Study Desk

But ^(C1)his servants said to him, "Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let's ^(C2)put sackcloth ^(F1)around our waists and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will let ^(F2)you live."

So ^(C1)they put sackcloth ^(F1)around their waists and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, "^(C2)Your servant Ben-hadad says, 'Please let ^(F2)me live.'" And Ahab said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."

Now the men took this as a good omen, and quickly ^(F1)accepting it from him, they said, "Your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go, bring him." Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he had him mount the chariot.

And Ben-hadad said to him, "^(C1)The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you can make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria." Ahab said, "And I will let you go with this covenant." So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

Now a man from ^(C1)the sons of the prophets said to ^(F1)another ^(C2)by the word of the LORD, "Please strike me." But the man refused to strike him.

Then he said to him, "Because you have not listened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you leave me, ^(C1)a lion will ^(F1)kill you." And as soon as he left him a lion found him and ^(F2)killed him.

Then he found another man and said, "Please strike me." And the man struck him, ^(F1)injuring him.

So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and ^(C1)disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.

And 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 a man to me and said, 'Guard this man; if for any reason he goes missing, ^(C1)then your life shall be forfeited in place of his life, or else you shall pay a ^(F1)talent of silver.'

"Now while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared." And the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself determined it."

Then he quickly took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him, that he was one of the prophets.

And the prophet said to him, "This is what the LORD says: 'Since you have let go from your hand the man I had designated for destruction, ^(C1)your ^(F1)life shall be forfeited in place of his ^(F1)life, and your people in place of his people.'"

So ^(C1)the king of Israel went to his house sullen and furious, and came to Samaria.