1 Kings 20 Ahab defeats the Syrians and makes a covenant with their king

 1 Kings 20

Ahab defeats the Syrians and makes a covenant with their king

31- Then his servants said to him, "Behold, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life."

32- So they put sackcloth on their loins and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-hadad says, 'Let me live.'" And he said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."

33- And the men took it as a good omen, and they hurried to catch the word, and said, "Your brother Ben-hadad is alive." And he said, "Come, bring him to me." Then Ben-hadad went out to them, and he carried him up into the chariot.

34 And he said, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore to you, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. And I will let you go, according to this covenant, Ahab said. And he made a covenant with him and let him go.

35 Then one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion by the word of the Lord, Smite me. And the man refused to smite him.


36 And he said to him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, while you are gone from me a lion shall smite you. And when he was gone from him, a lion found him and slew him.


37 And he found another man, and said to him, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man slew him, and wounded him.

38 Then the prophet went and stood before the king in the way, and put ashes on his eyes.

39 As the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a man turned aside and brought another man to me. He said, ‘Keep this man safe for me. If he is missing, you shall pay him a talent of silver.’

40 And it came to pass, while your servant was busy here and there, that he disappeared. Then the king of Israel said to him, “This is your sentence; you have pronounced it.”

41 So he hurried and wiped off the copper ashes from his eyes. And the king of Israel knew him to be one of the prophets. 42- And he said to him, Thus says the Lord: Because you have let go of the man whom I had destined for destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.

43- And the king of Israel went home grieved and angry, and came to Samaria.