1 Kings 20:30–42

³⁰The survivors fled to Aphek, the city where the wall fell on 27,000 of them. Benhadad had also fled. He came to the city and hid in an inner room. 

³¹His officers told him, “We have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Allow us to dress in sackcloth, put ropes around our necks, and go to the king of Israel. Maybe he’ll let you live.” ³²So they dressed in sackcloth and put ropes around their necks. They went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Benhadad says, ‘Please let me live.’ ” 

Ahab asked, “He’s still alive? He’s my brother.” 

³³The men, watching for a good sign, were quick to take him at his word. “Benhadad is your brother,” they said. 

Ahab said, “Bring him here.” When Benhadad arrived, Ahab had him come up on the chariot with him. 

³⁴Benhadad told him, “I will give back the towns my father took from your father. You may set up trading centers in Damascus as my father did in Samaria.” 

Ahab said, “If you will put this into a treaty, I will let you go.” So Ahab made a treaty with Benhadad and let him go. 

³⁵A disciple of the prophets spoke to a friend as the Lord’s word had told him. ⸤The disciple said,⸥ “Punch me,” but the man refused to punch him. ³⁶The disciple said, “Since you didn’t obey the Lord, a lion will kill you when you leave me.” When the friend left, a lion found him and killed him. 

³⁷Then the disciple found another man. He said, “Punch me.” The man punched him hard and wounded him. 

³⁸Then the prophet, disguised with a bandage over his eyes, waited for the king by the road. ³⁹When the king passed by, the disciple called to him. “I went to fight in the battle. A man turned around and brought a prisoner to me. He said, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he gets away, you will pay for his life with your own life or be fined 75 pounds of silver.’ ⁴⁰But while I was busy doing other things, he got away.” 

The king of Israel told him, “That’s your own penalty. You have determined it yourself.” 

⁴¹Then he quickly took the bandage off his eyes. The king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 

⁴²The prophet told him, “This is what the Lord says: You let the man go. He was claimed by God and should have been killed. For that reason your life will be taken in place of his life and your people in place of his people.”