1 Kings Chapter 20
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Chief People:
Choice Verses:
1 Kings 20:1 Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it.
1 Kings 20:2 And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad:
1 Kings 20:3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’”
1 Kings 20:4 And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.”
1 Kings 20:5 The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.”
1 Kings 20:6 Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.’”
1 Kings 20:7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.”
1 Kings 20:8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”
1 Kings 20:9 So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you first demanded of your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again.
1 Kings 20:10 Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “The gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.”
1 Kings 20:11 And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’”
1 Kings 20:12 When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, “Take your positions.” And they took their positions against the city.
1 Kings 20:13 And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the LORD.”
1 Kings 20:14 And Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the LORD, By the servants of the governors of the districts.” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”
1 Kings 20:15 Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand.
1 Kings 20:16 And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him.
1 Kings 20:17 The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, “Men are coming out from Samaria.”
1 Kings 20:18 He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
1 Kings 20:19 So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them.
1 Kings 20:20 And each struck down his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.
1 Kings 20:21 And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.
1 Kings 20:22 Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you.”
1 Kings 20:23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.