“ I will set the walls of Damascus on fire. It will burn down the strong towers of King Ben- Hadad.”

我必在大马士革城中使火着起，烧灭便哈达的宫殿。”

我必用火点燃大马士革的城墙，烧灭便‧哈达的宫殿。

我必用火点燃大马士革的城墙，烧灭便‧哈达的宫殿。

我要焚烧大马士革的城墙和便·哈达的宫殿。”

“我要焚烧大马士革的城墙，烧毁便．哈达的堡垒。”

我必在大馬士革城中使火着起，燒滅便‧哈達的宮殿。

我必用火點燃大馬士革的城牆，燒滅便‧哈達的宮殿。

我必用火點燃大馬士革的城牆，燒滅便‧哈達的宮殿。

我要焚燒大馬士革的城牆和便·哈達的宮殿。」

“我要焚燒大馬士革的城牆，燒毀便．哈達的堡壘。”

我必使火在大馬色的城牆上着起，將便哈達的宮堡盡行燒滅。』

我必燃火於大馬色城垣、焚便哈達宮室、○

必火大馬色城垣、毀便哈達宮殿。

我必燃火於大瑪色城垣、焚燬便哈達之宮殿、○

“ I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.”

And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.”

“ And I will set fire to the walls of Damascus that will burn up the palaces of Ben hadad.”

I will set fire to the wall of Damascus; it will consume Ben-hadad’s citadels.

“ I will set fire to the wall of Damascus, And it will devour the fortified palace of Ben hadad.”

“ I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.”

And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall devour the palaces of Ben- hadad.

I will set fire to the wall of Damascus; it will consume Ben-hadad’s citadels.

And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Benhadad.

“ I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will burn up the palaces of Ben Hadad.”

“ I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it will devour the palaces of Ben Hadad.”

Asa took all the silver and gold left among the treasures of the Lord’ s temple and his own palace. He put his officials in charge of it. He sent the officials to Ben- Hadad. Ben- Hadad was king of Aram. He was ruling in Damascus. He was the son of Tabrimmon and the grandson of Hezion.“ Let’s make a peace treaty between us,” Asa said.“ My father and your father had made a peace treaty between them. Now I’m sending you a gift of silver and gold. So break your treaty with Baasha, the king of Israel. Then he’ll go back home.”Ben- Hadad agreed with King Asa. He sent his army commanders against the towns of Israel. He captured Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and the whole area of Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.

The Lord says,“ The people of Damascus have sinned again and again. So I will judge them. They used threshing sleds with iron teeth to crush Gilead’s people.So I will send fire to destroy the palace of King Hazael. It will burn up the forts of his son Ben- Hadad.I will break down the city gate of Damascus. I will kill the king who lives in the Valley of Aven, that evil place. He holds the ruler’s scepter in Beth Eden. The people of Aram will be taken away to Kir as prisoners,” says the Lord.

The Lord provided someone to save Israel. And they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes, just as they had before.

Ben- Hadad brought his whole army together. He was king of Aram. He went up to Samaria. He took 32 kings and their horses and chariots with him. All of them surrounded Samaria and attacked it.Ben- Hadad sent messengers into the city. They spoke to Ahab, the king of Israel. They told him,“ Ben- Hadad says,‘ Your silver and gold belong to me. The best of your wives and children also belong to me.’ ”The king of Israel replied,“ What you say is true. You are my king and master. I belong to you. And everything I have belongs to you.”The messengers came again. They told Ahab,“ Ben- Hadad says,‘ I commanded you to give me your silver and gold. I also commanded you to give me your wives and children.But now I’m going to send my officials to you. They will come about this time tomorrow. They’ll search your palace. They’ll search the houses of your officials. They’ll take everything you value. And they’ll carry it all away.’ ”The king of Israel sent for all the elders of the land. He said to them,“ This man is really looking for trouble! He sent for my wives and children. He sent for my silver and gold. And I agreed to give them to him.”All the elders and people answered,“ Don’t listen to him. Don’t agree to give him what he wants.”So Ahab replied to Ben- Hadad’s messengers. He said,“ Tell my king and master,‘ I will do everything you commanded me to do the first time. But this time, I can’t do what you want me to do.’ ” They took Ahab’s answer back to Ben- Hadad.Then Ben- Hadad sent another message to Ahab. Ben- Hadad said,“ There won’t be enough dust left in Samaria to give each of my followers even a handful. If there is, may the gods punish me greatly.”The king of Israel replied. He said,“ Tell him,‘ Someone who puts his armor on shouldn’t brag like someone who takes it off.’ ”Ben- Hadad and the kings were in their tents drinking. That’s when he heard the message. He ordered his men,“ Get ready to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.During that time a prophet came to Ahab, the king of Israel. He announced,“ The Lord says,‘ Do you see this huge army? I will hand it over to you today. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”“ But who will do it?” Ahab asked. The prophet answered,“ The Lord says,‘ The junior officers who are under the area commanders will do it.’ ”“ And who will start the battle?” Ahab asked. The prophet answered,“ You will.”So Ahab sent for the junior officers who were under the area commanders. The total number of officers was 232. Ahab gathered together the rest of the Israelites. The total number of them was 7,000.They started out at noon. At that time Ben- Hadad and the 32 kings helping him were in their tents. They were getting drunk.The junior officers who were under Ahab’s area commanders marched out first. Ben- Hadad had sent out scouts. They came back and reported,“ Men are marching against us from Samaria.”Ben- Hadad said,“ They might be coming to make peace. If they are, take them alive. Or they might be coming to make war. If they are, take them alive.”The junior officers marched out of the city. The army was right behind them.Each man struck down the one fighting against him. When that happened, the army of Aram ran away. The Israelites chased them. But Ben- Hadad, the king of Aram, escaped on a horse. Some of his horsemen escaped with him.The king of Israel attacked them. He overpowered the horses and chariots. Large numbers of the men of Aram were wounded or killed.After that, the prophet came to the king of Israel again. The prophet said,“ Make your position stronger. Do what needs to be done. Next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.”

So the Lord was very angry with Israel. For a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael, the king of Aram. The Lord also kept them under the power of his son Ben- Hadad.

He will set the temples of the gods of Egypt on fire. He will burn down their temples. He will take away the statues of their gods. Nebuchadnezzar will be like a shepherd who picks his coat clean of lice. Nebuchadnezzar will pick Egypt clean and then depart.