<div class="version vid316 iso6393eng" data-vid="316" data-iso6393="eng">
    <div class="book bk1KI">
        <div class="chapter ch20" data-usfm="1KI.20">
            <div class="label">20</div><div class="p"><span class="verse v1" data-usfm="1KI.20.1"><span class="label">1</span><span class="content">And Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; the sovereign of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two sovereigns with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Shomeron, and fought against it.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v2" data-usfm="1KI.20.2"><span class="label">2</span><span class="content">And he sent messengers into the city to Ah&#803;ab&#817; sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l, and said to him, &#8220;Thus said Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817;,</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3" data-usfm="1KI.20.3"><span class="label">3</span><span class="content">Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and children, the best, are mine.&#8217; &#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v4" data-usfm="1KI.20.4"><span class="label">4</span><span class="content">And the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l answered and said, &#8220;As you say, my master, O sovereign, I am yours, and all that I have.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5" data-usfm="1KI.20.5"><span class="label">5</span><span class="content">And the messengers came back and said, &#8220;Thus speaks Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817;, saying, &#8216;Indeed I have sent to you, saying, &#8220;Give me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children,&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v6" data-usfm="1KI.20.6"><span class="label">6</span><span class="content">but about this time tomorrow I shall send my servants to you, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants. And it shall be, that whatever is pleasing in your eyes they shall lay hold of and take it.&#8217; &#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v7" data-usfm="1KI.20.7"><span class="label">7</span><span class="content">And the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l called all the elders of the land, and said, &#8220;Please know and see the evil this one is seeking, for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I did not refuse him.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v8" data-usfm="1KI.20.8"><span class="label">8</span><span class="content">And all the elders and all the people said to him, &#8220;Do not listen nor agree.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v9" data-usfm="1KI.20.9"><span class="label">9</span><span class="content">So he said to the messengers of Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817;, &#8220;Say to my master the sovereign, &#8216;All that you sent for to your servant the first time I shall do, but this I am unable to do.&#8217; &#8221; And the messengers went and brought back word to him.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v10" data-usfm="1KI.20.10"><span class="label">10</span><span class="content">And Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; sent to him and said, &#8220;The mighty ones do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of Shomeron for a handful for each of the people who follow me.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="1KI.20.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">And the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l answered and said, &#8220;Speak, &#8216;Him who girds on </span><span class="add"><span class="content">his armour</span></span><span class="content"> should not boast like him who lays it down.&#8217; &#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="1KI.20.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">And it came to be when this word was heard, as he and the sovereigns were drinking in the booths, that he said to his servants, &#8220;Set yourselves.&#8221; So they set themselves against the city.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="1KI.20.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">And see, a prophet came near to Ah&#803;ab&#817; sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l, saying, &#8220;Thus said &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;, &#8216;Have you seen all this great company? See, I am giving it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;.&#8217; &#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14" data-usfm="1KI.20.14"><span class="label">14</span><span class="content">And Ah&#803;ab&#817; said, &#8220;By whom?&#8221; And he said, &#8220;Thus said &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;, &#8216;By the young rulers of the provinces.&#8217; &#8221; And he said, &#8220;Who opens the attack?&#8221; Then he answered, &#8220;You.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v15" data-usfm="1KI.20.15"><span class="label">15</span><span class="content">And he mustered the young rulers of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two. And after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l, seven thousand.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16" data-usfm="1KI.20.16"><span class="label">16</span><span class="content">And they went out at noon, while Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; and the thirty-two sovereigns helping him were getting drunk in the booths.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v17" data-usfm="1KI.20.17"><span class="label">17</span><span class="content">And the young rulers of the provinces went out first. And Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; sent out, and they reported to him, saying, &#8220;Men have come out of Shomeron!&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v18" data-usfm="1KI.20.18"><span class="label">18</span><span class="content">Then he said, &#8220;If they have come out for peace, seize them alive. And if they have come out for battle, seize them alive.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v19" data-usfm="1KI.20.19"><span class="label">19</span><span class="content">So these young rulers of the provinces went out of the city with the army which followed them.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v20" data-usfm="1KI.20.20"><span class="label">20</span><span class="content">And each struck his man, so the Arameans fled, and Yisra&#8217;&#277;l pursued them. And Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; the sovereign of Aram escaped on a horse with the horsemen.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v21" data-usfm="1KI.20.21"><span class="label">21</span><span class="content">And the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Arameans, a great smiting.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v22" data-usfm="1KI.20.22"><span class="label">22</span><span class="content">And the prophet came to the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l and said to him, &#8220;Go, strengthen yourself. And know and see what you should do, for at the turn of the year the sovereign of Aram is coming up against you.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v23" data-usfm="1KI.20.23"><span class="label">23</span><span class="content">And the servants of the sovereign of Aram said to him, &#8220;Their mighty ones are mighty ones of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain &#8211; are we not stronger than they?</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v24" data-usfm="1KI.20.24"><span class="label">24</span><span class="content">&#8220;Now do this: Take away the sovereigns, each from his position, and put officers in their places,</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v25" data-usfm="1KI.20.25"><span class="label">25</span><span class="content">and number an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and let us fight against them in the plain &#8211; are we not stronger than they?&#8221; And he listened to their voice and did so.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v26" data-usfm="1KI.20.26"><span class="label">26</span><span class="content">And it came to be, at the turn of the year, that Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; mustered the Arameans and went up to Aph&#277;q to fight against Yisra&#8217;&#277;l.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v27" data-usfm="1KI.20.27"><span class="label">27</span><span class="content">And the children of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l were mustered and were fed, and they went against them. And the children of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the land.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v28" data-usfm="1KI.20.28"><span class="label">28</span><span class="content">And there came near a man of Elohim and spoke to the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l, and said, &#8220;Thus said &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;, &#8216;Because the Arameans have said, &#8220;&#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492; is Elohim of the hills, but He is not Elohim of the valleys,&#8221; therefore I shall give all this great company into your hand, and you shall know that I am &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;.&#8217; &#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v29" data-usfm="1KI.20.29"><span class="label">29</span><span class="content">And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. And it came to be that on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the children of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l struck one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Arameans in one day.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v30" data-usfm="1KI.20.30"><span class="label">30</span><span class="content">And those that were left fled to Aph&#277;q, into the city, and a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left. And Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; fled and went into the city, into an inner room.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v31" data-usfm="1KI.20.31"><span class="label">31</span><span class="content">And his servants said to him, &#8220;See now, we have heard that the sovereigns of the house of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l are lovingly-commited sovereigns. Please, let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l. It could be that he spares your life.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v32" data-usfm="1KI.20.32"><span class="label">32</span><span class="content">So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes around their heads, and came to the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l and said, &#8220;Your servant Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; said, &#8216;Please let me live.&#8217; &#8221; And he said, &#8220;Is he still alive? He is my brother.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v33" data-usfm="1KI.20.33"><span class="label">33</span><span class="content">And the men divined and they quickly grasped it and said, &#8220;Your brother Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817;.&#8221; And he said, &#8220;Go, bring him.&#8221; So Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; came out to him, and he let him come up on the chariot.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v34" data-usfm="1KI.20.34"><span class="label">34</span><span class="content">And Ben-Had&#817;ad&#817; said to him, &#8220;The cities which my father took from your father I return. And set up market-places for yourself in Dammeseq, as my father did in Shomeron.&#8221; And Ah&#803;ab&#817; said, &#8220;I send you away with this covenant.&#8221; And he made a covenant with him and sent him away.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v35" data-usfm="1KI.20.35"><span class="label">35</span><span class="content">And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour by the word of &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;, &#8220;Strike me, please.&#8221; But the man refused to strike him.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v36" data-usfm="1KI.20.36"><span class="label">36</span><span class="content">Then he said to him, &#8220;Because you have not obeyed the voice of &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;, see, as soon as you leave me a lion shall strike you.&#8221; And when he left him, a lion found him and struck him.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v37" data-usfm="1KI.20.37"><span class="label">37</span><span class="content">And he found another man, and said, &#8220;Strike me, please.&#8221; So the man struck him, striking and wounding.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v38" data-usfm="1KI.20.38"><span class="label">38</span><span class="content">Then the prophet went and waited for the sovereign by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage on his eyes.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v39" data-usfm="1KI.20.39"><span class="label">39</span><span class="content">And as the sovereign passed by, he cried out to the sovereign and said, &#8220;Your servant went out into the midst of the battle. And see, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, &#8216;Guard this man. If he should in any way be missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.&#8217;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v40" data-usfm="1KI.20.40"><span class="label">40</span><span class="content">&#8220;And it came to be, while your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.&#8221; And the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l said to him, &#8220;Your judgment is right, you yourself have decided it.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v41" data-usfm="1KI.20.41"><span class="label">41</span><span class="content">Then he quickly removed the bandage from his eyes. And the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l recognised him as one of the prophets.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v42" data-usfm="1KI.20.42"><span class="label">42</span><span class="content">And he said to him, &#8220;Thus said &#1497;&#1492;&#1493;&#1492;, &#8216;Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I put under the ban, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.&#8217; &#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v43" data-usfm="1KI.20.43"><span class="label">43</span><span class="content">And the sovereign of Yisra&#8217;&#277;l went to his house embittered and displeased, and came to Shomeron.</span></span></div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

And Ben-Haḏaḏ the sovereign of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two sovereigns with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Shomeron, and fought against it.
And he sent messengers into the city to Aḥaḇ sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, and said to him, “Thus said Ben-Haḏaḏ,
Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and children, the best, are mine.’ ”
And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl answered and said, “As you say, my master, O sovereign, I am yours, and all that I have.”
And the messengers came back and said, “Thus speaks Ben-Haḏaḏ, saying, ‘Indeed I have sent to you, saying, “Give me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children,”
but about this time tomorrow I shall send my servants to you, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants. And it shall be, that whatever is pleasing in your eyes they shall lay hold of and take it.’ ”
And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl called all the elders of the land, and said, “Please know and see the evil this one is seeking, for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I did not refuse him.”
And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen nor agree.”
So he said to the messengers of Ben-Haḏaḏ, “Say to my master the sovereign, ‘All that you sent for to your servant the first time I shall do, but this I am unable to do.’ ” And the messengers went and brought back word to him.
And Ben-Haḏaḏ sent to him and said, “The mighty ones do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of Shomeron for a handful for each of the people who follow me.”
And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl answered and said, “Speak, ‘Him who girds on his armour should not boast like him who lays it down.’ ”
And it came to be when this word was heard, as he and the sovereigns were drinking in the booths, that he said to his servants, “Set yourselves.” So they set themselves against the city.
And see, a prophet came near to Aḥaḇ sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “Thus said יהוה, ‘Have you seen all this great company? See, I am giving it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am יהוה.’ ”
And Aḥaḇ said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus said יהוה, ‘By the young rulers of the provinces.’ ” And he said, “Who opens the attack?” Then he answered, “You.”
And he mustered the young rulers of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two. And after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Yisra’ĕl, seven thousand.
And they went out at noon, while Ben-Haḏaḏ and the thirty-two sovereigns helping him were getting drunk in the booths.
And the young rulers of the provinces went out first. And Ben-Haḏaḏ sent out, and they reported to him, saying, “Men have come out of Shomeron!”
Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, seize them alive. And if they have come out for battle, seize them alive.”
So these young rulers of the provinces went out of the city with the army which followed them.
And each struck his man, so the Arameans fled, and Yisra’ĕl pursued them. And Ben-Haḏaḏ the sovereign of Aram escaped on a horse with the horsemen.
And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Arameans, a great smiting.
And the prophet came to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself. And know and see what you should do, for at the turn of the year the sovereign of Aram is coming up against you.”
And the servants of the sovereign of Aram said to him, “Their mighty ones are mighty ones of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain – are we not stronger than they?
“Now do this: Take away the sovereigns, each from his position, and put officers in their places,
and number an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot, and let us fight against them in the plain – are we not stronger than they?” And he listened to their voice and did so.
And it came to be, at the turn of the year, that Ben-Haḏaḏ mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphĕq to fight against Yisra’ĕl.
And the children of Yisra’ĕl were mustered and were fed, and they went against them. And the children of Yisra’ĕl encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the land.
And there came near a man of Elohim and spoke to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, and said, “Thus said יהוה, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “יהוה is Elohim of the hills, but He is not Elohim of the valleys,” therefore I shall give all this great company into your hand, and you shall know that I am יהוה.’ ”
And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. And it came to be that on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the children of Yisra’ĕl struck one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Arameans in one day.
And those that were left fled to Aphĕq, into the city, and a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left. And Ben-Haḏaḏ fled and went into the city, into an inner room.
And his servants said to him, “See now, we have heard that the sovereigns of the house of Yisra’ĕl are lovingly-commited sovereigns. Please, let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl. It could be that he spares your life.”
So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes around their heads, and came to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl and said, “Your servant Ben-Haḏaḏ said, ‘Please let me live.’ ” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
And the men divined and they quickly grasped it and said, “Your brother Ben-Haḏaḏ.” And he said, “Go, bring him.” So Ben-Haḏaḏ came out to him, and he let him come up on the chariot.
And Ben-Haḏaḏ said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I return. And set up market-places for yourself in Dammeseq, as my father did in Shomeron.” And Aḥaḇ said, “I send you away with this covenant.” And he made a covenant with him and sent him away.
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour by the word of יהוה, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him.
Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of יהוה, see, as soon as you leave me a lion shall strike you.” And when he left him, a lion found him and struck him.
And he found another man, and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, striking and wounding.
Then the prophet went and waited for the sovereign by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage on his eyes.
And as the sovereign passed by, he cried out to the sovereign and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle. And see, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man. If he should in any way be missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’
“And it came to be, while your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl said to him, “Your judgment is right, you yourself have decided it.”
Then he quickly removed the bandage from his eyes. And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl recognised him as one of the prophets.
And he said to him, “Thus said יהוה, ‘Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I put under the ban, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’ ”
And the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl went to his house embittered and displeased, and came to Shomeron.

Listen to Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings) 20