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Now Ben-hadadking of Aramgatheredall his army, and there were thirty-two*kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged*Samaria and fought against it.
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Then the messengersreturned and said, "ThussaysBen-hadad, 'Surely, I sent to you saying, "You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,"
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but about this timetomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will take in their hand and carry away.' "
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Then the king of Israelcalledall the elders of the land and said, "Pleaseobserve and seehowthis man is looking for trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him."
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So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, "Tell my lord the king, 'All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but thisthing I cannot*do.' " And the messengersdeparted and brought him wordagain.
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Ben-hadadsent to him and said, "May the godsdoso to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the peoplewhofollow me."
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When Ben-hadad heardthismessage, as he was drinking with the kings in the temporaryshelters, he said to his servants, "Station yourselves." So they stationed themselves against the city.
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Now behold, a prophetapproachedAhabking of Israel and said, "Thussays the LORD, 'Have you seenallthisgreatmultitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your handtoday, and you shall know that I am the LORD.' "
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Ahabsaid, "By whom?" So he said, "Thussays the LORD, 'By the youngmen of the rulers of the provinces.' " Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?" And he answered, "You."
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Then he mustered the youngmen of the rulers of the provinces, and there were 232**; and after them he musteredall the people, even all the sons of Israel, 7,000*.
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Then the prophetcamenear to the king of Israel and said to him, "Go, strengthen yourself and observe and seewhat you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you."
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Now the servants of the king of Aramsaid to him, "Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore* they were strongerthan we; but rather let us fightagainst them in the plain, and surely* we will be strongerthan they.
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and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fightagainst them in the plain, and surely* we will be strongerthan they." And he listened to their voice and didso.
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The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israelcampedbefore them like twolittleflocks of goats, but the Arameansfilled the country.
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Then a man of Godcamenear and spoke to the king of Israel and said, "Thussays the LORD, 'Because* the Arameans have said, "The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys," therefore I will giveallthisgreatmultitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.' "
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So they campedoneoveragainst the othersevendays. And on the seventhday the battle was joined, and the sons of Israelkilled of the Arameans100,000*footsoldiers in oneday.
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But the restfled to Aphek into the city, and the wallfell on 27,000**men who were left. And Ben-hadadfled and came into the city into an innerchamber.
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His servantssaid to him, "Beholdnow, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are mercifulkings, please let us putsackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life."
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So they girdedsackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, "Your servantBen-hadadsays, 'Please let me live.' " And he said, "Is he stillalive? He is my brother."
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Now the mentook this as an omen, and quicklycatching his word said, "Your brotherBen-hadad." Then he said, "Go, bring him." Then Ben-hadadcame out to him, and he took him up into the chariot.
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Ben-hadad said to him, "The citieswhich my fathertook from your father I will restore, and you shall makestreets for yourself in Damascus, as my fathermade in Samaria." Ahab said, "And I will let you go with this covenant." So he made a covenant with him and let him go.
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Then he said to him, "Because* you have not listened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you." And as soon as he had departed from him a lionfound him and killed him.
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As the kingpassed by, he cried to the king and said, "Your servantwent out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a manturnedaside and brought a man to me and said, 'Guardthisman; if for anyreason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.'
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"While your servant was busyhere and there, he was gone." And the king of Israelsaid to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
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He said to him, "Thussays the LORD, 'Because you have letgo out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.' "