30. The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek, where the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
31. His officials said to him, ‘Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth round our waists and ropes round our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.’
32. Wearing sackcloth round their waists and ropes round their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, ‘Your servant Ben-Hadad says: “Please let me live.” ’The king answered, ‘Is he still alive? He is my brother.’
33. The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. ‘Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!’ they said.‘Go and get him,’ the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab brought him up into his chariot.
34. ‘I will return the cities my father took from your father,’ Ben-Hadad offered. ‘You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.’Ahab said, ‘On the basis of a treaty I will set you free.’ So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.
35. By the word of the Lord one of the company of the prophets said to his companion, ‘Strike me with your weapon,’ but he refused.
36. So the prophet said, ‘Because you have not obeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.’ And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.