30
But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
31
His servants said to him, See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, we pray you, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save your life.
32
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and [put] ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Ben-hadad says, please let me live. He said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
33
Now the men observed diligently, and hurried to catch whether it were his mind; and they said, Your brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go you, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
34
[Ben-hadad] said to him, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and you shall make streets for you in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. I, [said Ahab], will let you go with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and let him go.
35
A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by the word of Yahweh, Please strike me. The man refused to strike him.
36
Then said he to him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall kill you. As soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and killed him.
37
Then he found another man, and said, Please strike me. The man struck him, smiting and wounding him.
38
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.
39
As the king passed by, he cried to the king; and he 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, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.
40
As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. The king of Israel said to him, So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it.
41
He hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
42
He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, 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.