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The Death of Ahab

29 So (A)the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up against Ramoth-gilead. 30 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “(B)I will disguise myself and go into the battle, but you put on your garments.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into the battle. 31 Now (C)the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two commanders of his chariots, saying, “Do not fight with small or great, but with the king of Israel alone.” 32 Now it happened that when the commanders of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “Surely it is the king of Israel,” and they turned aside to fight against him, and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33 So it happened that when the commanders of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 Now a certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel [a]in a joint of the armor. So he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn [b]around and take me out of the [c]fight, (D)for I am severely wounded.” 35 Now the battle [d]raged that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot in front of the Arameans, and died at evening, and the blood from the wound ran into the bottom of the chariot. 36 (E)Then a shout of lament passed throughout the camp close to sunset, saying, “Every man to his city and every man to his land.”

37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria. 38 And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood (now the harlots bathed themselves there), (F)according to the word of Yahweh which He spoke. 39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did and (G)the ivory house which he built and all the cities which he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 40 So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son became king in his place.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 22:34 Lit between the scale-armor and the breastplate
  2. 1 Kings 22:34 Lit your hand
  3. 1 Kings 22:34 Lit camp
  4. 1 Kings 22:35 Lit went up

29 So Israel’s king and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat attacked Ramoth-gilead. 30 Israel’s king said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself when we go into battle,[a] but you should wear your royal attire.” When Israel’s king had disguised himself, they entered the battle.

31 Meanwhile, Aram’s king had commanded his thirty-two chariot officers, “Don’t bother with anyone big or small. Fight only with Israel’s king.”

32 As soon as the chariot officers saw Jehoshaphat, they assumed that he must be Israel’s king, so they turned to attack him. But Jehoshaphat cried out for help. 33 When the chariot officers realized that he wasn’t Israel’s king, they stopped chasing him. 34 But someone randomly shot an arrow that struck Israel’s king between the joints in his armor.[b]

“Turn around and get me out of the battle,” the king told his chariot driver. “I’ve been hit!”

35 While the battle raged all that day, the king stood propped up in the chariot facing the Arameans. But that evening he died after his blood had poured from his wound into the chariot. 36 When the sun set, a shout spread throughout the camp: “Retreat to your towns! Retreat to your land!” 37 Once the king had died, people came from Samaria and buried the king there. 38 They cleaned the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up the king’s blood and the prostitutes bathed in it, just as the Lord had spoken.

Ahab’s last days

39 The rest of Ahab’s deeds and all that he did—including the ivory palace he built and all the towns he constructed—aren’t they written in the official records of Israel’s kings? 40 Ahab lay down with his ancestors. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 22:30 LXX, Tg; MT Disguise yourself and go
  2. 1 Kings 22:34 Heb uncertain