I Regum 20
1 porro Benadad rex Syriae congregavit omnem exercitum suum et triginta et duos reges secum et equos et currus et ascendens pugnabat contra Samariam et obsidebat eam
Ben Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army together. There were thirty-two lesser kings with him, and horses and chariots. He went up, besieged Samaria and fought against it.
2 mittensque nuntios ad Ahab regem Israhel in civitatem
He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, “Ben Hadad says this:
3 ait haec dicit Benadad argentum tuum et aurum tuum meum est et uxores tuae et filii tui optimi mei sunt
'Your silver and your gold are mine. Also your wives and children, the best ones, are now mine.'”
4 responditque rex Israhel iuxta verbum tuum domine mi rex tuus sum ego et omnia mea
The king of Israel answered and said, “It is as you say, my master, king. I and all that I have are yours.”
5 revertentesque nuntii dixerunt haec dicit Benadad qui misit nos ad te argentum tuum et aurum tuum et uxores tuas et filios tuos dabis mihi
The messengers came again and said, “Ben Hadad says this, 'I sent word to you saying that you must give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
6 cras igitur hac eadem hora mittam servos meos ad te et scrutabuntur domum tuam et domum servorum tuorum et omne quod eis placuerit ponent in manibus suis et auferent
But I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they will search your house and your servants' houses. They will seize with their own hands and take away whatever pleases their eyes.'”
7 vocavit autem rex Israhel omnes seniores terrae et ait animadvertite et videte quoniam insidietur nobis misit enim ad me pro uxoribus meis et filiis et pro argento et auro et non abnui
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land together and said, “Please take note and see how this man seeks trouble. He has sent word to me in order to take my wives, children, and silver and gold, and I have not refused him.”
8 dixeruntque omnes maiores natu et universus populus ad eum non audias neque adquiescas illi
All the elders and all the people said to Ahab, “Do not listen to him or consent to his demands.”
9 respondit itaque nuntiis Benadad dicite domino meo regi omnia propter quae misisti ad me servum tuum initio faciam hanc autem rem facere non possum
So Ahab said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Tell my master the king, 'I agree to everything that you sent your servant to do the first time, but I cannot accept this second demand.'” So the messengers left and took this response to Ben Hadad.
10 reversique nuntii rettulerunt ei qui remisit et ait haec faciant mihi dii et haec addant si suffecerit pulvis Samariae pugillis omnis populi qui sequitur me
Then Ben Hadad sent his reply to Ahab, and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if even the ashes of Samaria will be enough for all the people who follow me to have a handful each.”
11 et respondens rex Israhel ait dicite ei ne glorietur accinctus aeque ut discinctus
The king of Israel answered and said, “Tell Ben Hadad, 'No one who is just putting on his armor, should boast as if he were taking it off.'”
12 factum est autem cum audisset verbum istud bibebat ipse et reges in umbraculis et ait servis suis circumdate civitatem et circumdederunt eam
Ben Hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings under him who were in their tents. Ben Hadad commanded his men, “Line yourselves up in position for battle.” So they prepared themselves in position of battle to attack the city.
13 et ecce propheta unus accedens ad Ahab regem Israhel ait haec dicit Dominus certe vidisti omnem multitudinem hanc nimiam ecce ego tradam eam in manu tua hodie ut scias quia ego sum Dominus
Then behold, a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Yahweh says, 'Have you seen this great army? Look, I will place it into your hand today, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'”
14 et ait Ahab per quem dixitque ei haec dicit Dominus per pedisequos principum provinciarum et ait quis incipiet proeliari et ille dixit tu
Ahab replied, “By whom?” Yahweh replied and said, “By the young officers who serve the governors of the districts.” Then Ahab said, “Who will begin the battle?” Yahweh answered, “You.”
15 recensuit ergo pueros principum provinciarum et repperit numerum ducentorum triginta duum et post eos recensuit populum omnes filios Israhel septem milia
Then Ahab mustered the young officers who served the governors of the districts. They numbered 232. After them he mustered all the soldiers, all the army of Israel; seven thousand in number.
16 et egressi sunt meridie Benadad autem bibebat temulentus in umbraculo suo et reges triginta duo cum eo qui ad auxilium eius venerant
They went out at noon. Ben Hadad had been drinking himself drunk in his tent, he and the thirty-two lesser kings who were supporting him.
17 egressi sunt autem pueri principum provinciarum in prima fronte misit itaque Benadad qui nuntiaverunt ei dicentes viri egressi sunt de Samaria
The young officers who served the governors of the districts went forward first. Then Ben Hadad was informed by scouts that he had sent out, “Men are coming out from Samaria.”
18 at ille sive ait pro pace veniunt adprehendite eos vivos sive ut proelientur vivos eos capite
Ben Hadad said, “Whether they have come out for peace or war, take them alive.”
19 egressi sunt ergo pueri principum provinciarum ac reliquus exercitus sequebatur
So the young officers who served the governors of the districts went out of the city and the army followed them.
20 et percussit unusquisque virum qui contra se venerat fugeruntque Syri et persecutus est eos Israhel fugit quoque Benadad rex Syriae in equo cum equitibus
Each man killed his opponent. The Arameans fled and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Aram escaped on a horse along with some horsemen.
21 necnon et egressus rex Israhel percussit equos et currus et percussit Syriam plaga magna
Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.
22 accedens autem propheta ad regem Israhel dixit ei vade et confortare et scito et vide quid facias sequenti enim anno rex Syriae ascendet contra te
So the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself, and understand and plan what you are doing, because at the return of the year the king of Aram will come up against you again.”
23 servi vero regis Syriae dixerunt ei dii montium sunt dii eorum ideo superaverunt nos sed melius est ut pugnemus contra eos in campestribus et obtinebimus eos
The servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we were. But now let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they are.
24 tu ergo verbum hoc fac amove reges singulos ab exercitu suo et pone principes pro eis
So you must do this: Remove all the kings from their positions of authority and replace them with military commanders.
25 et instaura numerum militum qui ceciderunt de tuis et equos secundum equos pristinos et currus secundum currus quos ante habuisti et pugnabimus contra eos in campestribus et videbis quod obtinebimus eos credidit consilio eorum et fecit ita
Raise up an army like the army you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight them in the plain. Then surely we will be stronger than they are.” So Ben Hadad listened to their advice and did what they advised.
26 igitur postquam annus transierat recensuit Benadad Syros et ascendit in Afec ut pugnaret contra Israhel
After the beginning of the new year, Ben Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
27 porro filii Israhel recensiti sunt et acceptis cibariis profecti ex adverso castraque metati contra eos quasi duo parvi greges caprarum Syri autem repleverunt terram
The people of Israel were mustered and supplied to fight against them. The people of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the countryside.
28 et accedens unus vir Dei dixit ad regem Israhel haec dicit Dominus quia dixerunt Syri deus montium est Dominus et non est deus vallium dabo omnem multitudinem grandem hanc in manu tua et scietis quia ego Dominus
Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Yahweh says: 'Because the Arameans have said that Yahweh is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys, I will place this great army into your hand, and you will know that I am Yahweh.'”
29 dirigebant septem diebus ex adverso hii atque illi acies septima autem die commissum est bellum percusseruntque filii Israhel de Syris centum milia peditum in die una
So the armies camped opposite each other for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle started. The people of Israel killed 100,000 Aramean footmen in one day.
30 fugerunt autem qui remanserant in Afec in civitatem et cecidit murus super viginti septem milia hominum qui remanserant porro Benadad fugiens ingressus est civitatem in cubiculum quod erat intra cubiculum
The rest fled to Aphek, into the city, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner room.
31 dixeruntque ei servi sui ecce audivimus quod reges domus Israhel clementes sint ponamus itaque saccos in lumbis nostris et funiculos in capitibus nostris et egrediamur ad regem Israhel forsitan salvabit animas nostras
Ben Hadad's servants said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
32 accinxerunt saccis lumbos suos et posuerunt funes in capitibus veneruntque ad regem Israhel et dixerunt servus tuus Benadad dicit vivat oro te anima mea et ille ait si adhuc vivit frater meus est
So they put sackcloth on their waists and ropes around their heads and then went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben Hadad said, 'Please let me live.'” Ahab said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
33 quod acceperunt viri pro omine et festinantes rapuerunt verbum ex ore eius atque dixerunt frater tuus Benadad et dixit eis ite et adducite eum egressus est ergo ad eum Benadad et levavit eum in currum suum
Now the men were listening for any sign from Ahab, so they quickly answered him, “Yes, your brother Ben Hadad is alive.” Then Ahab said, “Go and bring him.” Then Ben Hadad came to him, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
34 qui dixit ei civitates quas tulit pater meus a patre tuo reddam et plateas fac tibi in Damasco sicut fecit pater meus in Samaria et ego foederatus recedam a te pepigit ergo foedus et dimisit eum
Ben Hadad said to Ahab, “I will restore to you the cities that my father took from your father, and you may make markets for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab replied, “I will let you go with this covenant.” So Ahab made a covenant with him and then let him go.
35 tunc vir quidam de filiis prophetarum dixit ad socium suum in sermone Domini percute me at ille noluit percutere
A certain man, one of the sons of the prophets, said to one of his fellow prophets by the word of Yahweh, “Please hit me.” But the man refused to hit him.
36 cui ait quia noluisti audire vocem Domini ecce recedes a me et percutiet te leo cumque paululum recessisset ab eo invenit eum leo atque percussit
Then the prophet said to his fellow prophet, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you.” As soon as that man had left him, a lion came upon him and killed him.
37 sed et alterum conveniens virum dixit ad eum percute me qui percussit eum et vulneravit
Then the prophet found another man and said, “Please hit me.” So the man hit him and wounded him.
38 abiit ergo propheta et occurrit regi in via et mutavit aspersione pulveris os et oculos suos
Then the prophet left and waited for the king by the road; he had disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
39 cumque rex transiret clamavit ad regem et ait servus tuus egressus est ad proeliandum comminus cumque fugisset vir unus adduxit eum quidam ad me et ait custodi virum istum qui si lapsus fuerit erit anima tua pro anima eius aut talentum argenti adpendes
As the king passed by, the prophet cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the heat of the battle, and a soldier stopped and brought a man to me and said, 'Watch this man. If by any means he goes missing, your life will be given for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.'
40 dum autem ego turbatus huc illucque me verterem subito non conparuit et ait rex Israhel ad eum hoc est iudicium tuum quod ipse decrevisti
But because your servant was busy going here and there, the man escaped.” Then the king of Israel said to him, “This is what your punishment will be—you yourself have decided it.”
41 at ille statim abstersit pulverem de facie sua et cognovit eum rex Israhel quod esset de prophetis
Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets.
42 qui ait ad eum haec dicit Dominus quia dimisisti virum dignum morte de manu tua erit anima tua pro anima eius et populus tuus pro populo eius
The prophet said to the king, “Yahweh says, 'Because you have let go from your hand the man whom I had sentenced to death, your life will take the place of his life, and your people for his people.'”
43 reversus est igitur rex Israhel in domum suam audire contemnens et furibundus venit Samariam
So the king of Israel went to his house resentful and angry, and arrived in Samaria.
