Liber I Regum, 20

1. Porro Benadad rex Syriae congregavit omnem exerci tum suum et triginta duos reges secum et equos et currus et ascendens pugnabat contra Samariam et obsidebat eam.

1. Ben-ha'dad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Sama'ria, and fought against it.

2. Mittensque nuntios ad Achab regem Israel in civitatem

2. And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, "Thus says Ben-ha'dad:

3. ait: “Haec dicit Benadad: Argentum tuum et aurum tuum meum est, et uxores tuae et filii tui optimi mei sunt”.

3. `Your silver and your gold are mine; your fairest wives and children also are mine.'"

4. Responditque rex Israel: “Iuxta verbum tuum, domine mi rex; tuus sum ego et omnia mea”.

4. And the king of Israel answered, "As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have."

5. Revertentesque nuntii dixerunt: “Haec dicit Benadad: Quia misi ad te dicens: “Argentum tuum et aurum tuum et uxores tuas et filios tuos dabis mihi”,

5. The messengers came again, and said, "Thus says Ben-ha'dad: `I sent to you, saying, "Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children";

6. profecto cras hac eadem hora mittam servos meos ad te, et scrutabuntur domum tuam et domum servorum tuorum; et omne, quod oculis tuis pretiosum est, ponent in manibus suis et auferent”.

6. nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants, and lay hands on whatever pleases them, and take it away.'"

7. Vocavit autem rex Israel omnes seniores terrae et ait: “Animadvertite et videte quoniam insidietur nobis; misit enim ad me pro uxoribus meis et filiis et pro argento et auro, et non abnui”.

7. Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, "Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him."

8. Dixeruntque omnes maiores natu et universus populus ad eum: “Non audias neque acquiescas illi”.

8. And all the elders and all the people said to him, "Do not heed or consent."

9. Respondit itaque nuntiis Benadad: “Dicite domino meo regi: Omnia, propter quae misisti ad me servum tuum initio, faciam; hanc autem rem facere non possum”. Reversique nuntii rettulerunt ei.

9. So he said to the messengers of Ben-ha'dad, "Tell my lord the king, `All that you first demanded of your servant I will do; but this thing I cannot do.'" And the messengers departed and brought him word again.

10. Qui remisit et ait: “Haec faciant mihi dii et haec addant, si suffecerit pulvis Samariae pugillis omnis populi, qui sequitur me”.

10. Ben-ha'dad sent to him and said, "The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Sama'ria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me."

11. Et respondens rex Israel ait: “Dicite ei: Ne glorietur accinctus aeque ut discinctus”.

11. And the king of Israel answered, "Tell him, `Let not him that girds on his armor boast himself as he that puts it off.'"

12. Factum est autem, cum audisset verbum istud, bibebat ipse et reges in umbraculis et ait servis suis: “Circumdate civitatem!”. Et circumdederunt eam.

12. When Ben-ha'dad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, "Take your positions." And they took their positions against the city.

13. Et ecce propheta unus accedens ad Achab regem Israel ait: “Haec dicit Dominus: Certe vidisti omnem multitudinem hanc nimiam. Ecce ego tradam eam in manu tua hodie, ut scias quia ego sum Dominus”.

13. And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, "Thus says the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day; and you shall know that I am the LORD."

14. Et ait Achab: “Per quem?”. Dixitque ei: “Haec dicit Dominus: Per pedisequos principum provinciarum”. Et ait: “Quis incipiet proeliari?”. Et ille dixit: “Tu”.

14. And Ahab said, "By whom?" He said, "Thus says the LORD, By the servants of the governors of the districts." Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?" He answered, "You."

15. Recensuit ergo pueros principum provinciarum et repperit numerum ducentorum triginta duorum; et post eos recensuit populum, omnes filios Israel, septem milia.

15. Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand.

16. Et egressi sunt meridie. Benadad autem bibebat temulentus in umbraculis ipse et reges triginta duo cum eo, qui ad auxilium eius venerant.

16. And they went out at noon, while Ben-ha'dad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him.

17. Egressi sunt autem pueri principum provinciarum in prima fronte. Misit itaque Benadad, qui nuntiaverunt ei dicentes: “Viri egressi sunt de Samaria”.

17. The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-ha'dad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, "Men are coming out from Sama'ria."

18. At ille ait: “Sive pro pace veniunt, apprehendite eos vivos; sive ut proelientur, vivos eos capite”.

18. He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."

19. Egressi erant ergo ex urbe pueri principum provinciarum, ac reliquus exercitus sequebatur,

19. So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts, and the army which followed them.

20. et percussit unusquisque virum, qui contra se venerat; fugeruntque Syri, et persecutus est eos Israel. Fugit quoque Benadad rex Syriae in equo cum equitibus.

20. And each killed his man; the Syrians fled and Israel pursued them, but Ben-ha'dad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.

21. Necnon egressus rex Israel percussit equos et currus et percussit Syriam plaga magna.

21. And the king of Israel went out, and captured the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22. Accedens autem propheta ad regem Israel dixit ei: “Vade et confortare et scito et vide quid facias; vertente enim anno rex Syriae ascendet contra te”.

22. Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said to him, "Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do; for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you."

23. Servi vero regis Syriae dixerunt ei: “Deus montium est Deus eorum, ideo superaverunt nos; sed pugnemus contra eos in campestribus et obtinebimus eos.

23. And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

24. Fac ergo hoc: Amove reges singulos a loco suo et pone principes pro eis;

24. And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places;

25. et instaura numerum militum, qui ceciderunt de tuis, et equos secundum equos pristinos et currus secundum currus, quos ante habuisti, et pugnabimus contra eos in campestribus: et videbis quod obtinebimus eos”. Credidit consilio eorum et fecit ita.

25. and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they." And he hearkened to their voice, and did so.

26. Igitur vertente anno recensuit Benadad Syros et ascendit in Aphec, ut pugnaret contra Israel.

26. In the spring Ben-ha'dad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

27. Porro filii Israel recensiti sunt et, acceptis cibariis, profecti ex adverso castraque metati sunt contra eos, quasi duo parvi greges caprarum; Syri autem repleverunt terram.

27. And the people of Israel were mustered, and were provisioned, and went against them; the people of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the country.

28. Et accedens vir Dei dixit ad regem Israel: “Haec dicit Dominus: Quia dixerunt Syri: “Deus montium est Dominus et non est Deus vallium”, dabo omnem multitudinem hanc grandem in manu tua, et scietis quia ego Dominus”.

28. And a man of God came near and said to the king of Israel, "Thus says the LORD, `Because the Syrians have said, "The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys," therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'"

29. Dirigebant septem diebus ex adverso hi atque illi acies, septima autem die commissum est bellum; percusseruntque filii Israel de Syris centum milia peditum in die una.

29. And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the people of Israel smote of the Syrians a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.

30. Fugerunt autem, qui remanserant in Aphec, in civitatem, et cecidit murus super viginti septem milia hominum, qui remanserant. Porro Benadad fugiens ingressus est civitatem in cubiculum, quod erat intra cubiculum.

30. And the rest fled into the city of Aphek; and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men that were left. Ben-ha'dad also fled, and entered an inner chamber in the city.

31. Dixeruntque ei servi sui: “Ecce audivimus quod reges domus Israel clementes sint; ponamus itaque saccos in lumbis nostris et funiculos in capitibus nostris et egrediamur ad regem Israel; forsitan salvabit animam tuam”.

31. And his servants said to him, "Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings; let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life."

32. Accinxerunt saccis lumbos suos et posuerunt funes in capitibus suis veneruntque ad regem Israel et dixerunt: “Servus tuus Benadad dicit: “Vivat, oro te, anima mea””. Et ille ait: “Si adhuc vivit, frater meus est”.

32. So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Ben-ha'dad says, `Pray, let me live.'" And he said, "Does he still live? He is my brother."

33. Quod acceperunt viri pro omine et festinantes rapuerunt verbum ex ore eius atque dixerunt: “Frater tuus Benadad”. Et dixit eis: “Ite et adducite eum”. Egressus est ergo ad eum Benadad, et levavit eum in currum suum.

33. Now the men were watching for an omen, and they quickly took it up from him and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-ha'dad." Then he said, "Go and bring him." Then Ben-ha'dad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

34. Qui dixit ei: “Civitates, quas tulit pater meus a patre tuo, reddam; et plateas fac tibi in Damasco, sicut fecit pater meus in Samaria”. Achab: “Ego autem, inquit, foederatum te dimittam”. Et pepigit ei foedus et dimisit eum.

34. And Ben-ha'dad said to him, "The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Sama'ria." And Ahab said, "I will let you go on these terms." So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

35. Tunc vir quidam de filiis prophetarum dixit ad socium suum in sermone Domini: “Percute me!”. At ille noluit percutere.

35. And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the LORD, "Strike me, I pray." But the man refused to strike him.

36. Cui ait: “Quia noluisti audire vocem Domini, ecce recedes a me, et percutiet te leo”. Cumque paululum recessisset ab eo, invenit eum leo atque percussit.

36. Then he said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall kill you." And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and killed him.

37. Sed et alterum inveniens virum dixit ad eum: “Percute me!”. Qui percussit eum et vulneravit.

37. Then he found another man, and said, "Strike me, I pray." And the man struck him, smiting and wounding him.

38. Abiit ergo propheta et occurrit regi in via et mutavit aspectum ponens fasciam super oculos suos.

38. So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.

39. Cumque rex transiret, clamavit ad regem et ait: “Servus tuus egressus est ad proeliandum comminus; cumque fugisset vir unus, adduxit eum quidam ad me et ait: “Custodi virum istum! Qui si lapsus fuerit, erit anima tua pro anima eius, aut talentum argenti appendes”.

39. And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, "Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me, and said, `Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.'

40. Dum autem ego turbatus huc illucque me verterem, subito non comparuit”. Et ait rex Israel ad eum: “Hoc est iudicium tuum, quod ipse decrevisti”.

40. And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."

41. At ille statim abstulit fasciam de oculis suis, et cognovit eum rex Israel quod esset de prophetis.

41. Then he made haste to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42. Qui ait ad eum: “Haec dicit Dominus: Quia dimisisti de manu tua virum, quem morti devoveram, erit anima tua pro anima eius, et populus tuus pro populo eius”.

42. And he said to him, "Thus says the LORD, `Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.'"

43. Reversus est igitur rex Israel in domum suam tristis et indignans venitque in Samariam.

43. And the king of Israel went to his house resentful and sullen, and came to Sama'ria.