27. Now the Israelites had already been assembled and provisioned, so they went to engage the Arameans. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the land.
28. Then the man of God came forward and said to Israel’s king, "This is what the Lord says: Because the Arameans said that the Lord is a god of the mountains but not a god of the valleys, I am handing this whole great army over to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord."
29. The two armies camped opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day, the battle began. The Israelites attacked and destroyed one hundred thousand Aramean foot soldiers in a single day.
30. Those who were left fled to Aphek, into the city where a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand more of them. But Ben-hadad escaped and hid in an inner room within the city.
31. Ben-hadad’s officers said to him, "Listen, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful kings. Allow us to put mourning clothes on our bodies and cords around our heads. We will then go to Israel’s king. Perhaps he will let you live."
32. So they put mourning clothes on their bodies and cords around their heads. They went to Israel’s king and said, "Ben-hadad is your slave. He begs, ‘Please let me live!’"Israel’s king said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."
33. Taking this as a good sign, Ben-hadad’s men quickly accepted this statement. "Yes, Ben-hadad is your brother!" they said."Go and get him," the king ordered. So Ben-hadad came to him, and the king received him into his chariot.
34. Ben-hadad said to the king, "I will return the towns that my father took from your father. Furthermore, you can set up markets for yourself in Damascus just as my father did in Samaria."The king replied, "On the basis of this covenant, I will let you go." So he made a covenant with Ben-hadad and set him free.
35. At the Lord’s command a certain man who belonged to a prophetic group said to his friend: "Please strike me." But his friend refused to hit him.
36. So he said to his friend, "Because you didn’t obey the Lord’s voice, a lion will attack you as soon as you leave me." And as the friend left the prophet, a lion found him and attacked him.
37. Then the prophet found another man and said, "Please strike me." He hit the prophet, and the attack left a wound.
38. The prophet went and stood before the king by the road. He disguised himself by putting a bandage over his eyes.
39. When the king passed by, the prophet called out to the king, "Your servant was in the middle of the battle when someone brought a prisoner. ‘Guard this man,’ he said. ‘If he escapes it will be your life for his—that, or you will owe me a kikkar of silver.’
40. Your servant got busy doing this and that, and the prisoner disappeared."Israel’s king replied, "It appears you have decided your own fate."
41. The prophet quickly tore the bandage from over his eyes, and Israel’s king recognized him as one of the prophets.
42. Then the prophet said to the king, "This is what the Lord says: Because you freed a man I condemned to die, it will be your life for his life, and your people for his people."