1 Kings 20:1-20

1 Kings 20:1-20

[1] And Benhadad  the king  of Syria  together:  and there were thirty  and two  kings  with him, and horses,  and chariots:  and he went up  and besieged  Samaria,  and warred  against it. [2] And he sent  messengers  to Ahab  king  of Israel  into the city,  [3] Thy silver  and thy gold  is mine; thy wives  also and thy children,  even the goodliest,  are mine. [4] And the king  of Israel  answered  and said,  My lord,  O king,  according to thy saying,  I am thine, and all that I have. [5] And the messengers  came again,  and said,  Benhadad,  saying,  Although I have sent  unto thee, saying,  Thou shalt deliver  me thy silver,  and thy gold,  and thy wives,  and thy children;  [6] Yet I will send  my servants  unto thee to morrow  about this time,  and they shall search  thine house,  of thy servants;  and it shall be,  that whatsoever is pleasant  in thine eyes,  they shall put  it in their hand,  and take it away.  [7] Then the king  of Israel  called  all the elders  of the land,  and said,  Mark,  I pray you, and see  how this man seeketh  mischief:  for he sent  unto me for my wives,  and for my children,  and for my silver,  and for my gold;  and I denied  [8] And all the elders  and all the people  said  unto him, Hearken  not unto him, nor consent.  [9] Wherefore he said  unto the messengers  of Benhadad,  Tell  my lord  the king,  All that thou didst send  for to thy servant  at the first  I will do:  but this thing  I may  not do.  And the messengers  him word  again.  [10] And Benhadad  sent  unto him, and said,  The gods  do so  unto me, and more also,  if the dust  of Samaria  shall suffice  for handfuls  for all the people  that follow  me. [11] And the king  of Israel  answered  and said,  Tell  him, Let not him that girdeth  on his harness boast  himself as he that putteth it off.  [12] And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard  this message,  as he was drinking,  he and the kings  in the pavilions,  that he said  unto his servants,  Set  themselves in array against the city.  [13] And, behold, there came  prophet  unto Ahab  king  of Israel,  saying,  the LORD,  Hast thou seen  all this great  multitude?  behold, I will deliver  it into thine hand  this day;  and thou shalt know  that I am the LORD.  [14] And Ahab  said,  the LORD,  Even by the young men  of the princes  of the provinces.  Then he said,  Who shall order  the battle?  And he answered,  [15] Then he numbered  the young men  of the princes  of the provinces,  and they were two  hundred  and thirty  two:  and after  them he numbered  all the people,  even all the children  of Israel,  being seven  thousand.  [16] And they went out  at noon.  But Benhadad  was drinking  himself drunk  in the pavilions,  he and the kings,  the thirty  and two  kings  that helped  him. [17] And the young men  of the princes  of the provinces  went out  first;  and Benhadad  sent out,  and they told  him, saying,  There are men  come out  of Samaria.  [18] And he said,  Whether they be come out  for peace,  take  them alive;  or whether they be come out  for war,  take  them alive.  [19] So these young men  of the princes  of the provinces  came out  of the city,  and the army  which followed  [20] And they slew  every one  and the Syrians  fled;  and Israel  pursued  them: and Benhadad  the king  of Syria  escaped  on an horse  with the horsemen.