³ Thus says the Lord:

¹⁸ Then Asa took all the silver and the gold ^(A)that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king's house and gave them into the hands of his servants. ^(B)And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, ^(C)who lived in Damascus, saying, ¹⁹ “Let there be ^(D)a covenant^[a] between me and you, as there was between my father and your father. Behold, I am sending to you a present of silver and gold. Go, break your covenant with Baasha king of Israel, that he may withdraw from me.” ²⁰ And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel and conquered ^(E)Ijon, ^(F)Dan, ^(G)Abel-beth-maacah, and all ^(H)Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

^12 (A)I shall kindle a fire ^(B)in the temples of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them ^(C)and carry them away captive. ^(D)And he shall clean the land of Egypt ^(E)as a shepherd cleans his cloak of vermin, and he shall go away from there in peace.

⁵ (Therefore the Lord gave Israel ^(A)a savior, so that they escaped from the hand of the Syrians, and the people of Israel lived in ^(B)their homes as formerly.

^3 (A)And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of ^(B)Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of ^(C)Ben-hadad the son of Hazael.

Ahab's Wars with Syria

20 ^(A)Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. ^(B)Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on ^(C)Samaria and fought against it. ² And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ³ ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’” ⁴ And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.” ⁵ The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.” ⁶ Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’”

⁷ Then the king of Israel called all the ^(D)elders of the land and said, ^(E)“Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” ⁸ And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” ⁹ So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you first demanded of your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. ¹⁰ Ben-hadad sent to him and said, ^(F)“The gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people ^(G)who follow me.” ¹¹ And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’” ¹² When Ben-hadad heard this message as ^(H)he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, “Take your positions.” And they took their positions against the city.

Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad

¹³ And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the Lord, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, ^(I)I will give it into your hand this day, ^(J)and you shall know that I am the Lord.” ¹⁴ And Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the Lord, By the servants of the governors of the districts.” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.” ¹⁵ Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand.

¹⁶ And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad ^(K)was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him. ¹⁷ The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, “Men are coming out from Samaria.” ¹⁸ He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

¹⁹ So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them. ²⁰ And each struck down his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen. ²¹ And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.

²² Then ^(L)the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for ^(M)in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you.”