay a talent[a] of silver.’ 40 While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”
“That is your sentence,”(W) the king of Israel said. “You have pronounced it yourself.”
41 Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 He said to the king, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You(X) have set free a man I had determined should die.[b](Y) Therefore it is your life for his life,(Z) your people for his people.’” 43 Sullen and angry,(AA) the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 20:39 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
- 1 Kings 20:42 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.