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1 Kings 20 CEV
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>1 Kings 20 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_kings/20.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/1_kings/20-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > 1 Kings 20</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_kings/19.htm" title="1 Kings 19">◄</a> 1 Kings 20 <a href="../1_kings/21.htm" title="1 Kings 21">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s1">Syria Attacks Israel</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_1"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.1" class="v11_20_1">1</span>King Benhadad of Syria<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.20.1!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> called his army together. He was joined by 32 other kings with their horses and chariots, and together they marched to Samaria and attacked. </span><span class="v11_20_2"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.2" class="v11_20_2">2</span>Benhadad sent a messenger to tell King Ahab of Israel, </span><span class="v11_20_3"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.3" class="v11_20_3">3</span>“Ahab, give me your silver and gold, your wives,<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.20.3!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and your strongest sons!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_4"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.4" class="v11_20_4">4</span>“Your Majesty,” Ahab replied, “everything I have is yours, including me.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_5"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.5" class="v11_20_5">5</span>Later, Benhadad sent another messenger to say to Ahab, “I already told you to give me your silver and gold, your wives, and your children. </span><span class="v11_20_6"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.6" class="v11_20_6">6</span>But tomorrow at this time, I will send my officials into your city to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will take everything else that you<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.20.6!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> own.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_7"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.7" class="v11_20_7">7</span>Ahab called a meeting with the leaders of Israel and said, “Benhadad is causing real trouble. He told me to give him my wives and children, as well as my silver and gold. And I agreed.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_8"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.8" class="v11_20_8">8</span>“Don't listen to him!” they answered. “You don't have to do what he says.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_9"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.9" class="v11_20_9">9</span>So Ahab sent someone to tell Benhadad, “Your Majesty, I'll give you my silver and gold, and even my wives and children. But I won't let you have anything else.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_9">When Benhadad got his answer, </span><span class="v11_20_10"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.10" class="v11_20_10">10</span>he replied, “I'll completely destroy Samaria! There won't even be enough of it left for my soldiers to carry back in their hands. If I don't do it, I pray that the gods will punish me terribly.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_11"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.11" class="v11_20_11">11</span>Ahab then answered, “Benhadad, don't brag before the fighting even begins. Wait and see if you live through it.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_12"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.12" class="v11_20_12">12</span>Meanwhile, Benhadad and the other kings had been drinking in their tents. But when Ahab's reply came, he ordered his soldiers to prepare to attack Samaria, and they all got ready.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_13"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.13" class="v11_20_13">13</span>At that very moment, a prophet ran up to Ahab and said, “You can see that Benhadad's army is very strong. But the <span class="nd">Lord</span> has promised to help you defeat them today. Then you will know that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> is in control.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_14"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.14" class="v11_20_14">14</span>“Who will fight the battle?” Ahab asked.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_14">The prophet answered, “The young bodyguards who serve the district officials.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_14">“But who will lead them into battle?” Ahab asked.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_14">“You will!” the prophet replied.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_15"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.15" class="v11_20_15">15</span>So Ahab called together the 232 young soldiers and the 7,000 troops in Israel's army, and he got them ready to fight the Syrians.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Israel Defeats the Syrians</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_16"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.16-1Kgs.20.17" class="v11_20_16">16-17</span>At noon, King Ahab and his Israelite army marched out of Samaria, with the young soldiers in front.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_16">King Benhadad of Syria and the 32 kings with him were drunk when the scouts he had sent out ran up to his tent, shouting, “We just now saw soldiers marching out of Samaria!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_18"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.18" class="v11_20_18">18</span>“Take them alive!” Benhadad ordered. “I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_19"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.19" class="v11_20_19">19</span>The young soldiers led Israel's troops into battle, </span><span class="v11_20_20"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.20" class="v11_20_20">20</span>and each of them attacked and killed an enemy soldier. The rest of the Syrian army turned and ran, and the Israelites went after them. Benhadad and some others escaped on horses, </span><span class="v11_20_21"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.21" class="v11_20_21">21</span>but Ahab and his soldiers followed them and captured<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.20.21!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> their horses and chariots.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_21">Ahab and Israel's army crushed the Syrians.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_22"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.22" class="v11_20_22">22</span>Later, the prophet<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.20.22!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> went back and warned Ahab, “Benhadad will attack you again next spring. Build up your troops and make sure you have some good plans.”</span></p><h3 class="s1">Syria Attacks Israel Again</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_23"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.23" class="v11_20_23">23</span>Meanwhile, Benhadad's officials went to him and explained:</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v11_20_23">Israel's gods are mountain gods. We fought Israel's army in the hills, and that's why they defeated us. But if we fight them on flat land, there's no way we can lose.</span></p><p class="pi"><span class="v11_20_24"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.24" class="v11_20_24">24</span>Here's what you should do. First, get rid of those 32 kings and put army commanders in their places. </span><span class="v11_20_25"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.25" class="v11_20_25">25</span>Then get more soldiers, horses, and chariots, so your army will be as strong as it was before. We'll fight Israel's army on flat land and wipe them out.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_25">Benhadad agreed and did what they suggested.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_26"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.26" class="v11_20_26">26</span>In the spring, Benhadad got his army together, and they marched to the town of Aphek to attack Israel. </span><span class="v11_20_27"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.27" class="v11_20_27">27</span>The Israelites also prepared to fight. They marched out to meet the Syrians, and the two armies camped across from each other. The Syrians covered the whole area, but the Israelites looked like two little flocks of goats.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_28"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.28" class="v11_20_28">28</span>The prophet went to Ahab and said, “The Syrians think the <span class="nd">Lord</span> is a god of the hills and not of the valleys. So he has promised to help you defeat their powerful army. Then you will know that the <span class="nd">Lord</span> is in control.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_29"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.29" class="v11_20_29">29</span>For seven days the two armies stayed in their camps, facing each other. Then on the seventh day the fighting broke out, and before sunset the Israelites had killed 100,000 Syrian troops. </span><span class="v11_20_30"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.30" class="v11_20_30">30</span>The rest of the Syrian army ran back to Aphek, but the town wall fell and crushed 27,000 of them.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_30">Benhadad also escaped to Aphek and hid in the back room of a house. </span><span class="v11_20_31"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.31" class="v11_20_31">31</span>His officials said, “Your Majesty, we've heard that Israel's kings keep their agreements. We will wrap sackcloth around our waists, put ropes around our heads, and ask Ahab to let you live.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_32"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.32" class="v11_20_32">32</span>They dressed in sackcloth and put ropes on their heads, then they went to Ahab and said, “Your servant Benhadad asks you to let him live.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_32">“Is he still alive?” Ahab asked. “Benhadad is like a brother to me.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_33"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.33" class="v11_20_33">33</span>Benhadad's officials were trying to figure out what Ahab was thinking, and when he said “brother,” they quickly replied, “You're right! You and Benhadad are like brothers.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_33">“Go get him,” Ahab said.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_33">When Benhadad came out, Ahab had him climb up into his chariot.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_34"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.34" class="v11_20_34">34</span>Benhadad said, “I'll give back the towns my father took from your father. And you can have shops in Damascus, just as my father had in Samaria.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_34">Ahab replied, “If you do these things, I'll let you go free.” Then they signed a peace treaty, and Ahab let Benhadad go.</span></p><h3 class="s1">A Prophet Condemns Ahab</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_35"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.35" class="v11_20_35">35</span>About this time the <span class="nd">Lord</span> commanded a prophet to say to a friend, “Hit me!” But the friend refused, </span><span class="v11_20_36"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.36" class="v11_20_36">36</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.20.36!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span>-</span></a> and the prophet told him, “You disobeyed the <span class="nd">Lord</span>, and as soon as you walk away, a lion will kill you.” The friend left, and suddenly a lion killed him.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_37"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.37" class="v11_20_37">37</span>The prophet found someone else and said, “Hit me!” So this man beat him up.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_38"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.38" class="v11_20_38">38</span>The prophet left and put a bandage over his face to disguise himself. Then he went and stood beside the road, waiting for Ahab to pass by.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_39"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.39" class="v11_20_39">39</span>When Ahab went by, the prophet shouted, “Your Majesty, right in the heat of battle, someone brought a prisoner to me and told me to guard him. He said if the prisoner got away, I would either be killed or forced to pay 3,000 pieces of silver. </span><span class="v11_20_40"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.40" class="v11_20_40">40</span>But I got busy doing other things, and the prisoner escaped.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_40">Ahab answered, “You will be punished just as you have said.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_41"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.41" class="v11_20_41">41</span>The man quickly tore the bandage off his face, and Ahab saw that he was one of the prophets. </span><span class="v11_20_42"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.42" class="v11_20_42">42</span>The prophet said, “The <span class="nd">Lord</span> told you to kill Benhadad, but you let him go. Now you will die in his place, and your people will die in place of his people.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_20_43"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.20.43" class="v11_20_43">43</span>Ahab went back to Samaria, angry and depressed.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.1 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">King Benhadad of Syria: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">This is probably not the same Benhadad mentioned in 15.18-21.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.3 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">wives: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Having more than one wife was allowed in those times.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.6 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">you: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew; three ancient translations “they.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.21 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">captured: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation; Hebrew “attacked.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">20.22 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the prophet: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See verse 13.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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