3. Krallar 21

¹Ader'in oğlu bütün ordusunu topladı; kendisiyle birlikte otuz iki kral, tüm atlar ve savaş arabaları vardı. Yukarı çıkıp Samiriye'yi kuşattılar, kenti abluka altına alarak ona karşı savaştılar.

²Kentin içine, İsrail Kralı Ahab'a ulaklar göndererek şöyle dedi: "Ader'in oğlu şöyle diyor:

³'Gümüşün ve altının benimdir; karıların ve çocukların da benimdir.'"

⁴İsrail Kralı yanıtlayıp dedi: "Ey efendim kral, dediğin gibidir; ben seninim ve bana ait olan her şey de senindir."

⁵Ulaklar geri dönüp dediler: "Ader'in oğlu şöyle diyor: 'Sana, "Gümüşünü, altınını, karılarını ve çocuklarını bana teslim edeceksin" diye haber göndermiştim.

⁶Ancak yarın bu saatlerde hizmetkârlarımı sana göndereceğim; senin evini ve hizmetkârlarının evlerini arayacaklar, gözlerinin arzuladığı ne varsa hepsine el koyup alacaklar.'"

⁷Bunun üzerine İsrail Kralı ülkenin bütün ileri gelenlerini çağırıp dedi: "Görün ve anlayın, bu adam kötülük peşinde! Karılarımı, oğullarımı ve kızlarımı istemek için bana haber gönderdi; gümüşümü ve altınımı ondan esirgemedim."

⁸İleri gelenler ve bütün halk ona, "Onu dinleme ve bu isteğe rıza gösterme" dediler.

⁹Ahab da Ader'in oğlunun ulaklarına şöyle dedi: "Efendiniz krala deyin ki: 'İlk başta kuluna bildirdiğin her şeyi yapacağım, ama bu sözü yerine getirmeye muktedir olamam.'" Ulaklar gidip bu yanıtı ona ilettiler.

¹⁰Ader'in oğlu ona şu haberi gönderdi: "Eğer Samiriye'nin tozu, ardımdan gelen tüm yaya halkımın tilkilerine yetecek olursa, Tanrı bana aynısını ve daha kötüsünü yapsın!"

¹¹İsrail Kralı şu yanıtı verdi: "Bu kadarı yetsin; kambur olan, dik duran biri gibi övünmesin."

¹²Bu yanıt kendisine ulaştığında, Ader'in oğlu ve yanındaki krallar çadırlarda içki içiyorlardı. Hizmetkârlarına, "Kuşatma siperi inşa edin!" dedi. Onlar da kente karşı siper kurdular.

¹³O sırada bir peygamber İsrail Kralı Ahab'ın yanına gelip dedi: "RAB şöyle diyor: 'Bu büyük kalabalığı görüyor musun? İşte, bugün onu sizin ellerinize teslim edeceğim; böylece benim RAB olduğumu anlayacaksın.'"

¹⁴Ahab, "Kimin aracılığıyla?" diye sordu. Peygamber, "RAB şöyle diyor: 'İlçe yöneticilerinin genç adamlarıyla'" dedi. Ahab, "Savaşı kim başlatacak?" diye sordu. Peygamber, "Sen" diye yanıtladı.

¹⁵Bunun üzerine Ahab ilçe yöneticilerinin genç adamlarını saydı; iki yüz otuz kişiydiler. Onlardan sonra bütün halkı, tüm savaşçıları saydı; yedi bin kişiydiler.

¹⁶Öğleyin yola çıktılar. Ader'in oğlu ise Sukkot'ta müttefiki olan otuz iki kralla birlikte içip sarhoş olmaktaydı.

¹⁷Önce ilçe yöneticilerinin genç adamları çıktı. Suriye kralına ulaklar gönderilip, "Samiriye'den adamlar çıktı" diye haber verildi.

¹⁸Kral, "Eğer barış için çıkmışlarsa onları sağ yakalayın; savaş için çıkmışlarsa da sağ yakalayın" dedi.

¹⁹İlçe yöneticilerinin genç adamları kentten çıktılar; ordu da arkalarındaydı.

²⁰Her biri karşısındakini vurdu ve her biri karşısındakini ikinci kez vurdu. Suriyeliler kaçtı, İsrailliler de onları kovaladı. Suriye Kralı Ader'in oğlu ise bir atlının atı üzerinde kaçıp kurtuldu.

²¹İsrail Kralı çıkıp bütün atları ve savaş arabalarını ele geçirdi ve Suriyelileri büyük bir kırıma uğrattı.

²²Sonra peygamber İsrail Kralı'nın yanına gelip dedi: "Kendini güçlendir, ne yapacağını iyi düşün ve gör; çünkü önümüzdeki yılın başında Suriye Kralı Ader'in oğlu sana karşı sefere çıkacak."

²³Suriye Kralı'nın hizmetkârları ise ona şöyle dediler: "İsrail'in Tanrısı dağların Tanrısıdır, vadilerin Tanrısı değildir; bu yüzden bize üstün geldiler. Ama onlarla düzlükte savaşırsak, kesinlikle onlara üstün geliriz.

²⁴Şimdi şunu yap: Kralların her birini görevinden al ve yerlerine valiler ata.

²⁵Kaybettiğin ordu kadar bir ordu, at yerine at, araba yerine araba toplayalım. Onlarla düzlükte savaşacağız ve kesinlikle onlara üstün geleceğiz." Kral onların sözünü dinledi ve öyle yaptı.

²⁶Yıl başında Ader'in oğlu Suriyelileri topladı ve İsrail'le savaşmak üzere Afek'e çıktı.

²⁷İsrailliler de toplandı ve onlara karşı koymaya gittiler. İsrailliler onların karşısında iki küçük keçi sürüsü gibi ordugah kurdular; Suriyeliler ise bütün ülkeyi doldurmuştu.

²⁸Tanrı adamı gelip İsrail Kralı'na şöyle dedi: "RAB şöyle diyor: 'Suriyeliler, "RAB dağların Tanrısıdır, vadilerin Tanrısı değildir" dedikleri için, bu büyük kalabalığı senin eline teslim edeceğim; böylece benim RAB olduğumu anlayacaksınız.'"

²⁹Yedi gün boyunca karşı karşıya ordugah kurdular. Yedinci gün savaş başladı ve İsrailliler bir günde Suriyelilerden yüz bin yaya asker öldürdü.

³⁰Geri kalanlar ise Afek kentine kaçtılar; orada surlar sağ kalan yirmi yeri bin kişinin üzerine çöktü. Ader'in oğlu da kaçıp kentin içindeki yatak odasının en gizli bölmesine sığındı.

³¹Hizmetkârları ona, "İsrail krallarının merhametli krallar olduğunu biliyorum" dediler, "Bellerimize çul saralım, başlarımıza ipler dolayalım ve İsrail Kralı'nın huzuruna çıkalım; belki canımızı bağışlar."

³²Bellerine çul sarıp başlarına ipler dolayarak İsrail Kralı'na gittiler ve "Kulun Ader'in oğlu, 'Lütfen canımız yaşasın' diyor" dediler. Ahab, "Hâlâ yaşıyor mu? O benim kardeşimdir" dedi.

³³Adamlar bunu bir işaret sayıp hemen antlaşma yaptılar ve sözü ağzından kaparak, "Kardeşin Ader'in oğlu" dediler. Ahab, "Gidin, onu getirin" dedi. Ader'in oğlu Ahab'ın yanına çıktı; Ahab onu kendi savaş arabasına bindirdi.

³⁴Ader'in oğlu ona, "Babamın senin babandan aldığı kentleri geri vereceğim" dedi, "Babamın Samiriye'de yaptığı gibi, sen de Şam'da kendin için çarşılar kurabilirsin." Ahab, "Ben de bu antlaşmayla seni serbest bırakıyorum" dedi. Böylece onunla bir antlaşma yapıp onu serbest bıraktı.

³⁵Peygamber topluluğundan bir adam, RAB'bin sözü uyarınca arkadaşına, "Lütfen bana vur!" dedi. Ama arkadaşı ona vurmak istemedi.

³⁶Bunun üzerine adam ona, "RAB'bin sözünü dinlemediğin için, yanımdan ayrılır ayrılmaz bir aslan seni öldürecek" dedi. Arkadaşı yanından ayrılır ayrılmaz bir aslan onu bulup öldürdü.

³⁷Peygamber başka bir adam bulup, "Lütfen bana vur!" dedi. Adam da ona vurup yaraladı.

³⁸Peygamber gidip yol kenarında kralın geçmesini bekledi. Gözlerini bir sargıyla bağlayarak kendini gizledi.

³⁹Kral oradan geçerken peygamber ona seslenip şöyle dedi: "Kulun savaşın ortasındaydı. Bir adam bana bir adam getirip, 'Bu adamı koru; eğer kaçacak olursa, onun canına karşılık senin canın gidecek ya da bir talant gümüş ödeyeceksin' dedi.

⁴⁰Kulun şuraya buraya bakınırken adam ortadan kayboldu. İsrail Kralı ona, "İşte, benim için kurulan tuzakları da yok ettin" dedi.

⁴¹Peygamber hemen gözlerindeki sargıyı çıkardı. İsrail Kralı onun peygamberlerden biri olduğunu anladı.

⁴²Peygamber krala şöyle dedi: "RAB şöyle diyor: 'Yok edilmeye adanmış bir adamı elinden kaçırdığın için, onun canına karşılık senin canın, onun halkına karşılık senin halkın gidecek.'"

⁴³İsrail Kralı canı sıkkın ve bitkin bir halde Samiriye'ye döndü.

¹ΚΑΙ συνήθροισεν υἱὸς ῎Αδερ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβη καὶ περιεκάθισεν ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν καὶ τριακονταδύο βασιλεῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶς ἵππος καὶ ἅρμα· καὶ ἀνέβησαν καὶ περιεκάθισαν ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν καὶ ἐπολέμησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν.

²καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς ᾿Αχαὰβ βασιλέα ᾿Ισραὴλ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· τάδε λέγει υἱὸς ῎Αδερ·

³τὸ ἀργύριόν σου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον σου ἐμόν ἐστι καὶ αἱ γυναῖκές σου καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου ἐμά ἐστι.

⁴καὶ ἀπεκρίθη βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ εἶπε· καθὼς ἐλάλησας, κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, σὸς ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμά.

⁵καὶ ἀνέστρεψαν οἱ ἄγγελοι, καὶ εἶπαν· τάδε λέγει ὁ υἱὸς ῎Αδερ· ἐγὼ ἀπέστειλα πρός σε λέγων· τὸ ἀργύριόν σου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον σου καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου δώσεις ἐμοί·

⁶ὅτι ταύτην τὴν ὥραν αὔριον ἀποστελῶ τοὺς παῖδάς μου πρός σε, καὶ ἐρευνήσουσι τὸν οἶκόν σου καὶ τοὺς οἴκους τῶν παίδων σου καὶ ἔσται πάντα τὰ ἐπιθυμήματα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν, ἐφ᾿ ἃ ἂν ἐπιβάλωσι τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν, καὶ λήψονται.

⁷καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ πάντας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς γῆς καὶ εἶπε· γνῶτε δὴ καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι κακίαν οὗτος ζητεῖ, ὅτι ἀπέσταλκε πρός με περὶ τῶν γυναικῶν μου καὶ περὶ τῶν υἱῶν μου καὶ περὶ τῶν θυγατέρων μου· τὸ ἀργύριόν μου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον μου οὐκ ἀπεκώλυσα ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

⁸καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαός· μὴ ἀκούσῃς καὶ μὴ θελήσῃς.

⁹καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἀγγέλοις υἱοῦ ῎Αδερ· λέγετε τῷ κυρίῳ ὑμῶν· πάντα ὅσα ἀπέσταλκας πρὸς τὸν δοῦλόν σου ἐν πρώτοις ποιήσω, τὸ δὲ ῥῆμα τοῦτο οὐ δυνήσομαι ποιῆσαι. καὶ ἀπῇραν οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν αὐτῷ λόγον.

¹⁰καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτὸν υἱὸς ῎Αδερ λέγων· τάδε ποιήσαι μοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τάδε προσθείη, εἰ ἐκποιήσει ὁ χοῦς Σαμαρείας ταῖς ἀλώπεξι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τοῖς πεζοῖς μου.

¹¹καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ εἶπεν· ἱκανούσθω· μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ κυρτὸς ὡς ὁ ὀρθός.

¹²καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, πίνων ἦν αὐτὸς καὶ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν σκηναῖς καὶ εἶπε τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ· οἰκοδομήσατε χάρακα· καὶ ἔθεντο χάρακα ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν.

¹³καὶ ἰδοὺ προφήτης εἷς προσῆλθε τῷ ᾿Αχαὰβ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ εἶπε· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· εἰ ἑώρακας τὸν ὄχλον τὸν μέγαν τοῦτον; ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι αὐτὸν σήμερον εἰς χεῖράς σας, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος.

¹⁴καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αχαάβ· ἐν τίνι; καὶ εἶπε· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἐν τοῖς παιδαρίοις τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν χωρῶν. καὶ εἶπεν ᾿Αχαάβ· τίς συνάξει τὸν πόλεμον; καὶ εἶπε· σύ.

¹⁵καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο ᾿Αχαὰβ τὰ παιδάρια τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν χωρῶν, καὶ ἐγένοντο διακόσια τριάκοντα· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπεσκέψατο τὸν λαόν, πάντα υἱὸν δυνάμεως, ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας.

¹⁶καὶ ἐξῆλθε μεσημβρίας· καὶ υἱὸς ῎Αδερ πίνων μεθύων ἐν Σοκχὼθ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς, τριάκοντα καὶ δύο βασιλεῖς συμβοηθοὶ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

¹⁷καὶ ἐξῆλθον ἄρχοντες παιδάρια τῶν χωρῶν ἐν πρώτοις. καὶ ἀποστέλλουσι καὶ ἀπαγγέλλουσι τῷ βασιλεῖ Συρίας λέγοντες· ἄνδρες ἐξεληλύθασιν ἐκ Σαμαρείας.

¹⁸καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἰ εἰς εἰρήνην ἐκπορεύονται, συλλαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ζῶντας· καὶ εἰ εἰς πόλεμον, ζῶντας συλλαβεῖν αὐτούς·

¹⁹καὶ μὴ ἐξελθάτωσαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τὰ παιδάρια ἀρχόντων τῶν χωρῶν. καὶ ἡ δύναμις ὀπίσω αὐτῶν

²⁰ἐπάταξεν ἕκαστος τὸν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐδευτέρωσεν ἕκαστος τὸν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔφυγε Συρία, καὶ κατεδίωξεν αὐτοὺς ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ σῴζεται υἱὸς ῎Αδερ βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἐφ᾿ ἵππου ἱππέως.

²¹καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ ἔλαβε πάντας τοὺς ἵππους καὶ τὰ ἅρματα καὶ ἐπάταξε πληγὴν μεγάλην ἐν Συρίᾳ.

²²καὶ προσῆλθεν ὁ προφήτης πρὸς βασιλέα ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ εἶπε· κραταιοῦ καὶ γνῶθι καὶ ἴδε τί ποιήσεις, ὅτι ἐπιστρέφοντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ υἱὸς ῎Αδερ βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἀναβαίνει ἐπὶ σέ.

²³καὶ οἱ παῖδες βασιλέως Συρίας εἶπον· Θεὸς ὀρέων Θεὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ οὐ Θεὸς κοιλάδων, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκραταίωσεν ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ πολεμήσωμεν αὐτοὺς κατ᾿ εὐθύ, εἰ μὴν κραταιώσωμεν ὑπὲρ αὐτούς.

²⁴καὶ τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο ποίησον· ἀπόστησον τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἕκαστον εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν καὶ θοῦ ἀντ᾿ αὐτῶν σατράπας,

²⁵καὶ ἀλλάξομέν σοι δύναμιν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν πεσοῦσαν καὶ ἵππον κατὰ τὴν ἵππον καὶ ἅρματα κατὰ τὰ ἅρματα καὶ πολεμήσομεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς κατ᾿ εὐθὺ καὶ κραταιώσομεν ὑπὲρ αὐτούς. καὶ ἤκουσε τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐποίησεν οὕτως.

²⁶καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπιστρέψαντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο υἱὸς ῎Αδερ τὴν Συρίαν καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς ᾿Αφεκὰ εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραήλ.

²⁷καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπεσκέπησαν καὶ παρεγένοντο εἰς ἀπαντὴν αὐτῶν, καὶ παρενέβαλεν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐξεναντίας αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ δύο ποίμνια αἰγῶν, καὶ Συρία ἔπλησε τὴν γῆν.

²⁸καὶ προσῆλθεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ εἶπε τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ισραήλ· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἀνθ᾿ ὧν εἶπε Συρία· Θεὸς ὀρέων Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ οὐ Θεὸς κοιλάδων αὐτός, καὶ δώσω τὴν δύναμιν τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην εἰς χεῖρα σήν, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος.

²⁹καὶ παρεμβάλλουσιν οὗτοι ἀπέναντι τούτων ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ προσήγαγεν ὁ πόλεμος, καὶ ἐπάταξεν ᾿Ισραὴλ τὴν Συρίαν ἑκατὸν χιλιάδας πεζῶν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ.

³⁰καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ κατάλοιποι εἰς ᾿Αφεκὰ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἔπεσε τὸ τεῖχος ἐπὶ εἴκοσι καὶ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν τῶν καταλοίπων. καὶ υἱὸς ῎Αδερ ἔφυγε καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κοιτῶνος, εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον.

³¹καὶ εἶπε τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ· οἶδα ὅτι βασιλεῖς ᾿Ισραὴλ βασιλεῖς ἐλέους εἰσίν· ἐπιθώμεθα δὴ σάκκους ἐπὶ τὰς ὀσφύας ἡμῶν καὶ σχοινία ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἡμῶν καὶ ἐξέλθωμεν πρὸς βασιλέα ᾿Ισραήλ, εἴ πως ζωογονήσει τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

³²καὶ περιεζώσαντο σάκκους ἐπὶ τὰς ὀσφύας αὐτῶν καὶ ἔθεσαν σχοινία ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπον τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ισραήλ· δοῦλός σου υἱὸς ῎Αδερ λέγει· ζησάτω δὴ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν. καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ ἔτι ζῇ, ἀδελφός μού ἐστι.

³³καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἰωνίσαντο καὶ ἐσπείσαντο καὶ ἀνελέξαντο τὸν λόγον ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπον· ἀδελφός σου υἱὸς ῎Αδερ. καὶ εἶπεν· εἰσέλθατε καὶ λάβετε αὐτόν· καὶ ἐξῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν υἱὸς ῎Αδερ, καὶ ἀναβιβάζουσιν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα.

³⁴καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· τὰς πόλεις, ἃς ἔλαβεν ὁ πατήρ μου παρὰ τοῦ πατρός σου, ἀποδώσω σοι, καὶ ἐξόδους θήσεις σεαυτῷ ἐν Δαμασκῷ, καθὼς ἔθετο ὁ πατήρ μου ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ· καὶ ἐγὼ ἐν διαθήκῃ ἐξαποστελῶ σε. καὶ διέθετο αὐτῷ διαθήκην καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτόν.

³⁵Καὶ ἄνθρωπος εἷς ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν τῶν προφητῶν εἶπε πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου· πάταξον δή με· καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος πατάξαι αὐτόν.

³⁶καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀνθ᾿ ὧν οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου καὶ ἰδοὺ σὺ ἀποτρέχεις ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ πατάξει σε λέων· καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὑρίσκει αὐτὸν λέων καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτόν.

³⁷καὶ εὑρίσκει ἄνθρωπον ἄλλον καὶ εἶπε· πάταξόν με δή· καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ὁ ἄνθρωπος πατάξας καὶ συνέτριψε.

³⁸καὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ προφήτης καὶ ἔστη τῷ βασιλεῖ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ κατεδήσατο ἐν τελαμῶνι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ.

³⁹καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς παρεπορεύετο ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ οὗτος ἐβόα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπεν· ὁ δοῦλός σου ἐξῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν στρατιὰν τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ εἰσήγαγε πρός με ἄνδρα καὶ εἶπε πρός με· φύλαξον τοῦτον τὸν ἄνδρα, ἐὰν δὲ ἐκπηδῶν ἐκπηδήσῃ, καὶ ἔσται ἡ ψυχή σου ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, ἢ τάλαντον ἀργυρίου στήσεις·

⁴⁰καὶ ἐγενήθη περιεβλέψατο ὁ δοῦλός σου ὧδε καὶ ὧδε, καὶ οὗτος οὐκ ἦν. καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραήλ· ἰδοὺ καὶ τὰ ἔνεδρα παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ ἐφόνευσας.

⁴¹καὶ ἔσπευσε καὶ ἀφεῖλε τὸν τελαμῶνα ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπέγνω αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραήλ, ὅτι ἐκ τῶν προφητῶν οὗτος.

⁴²καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· διότι ἐξήνεγκας σὺ ἄνδρα ὀλέθριον ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου, καὶ ἔσται ἡ ψυχή σου ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ λαός σου ἀντὶ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ.

⁴³καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ συγκεχυμένος καὶ ἐκλελυμένος καὶ ἔρχεται εἰς Σαμάρειαν.

¹And the son of Ader gathered all his forces, and went up and besieged Samaria, [he] and thirty-two kings with him, and all [his] horse and chariots: and they went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.

²And he sent into the city to Achaab king of Israel, and said to him, Thus says the son of Ader,

³Thy silver and thy gold are mine, and thy wives and thy children are mine.

⁴And the king of Israel answered and said, As thou hast said, my lord, O king, I am thine, and all mine [also].

⁵And the messengers came again, and said, Thus says the son of Ader, I sent to thee, saying, Thou shalt give me thy silver and thy gold, and thy wives and thy children.

⁶For at this time to-morrow I will send my servants to thee, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants, and it shall be that all the desirable objects of their eyes on which they shall lay their hands, they shall even take [them].

⁷And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Take notice now and consider, that this man seeks mischief: for he has sent to me concerning my wives, and concerning my sons an concerning my daughters: I have not kept back from him my silver and my gold.

⁸And the elders and all the people said to him, Hearken not, and consent not.

⁹And he said to the messengers of the son of Ader, Say to your master, All things that thou hast sent to thy servant about at first I will do; but this thing I shall not be able to do. And the men departed, and carried back the answer to him.

¹⁰And the son of Ader sent to him, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for foxes to all the people, even my infantry.

¹¹And the king of Israel answered and said, Let it be sufficient; let not the humpbacked boast as he that is upright.

¹²And it came to pass when he returned him this answer, he and all the kings with him were drinking in tents: and he said to his servants, Form a trench. And they made a trench against the city.

¹³And, behold, a prophet came to Achaab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen this great multitude? behold, I give it this day into thine hands; and thou shalt know that I [am] the Lord.

¹⁴And Achaab said, Whereby? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, by the young men of the heads of the districts. And Achaab said, Who shall begin the battle? and he said, Thou.

¹⁵And Achaab numbered the young men the heads of the districts, and they were two hundred and thirty: and afterwards he numbered the people, [even] every man fit for war, seven thousand.

¹⁶And he went forth at noon, an the son of Ader was drinking [and] getting drunk in Socchoth, he and the kings, [even] thirty and two kings, his allies.

¹⁷And the young men the heads of the districts went forth first; and they send and report to the king of Syria, saying, There are men come forth out of Samaria.

¹⁸And he said to them, If they come forth peaceably, take them alive; and if they come forth to war, take them alive:

¹⁹and let not the young men the heads of the districts go forth of the city. And the force that was behind them

²⁰smote each one the man next to him; and each one a second time smote the man next to him: and Syria fled, and Israel pursued them; and the son of Ader, [even] the king of Syria, escapes on the horse of a horseman.

²¹And the king of Israel went forth, and took all the horses and the chariots, and smote [the enemy] with a great slaughter in Syria.

²²And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said, Strengthen thyself, and observe, and see what thou shalt do; for at the return of the year the son of Ader king of Syria comes up against thee.

²³And the servants of the king of Syria, even they said, The God of Israel [is] a God of mountains, and not a God of valleys; therefore has he prevailed against us: but if we should fight against them in the plain, verily we shall prevail against them.

²⁴And do thou this thing: Send away the kings, each one to his place, and set princes in their stead.

²⁵And we will give thee [another] army according to the army that was destroyed, and cavalry according to the cavalry, and chariots according to the chariots, and we will fight against them in the plain, and we shall prevail against them. And he hearkened to their voice, and did so.

²⁶And it came to pass at the return of the year, that the son of Ader reviewed Syria, and went up to Apheca to war against Israel.

²⁷And the children of Israel were numbered, and came to meet them: and Israel encamped before them as two little flocks of goats, but Syria filled the land.

²⁸And there came the man of God, and said to the king of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Because Syria has said, The Lord God of Israel [is] a God of the hills, and he [is] not a God of the valleys, therefore will I give this great army into thy hand, and thou shalt know that I [am] the Lord.

²⁹And they encamp one over against the other before them seven days. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the battle drew on, and Israel smote Syria, [even] a hundred thousand footmen in one day.

³⁰And the rest fled to Apheca, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men that were left: and the son of Ader fled, and entered into an inner chamber, into a closet.

³¹And he said to his servants, I know that the kings of Israel are merciful kings: let us now put sackcloth upon our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and let us go forth to the king of Israel, if by any means he will save our souls alive.

³²So they girt sackcloth upon their loins, and put ropes upon their heads, and said to the king of Israel, Thy servant the son of Ader says, Let our souls live, I pray thee. And he said, Does he yet live? He is my brother.

³³And the men divined, and offered drink-offerings; and they caught the word out of his mouth, and said, Thy brother the son of Ader. And he said, Go ye in and fetch him. And the son of Ader went out to him, and they cause him to go up to him into the chariot.

³⁴And he said to him, The cities which my father took from thy father I will restore to thee; and thou shalt make streets for thyself in Damascus, as my father made streets in Samaria; and I will let thee go with a covenant. And he made a covenant with him, and let him go.

³⁵And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour by the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray, And the man would not smite him.

³⁶And he said to him, Because thou hast not hearkened to the voice of the Lord, therefore, behold, as thou departest from me, a lion shall smite thee: and he departed from him, and a lion found him, and smote him.

³⁷And he finds another man, and says, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, and in smiting wounded [him].

³⁸And the prophet went and stood before the king of Israel by the way, and bound his eyes with a bandage.

³⁹And it came to pass as the king passed by, that he cried aloud to the king, and said, Thy servant went out to war, and, behold, a man brought [another] man to me, and said to me, Keep his man; and if he should by any means escape, then thy life shall go for his life, or thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

⁴⁰And it came to pass, that thy servant looked round this way and that way, and the man was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, Behold, thou hast also destroyed snares [set] for me.

⁴¹And he hasted, and took away the bandage from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him, that he was one of the prophets.

⁴²And he said to him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast suffered to escape out of thine hand a man appointed to destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

⁴³And the king of Israel departed confounded and discouraged, and came to Samaria.