Syria Attacks Israel
1 King Benhadad of Syria called his army together. He was joined by 32 other kings with their horses and chariots, and together they marched to Samaria and attacked. 2 Benhadad sent a messenger to tell King Ahab of Israel, 3 “Ahab, give me your silver and gold, your wives, and your strongest sons!”
4 “Your Majesty,” Ahab replied, “everything I have is yours, including me.”
5 Later, Benhadad sent another messenger to say to Ahab, “I already told you to give me your silver and gold, your wives, and your children. 6 But tomorrow at this time, I will send my officials into your city to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will take everything else that you own.”
7 Ahab called a meeting with the leaders of Israel and said, “Benhadad is causing real trouble. He told me to give him my wives and children, as well as my silver and gold. And I agreed.”
8 “Don't listen to him!” they answered. “You don't have to do what he says.”
9 So Ahab sent someone to tell Benhadad, “Your Majesty, I'll give you my silver and gold, and even my wives and children. But I won't let you have anything else.”
When Benhadad got his answer, 10 he replied, “I'll completely destroy Samaria! There won't even be enough of it left for my soldiers to carry back in their hands. If I don't do it, I pray that the gods will punish me terribly.”
11 Ahab then answered, “Benhadad, don't brag before the fighting even begins. Wait and see if you live through it.”
12 Meanwhile, Benhadad and the other kings had been drinking in their tents. But when Ahab's reply came, he ordered his soldiers to prepare to attack Samaria, and they all got ready.
13 At that very moment, a prophet ran up to Ahab and said, “You can see that Benhadad's army is very strong. But the Lord has promised to help you defeat them today. Then you will know that the Lord is in control.”
14 “Who will fight the battle?” Ahab asked.
The prophet answered, “The young bodyguards who serve the district officials.”
“But who will lead them into battle?” Ahab asked.
“You will!” the prophet replied.
15 So Ahab called together the 232 young soldiers and the 7,000 troops in Israel's army, and he got them ready to fight the Syrians.
Israel Defeats the Syrians
16-17 At noon, King Ahab and his Israelite army marched out of Samaria, with the young soldiers in front.
King Benhadad of Syria and the 32 kings with him were drunk when the scouts he had sent out ran up to his tent, shouting, “We just now saw soldiers marching out of Samaria!”
18 “Take them alive!” Benhadad ordered. “I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender.”
19 The young soldiers led Israel's troops into battle, 20 and each of them attacked and killed an enemy soldier. The rest of the Syrian army turned and ran, and the Israelites went after them. Benhadad and some others escaped on horses, 21 but Ahab and his soldiers followed them and captured their horses and chariots.
Ahab and Israel's army crushed the Syrians.
22 Later, the prophet went back and warned Ahab, “Benhadad will attack you again next spring. Build up your troops and make sure you have some good plans.”
Syria Attacks Israel Again
23 Meanwhile, Benhadad's officials went to him and explained:
Israel's gods are mountain gods. We fought Israel's army in the hills, and that's why they defeated us. But if we fight them on flat land, there's no way we can lose.
24 Here's what you should do. First, get rid of those 32 kings and put army commanders in their places. 25 Then get more soldiers, horses, and chariots, so your army will be as strong as it was before. We'll fight Israel's army on flat land and wipe them out.
Benhadad agreed and did what they suggested.
26 In the spring, Benhadad got his army together, and they marched to the town of Aphek to attack Israel. 27 The Israelites also prepared to fight. They marched out to meet the Syrians, and the two armies camped across from each other. The Syrians covered the whole area, but the Israelites looked like two little flocks of goats.
28 The prophet went to Ahab and said, “The Syrians think the Lord is a god of the hills and not of the valleys. So he has promised to help you defeat their powerful army. Then you will know that the Lord is in control.”
29 For seven days the two armies stayed in their camps, facing each other. Then on the seventh day the fighting broke out, and before sunset the Israelites had killed 100,000 Syrian troops. 30 The rest of the Syrian army ran back to Aphek, but the town wall fell and crushed 27,000 of them.
Benhadad also escaped to Aphek and hid in the back room of a house. 31 His officials said, “Your Majesty, we've heard that Israel's kings keep their agreements. We will wrap sackcloth around our waists, put ropes around our heads, and ask Ahab to let you live.”
32 They dressed in sackcloth and put ropes on their heads, then they went to Ahab and said, “Your servant Benhadad asks you to let him live.”
“Is he still alive?” Ahab asked. “Benhadad is like a brother to me.”
33 Benhadad's officials were trying to figure out what Ahab was thinking, and when he said “brother,” they quickly replied, “You're right! You and Benhadad are like brothers.”
“Go get him,” Ahab said.
When Benhadad came out, Ahab had him climb up into his chariot.
34 Benhadad said, “I'll give back the towns my father took from your father. And you can have shops in Damascus, just as my father had in Samaria.”
Ahab replied, “If you do these things, I'll let you go free.” Then they signed a peace treaty, and Ahab let Benhadad go.
A Prophet Condemns Ahab
35 About this time the Lord commanded a prophet to say to a friend, “Hit me!” But the friend refused, 36 and the prophet told him, “You disobeyed the Lord, and as soon as you walk away, a lion will kill you.” The friend left, and suddenly a lion killed him.
37 The prophet found someone else and said, “Hit me!” So this man beat him up.
38 The prophet left and put a bandage over his face to disguise himself. Then he went and stood beside the road, waiting for Ahab to pass by.
39 When Ahab went by, the prophet shouted, “Your Majesty, right in the heat of battle, someone brought a prisoner to me and told me to guard him. He said if the prisoner got away, I would either be killed or forced to pay 3,000 pieces of silver. 40 But I got busy doing other things, and the prisoner escaped.”
Ahab answered, “You will be punished just as you have said.”
41 The man quickly tore the bandage off his face, and Ahab saw that he was one of the prophets. 42 The prophet said, “The Lord told you to kill Benhadad, but you let him go. Now you will die in his place, and your people will die in place of his people.”
43 Ahab went back to Samaria, angry and depressed.
Ben-Hadads uzbrūk Samarijai
1 Arāmas ķēniņš Ben-Hadads sapulcināja visu savu karaspēku. Ar viņu kopā bija trīsdesmit divi ķēniņi, zirgi un kararati. Viņš devās augšup, aplenca Samariju un karoja pret to. 2 Viņš sūtīja sūtņus uz pilsētu pie Israēla ķēniņa Ahāba 3 un teica tam: “Tā saka Ben-Hadads: tavs sudrabs un zelts ir mans, un tavas labākās sievas un tavi labākie dēli ir mani!” 4 Israēla ķēniņš atbildēja: “Ir tā, kā mans kungs, ķēniņš, sacīja. Es esmu tavs ar visu, kas man pieder.” 5 Bet sūtņi nāca vēlreiz un sacīja: “Tā saka Ben-Hadads: es sūtīju pie tevis un sacīju, ka tev jādod man savs sudrabs, zelts, sievas un dēli. 6 Tādēļ rīt ap šo laiku es sūtīšu pie tevis kalpus un viņi pārmeklēs tavu namu un tavu kalpu namus, un tie paņems visu, ko viņu acis iekāros.” 7 Tad Israēla ķēniņš sasauca visus zemes vecajos un sacīja: “Saprotiet jel un redziet, ka šis meklē naidu, jo viņš sūtīja pēc manām sievām un dēliem, sudraba un zelta, un es taču viņam to neliedzu!” 8 Visi vecajie un tauta sacīja viņam: “Neklausi un nepiekrīti!” 9 Un viņš atbildēja Ben-Hadada sūtņiem: “Sakiet manam kungam, ķēniņam: visu, ko tu liki sacīt savam kalpam pirmoreiz, es darīšu, bet šo lietu darīt es nevaru!” Un sūtņi aizgāja to pavēstīt. 10 Tad Ben-Hadads sūtīja pie viņa un sacīja: “Lai dievi man dara tāpat un vēl vairāk! Samarijā nepietiks putekļu visu ļaužu riekšavām, kuri man seko!” 11 Un Israēla ķēniņš atbildēja: “Sakiet: tas, kurš zobenu tikko apjozis, lai nelielās kā tāds, kas to jau noņēmis.”
Ahāba uzvara
12 Tobrīd, kad Ben-Hadads dzirdēja šos vārdus, viņš dzīroja teltīs ar ķēniņiem un uzsauca saviem kalpiem: “Taisieties!” Un tie gatavojās uzbrukt pilsētai. 13 Un, redzi, kāds pravietis nāca pie Israēla ķēniņa Ahāba un teica: “Tā saka Kungs: tu redzi visu šo lielo pulku – šodien es to nododu tavā rokā, lai tu zini, ka es esmu Kungs!” 14 Ahābs jautāja: “Kas to darīs?” Un pravietis atbildēja: “Tā saka Kungs: tavu pavalstu pārvaldnieku puiši.” – “Un kurš lai sāk kauju?” Viņš atbildēja: “Tu!” 15 Tad viņš sapulcināja pavalstu pārvaldnieku puišus, un to bija divi simti trīsdesmit divi. Pēc tam viņš sapulcināja visu tautu, visus Israēla dēlus, septiņus tūkstošus. 16 Dienas vidū viņi izgāja no pilsētas, bet Ben-Hadads un trīsdesmit divi ķēniņi, kas viņam bija nākuši palīgā, teltīs dzēra un piedzērās. 17 Pavalstu pārvaldnieku puiši izgāja pirmie. Un Ben-Hadadam tika ziņots: “No Samarijas ir izgājuši vīri.” 18 Viņš sacīja: “Ja tie nāk ar mieru, sagrābiet tos dzīvus, bet, ja nāk ar karu, arī tad sagrābiet dzīvus!” 19 Pavalstu pārvaldnieku puiši izgāja no pilsētas un karaspēks aiz tiem. 20 Tad viņi kāva cits citu, un aramieši bēga, bet Israēls tos vajāja. Arāmas ķēniņš Ben-Hadads zirgā aizbēga kopā ar jātniekiem. 21 Israēla ķēniņš izgāja, satrieca zirgus un kararatus, un sakāva Arāmu lielā kaujā. 22 Tad pie Israēla ķēniņa pienāca pravietis un sacīja: “Esi stiprs, zini un redzi, kas tev darāms, jo Arāmas ķēniņš nāks pret tevi nākamajā pavasarī.”
23 Arāmas ķēniņa kalpi sacīja: “Viņu dievi ir kalnu dievi, tādēļ viņi bija stiprāki par mums. Ja mēs ar viņiem cīnītos līdzenumā, vai tad mēs nebūtu stiprāki par tiem? 24 Tad nu dari tā – atcel ķēniņus un liec viņu vietā virsniekus, 25 bet pats savāc sev tikpat lielu karaspēku, kā pazaudēji, – zirgu lai ir tikpat, cik bija, un kararatu lai ir tikpat, cik bija, – tad cīnīsimies ar tiem līdzenumā. Vai mēs nebūsim par viņiem stiprāki?” Viņš tos uzklausīja un tā darīja.
26 Nākamajā pavasarī Ben-Hadads izrīkoja aramiešus un devās uz Afēku karot ar Israēlu. 27 Arī Israēla dēli tika izrīkoti un apgādāti, un tie izgāja tiem pretī. Israēla dēli apmetās tiem pretī, un to bija tik vien kā divi kazu pulciņi, bet aramieši piepildīja visu zemi. 28 Un Dieva vīrs pienāca klāt un sacīja Israēla ķēniņam: “Tā saka Kungs: tādēļ ka Arāms ir sacījis: Kungs ir kalnu dievs, bet nav ieleju dievs, – es nodošu visu šo lielo pulku tavā rokā, un jūs zināsiet, ka es esmu Kungs!” 29 Septiņas dienas viņi stāvēja, apmetušies viens otram pretī, bet septītajā dienā sākās kauja, un Israēla dēli kāva Arāmu – simts tūkstošus kājnieku vienā dienā. 30 Atlikušie bēga uz Afēku, bet mūris sagruva pār divdesmit septiņiem tūkstošiem atlikušo vīru. Ben-Hadads izbēga un bēguļoja pa pilsētu no viena nama uz otru.
31 Tad viņa kalpi tam sacīja: “Klau, mēs taču esam dzirdējuši, kādi ir Israēla nama ķēniņi, ka tie ir žēlsirdīgi ķēniņi! Tad nu tinam maisus ap gurniem un virves ap galvām un izejam pie Israēla ķēniņa, varbūt viņš atstāj tevi dzīvu!” 32 Tie tina maisus ap gurniem un virves ap galvām, nāca pie Israēla ķēniņa un teica: “Tavs kalps Ben-Hadads saka: atstāj jel mani dzīvu!” Un ķēniņš atbildēja: “Vai viņš vēl dzīvs? Viņš ir mans brālis!” 33 Vīri viņa teikto saprata kā zīmi un steidzās to apstiprināt, sacīdami: “Ben-Hadads ir tavs brālis!” Un viņš sacīja: “Ejiet un atvediet viņu!” Tad Ben-Hadads iznāca pie viņa, un viņš lika tam kāpt ratos. 34 Un Ben-Hadads viņam sacīja: “Es tev atdošu pilsētas, kuras mans tēvs atņēma tavam tēvam, un Damaskā tu varēsi taisīt tirgus ielas, tāpat kā mans tēvs darīja Samarijā.” Tad Ahābs teica: “Ar šādu derību es tevi atlaižu.” Viņi noslēdza derību, un viņš to atlaida.
Dieva spriedums par Ahābu
35 Kāds vīrs no praviešu dēliem Kunga vārdā teica otram: “Nu, sit man!” – bet tas liedzās sist. 36 Tad viņš tam sacīja: “Tādēļ ka tu neklausīji Kunga balsij, tiklīdz tu no manis aiziesi, tevi nogalēs lauva.” Kad tas aizgāja, lauva to notvēra un nogalēja. 37 Bet tas sastapa citu vīru un sacīja: “Nu, sit man!” Un tas vīrs viņam sita un ievainoja. 38 Tad pravietis gāja un nostājās ķēniņam ceļā ar aizklātu seju. 39 Kad ķēniņš gāja garām, viņš sauca: “Tavs kalps gāja kaujā, un, redzi, kāds nāca un pieveda man gūstekni, sacīdams: sargā šo vīru, ja viņš pazudīs, tava dzīvība būs viņa dzīvības vietā vai arī tev būs jāmaksā talants sudraba, – 40 bet, kamēr tavs kalps rīkojās, tikmēr tas pazuda.” Israēla ķēniņš viņam sacīja: “Lai tavs spriedums ir tāds, kā tu saki!” 41 Tad viņš steigšus norāva aizsegu, un Israēla ķēniņš pazina, ka tas ir viens no praviešiem. 42 Un tas sacīja: “Tā saka Kungs: tādēļ ka tu atlaidi manis nolādētu vīru, tava dzīvība būs viņa dzīvības vietā un tava tauta – viņa tautas vietā!” 43 Un Israēla ķēniņš gāja uz savu namu drūms un saīdzis un nonāca Samarijā.
