1 Kings 20:26–22:36

26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphekk to battle Israel. 27 The Israelites mobilized, gathered supplies, and went to fight them. The Israelites camped in front of them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the landscape.l

28 Then the man of Godm approached and said to the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,”n I will hand over all this whole huge army to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”o

29 They camped opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day,p the battle took place, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans—one hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day. 30 The ones who remained fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell on those twenty-seven thousand remaining men.

Ben-hadad also fled and went into an inner roomq in the city. 31 His servants said to him, “Consider this: we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. So let’s put sackcloth around our waistsr and ropes around our heads, and let’s go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

32 So they dressed with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’ ”

So he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

33 Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, so they quickly picked up on thisB and responded, “Yes, it is your brother Ben-hadad.”

Then he said, “Go and bring him.”

So Ben-hadad came out to him, and Ahab had him come up into the chariot. 34 Then Ben-hadad said to him, “I restore to you the cities that my father took from your father,s and you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, like my father set up in Samaria.”t

Ahab responded, “On the basis of this treaty, I release you.” So he made a treaty with him and released him.

AHAB REBUKED BY THE LORD

35 One of the sons of the prophetsu said to his fellow prophet by the word of the Lord, “Strike me!” But the man refused to strike him.

36 He told him, “Because you did not listen to the Lord, mark my words: When you leave me, a lion will kill you.”v When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him.

37 The prophet found another man and said to him, “Strike me!” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound. 38 Then the prophet went and waited for the king on the road. He disguiseda himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 As the king was passing by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant marched out into the middle of the battle. Suddenly, a man turned aside and brought someone to me and said, ‘Guard this man! If he is ever missing, it will be your life in place of his life,b or you will weigh out seventy-five poundsA of silver.’ 40 But while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared.”

The king of Israel said to him, “That will be your sentence; you yourself have decided it.”c

41 He quickly removed the bandage from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized that he was one of the prophets. 42 The prophet said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because you released from your hand the man I had set apart for destruction,d it will be your life in place of his life and your people in place of his people.’ ” 43 The king of Israel left for home resentful and angry,e and he entered Samaria.

AHAB AND NABOTH’S VINEYARD

21 Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreelf next to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.g 2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyardh so I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “As the Lord is my witness, I will never give my ancestors’ inheritancei to you.”

4 So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angryj because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said, “I will not give you my ancestors’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away,k and didn’t eat any food.l

5 Then his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why are you so upset that you refuse to eat?”

6 “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,” he replied. “I told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard!’ ”

7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”m 8 So she wrote lettersn in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal.o She sent the letters to the eldersp and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 In the letters, she wrote:

Proclaim a fastq and seat Naboth at the head of the people. 10 Then seat two wicked menr opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, “You have cursed God and the king!”s Then take him out and stone him to death.t

11 The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters she had sent them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13 The two wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”u

15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite who refused to give it to you for silver,v since Naboth isn’t alive, but dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to take possession of it.

THE LORD’S JUDGMENT ON AHAB

17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite:w 18 “Get up and go to meet King Ahab of Israel,x who is in Samaria.y He’s in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19 Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you murderedz and also taken possession?’aa Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick up your blood!’ ”ab

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So, my enemy, you’ve found me, have you?”ac

He replied, “I have found you because you devotedad yourself to do what is evil in the Lord’s sight. 21 This is what the Lord says:A ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will eradicate your descendants:

I will wipe out all of Ahab’s males,B

both slave and free,C in Israel;a

22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboamb son of Nebat and like the house of Baashac son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and caused Israel to sin.’d 23 The Lord also speaks of Jezebel: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land* at Jezreel:e

24 Anyone who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat,

and anyone who dies in the field, the birdsE will eat.’ ”f

25 Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in the Lord’s sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him.g 26 He committed the most detestable acts by following idolsh as the Amoritesi had, whom the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackclothj and walked around subdued. 28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime,k because he has humbled himself before me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son’s lifetime.”l

JEHOSHAPHAT’S ALLIANCE WITH AHAB

22 There wasm a lull of three yearsn without war between Aram and Israel. 2 However, in the third year, King Jehoshaphato of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.p 3 The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gileadq is ours, but we’re doing nothing to take it from the king of Aram?” 4 Sor he asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead?”s

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”t 5 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what the Lord’s will is.”u

6 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about four hundred men,v and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain?”

They replied, “March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king.”w

7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of the Lord here anymore?x Let’s ask him.”

8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can inquire of the Lord, but I hate himy because he never prophesies good about me,z but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king shouldn’t say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.

9 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah!”

10 Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah,aa clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floorab at the entrance to the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them. 11 Then Zedekiahac son of Chenaanah made iron hornsad and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’ ” 12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gileadae and succeed, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

MICAIAH’S MESSAGE OF DEFEAT

13 The messengeraf who went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

14 But Micaiah said, “As the Lord lives,ag I will say whatever …