Ben-Hadad (King of Aram)
The Mighty King of Aram
Ben-Hadad was the name of several kings of Aram (Syria) with their capital in Damascus. They were powerful adversaries of Israel and Judah, playing a significant role in the region's political and military conflicts. Ben-Hadad I and II are most prominent in biblical accounts of wars against Israel.
Perhe
Avaintapahtumat
Alliance with Asa against Israel
Ben-Hadad I formed an alliance with King Asa of Judah against King Baasha of Israel and attacked several Israeli cities.
18So Asa took all the silver and gold left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD, along with the treasuries of the royal palace, and handed it over to his officials. King Asa sent them to Ben-Hadad son of Tabrimmon, son of Hezion, king of Aram, who ruled in Damascus, with this message:
וַיִּקַּ֣ח אָ֠סָא אֶת־כָּל־הַכֶּ֨סֶף וְהַזָּהָ֜ב הַֽנּוֹתָרִ֣ים ׀ בְּאוֹצְר֣וֹת בֵּית־יְהוָ֗ה וְאֶת־אֽוֹצְרוֹת֙ בֵּ֣ית *מלך **הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֖ם בְּיַד־עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיִּשְׁלָחֵ֞ם הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָסָ֗א אֶל־בֶּן־הֲ֠דַד בֶּן־טַבְרִמֹּ֤ן בֶּן־חֶזְיוֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם הַיֹּשֵׁ֥ב בְּדַמֶּ֖שֶׂק לֵאמֹֽר׃
19"Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you a gift of silver and gold. Go and break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me."
בְּרִית֙ בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֔ךָ בֵּ֥ין אָבִ֖י וּבֵ֣ין אָבִ֑יךָ הִנֵּה֩ שָׁלַ֨חְתִּֽי לְךָ֥ שֹׁ֙חַד֙ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב לֵ֣ךְ הָפֵ֗רָה אֶת־בְּרִֽיתְךָ֙ אֶת־בַּעְשָׁ֣א מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְיַעֲלֶ֖ה מֵעָלָֽי׃
20Ben-Hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the cities of Israel. He struck down Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maacah, and all Kinneroth, along with all the land of Naphtali.
וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע בֶּן־הֲדַ֜ד אֶל־הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָסָ֗א וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח אֶת־שָׂרֵ֨י הַחֲיָלִ֤ים אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֙ עַל־עָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־עִיּ֣וֹן וְאֶת־דָּ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת אָבֵ֣ל בֵּֽית־מַעֲכָ֑ה וְאֵת֙ כָּל־כִּנְר֔וֹת עַ֖ל כָּל־אֶ֥רֶץ נַפְתָּלִֽי׃
Siege of Samaria
Ben-Hadad II besieged Samaria with a large army but was defeated by the Israelites after prophetic intervention.
1Ben-hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Thirty-two kings were with him, along with horses and chariots. He marched up, laid siege to Samaria, and attacked it.
וּבֶן־הֲדַ֣ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֗ם קָבַץ֙ אֶת־כָּל־חֵיל֔וֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וּשְׁנַ֥יִם מֶ֛לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיַּ֗עַל וַיָּ֙צַר֙ עַל־שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וַיִלָּ֖חֶם בָּֽהּ׃
2He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel with this word:
וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח מַלְאָכִ֛ים אֶל־אַחְאָ֥ב מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הָעִֽירָה׃
3"This is what Ben-hadad says: Your silver and your gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine."
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר בֶּן־הֲדַ֔ד כַּסְפְּךָ֥ וּֽזְהָבְךָ֖ לִֽי־ה֑וּא וְנָשֶׁ֧יךָ וּבָנֶ֛יךָ הַטּוֹבִ֖ים לִי־הֵֽם׃
20and each one struck down his man. The Arameans fled, with Israel in pursuit, but Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with some of his cavalry.
וַיַּכּוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ אִישׁ֔וֹ וַיָּנֻ֣סוּ אֲרָ֔ם וַֽיִּרְדְּפֵ֖ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּמָּלֵ֗ט בֶּן־הֲדַד֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם עַל־ס֖וּס וּפָרָשִֽׁים׃
21Then the king of Israel advanced and struck down the horses and chariots, inflicting a heavy defeat on Aram.
וַיֵּצֵא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּ֥ךְ אֶת־הַסּ֖וּס וְאֶת־הָרָ֑כֶב וְהִכָּ֥ה בַאֲרָ֖ם מַכָּ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃
Defeat at Aphek
Ben-Hadad suffered a major defeat against King Ahab at Aphek and had to surrender and beg for mercy.
26In the spring Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and marched up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
וַֽיְהִי֙ לִתְשׁוּבַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וַיִּפְקֹ֥ד בֶּן־הֲדַ֖ד אֶת־אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּ֣עַל אֲפֵ֔קָה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
29For seven days they camped facing each other, and on the seventh day the battle was joined. The Israelites struck down a hundred thousand Aramean foot soldiers in one day.
וַֽיַּחֲנ֧וּ אֵ֦לֶּה נֹֽכַח־אֵ֖לֶּה שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י וַתִּקְרַב֙ הַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַיַּכּ֨וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל אֶת־אֲרָ֛ם מֵאָה־אֶ֥לֶף רַגְלִ֖י בְּי֥וֹם אֶחָֽד׃
30The rest fled to the city of Aphek, and the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.
וַיָּנֻ֨סוּ הַנּוֹתָרִ֥ים ׀ אֲפֵקָה֮ אֶל־הָעִיר֒ וַתִּפֹּל֙ הַחוֹמָ֔ה עַל־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה אֶ֛לֶף אִ֖ישׁ הַנּוֹתָרִ֑ים וּבֶן־הֲדַ֣ד נָ֔ס וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָעִ֖יר חֶ֥דֶר בְּחָֽדֶר׃ ס
31His officials said to him, "Look, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life."
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָיו֮ עֲבָדָיו֒ הִנֵּֽה־נָ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ כִּ֗י מַלְכֵי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־מַלְכֵ֥י חֶ֖סֶד הֵ֑ם נָשִׂ֣ימָה נָּא֩ שַׂקִּ֨ים בְּמָתְנֵ֜ינוּ וַחֲבָלִ֣ים בְּרֹאשֵׁ֗נוּ וְנֵצֵא֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אוּלַ֖י יְחַיֶּ֥ה אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃
32So they put on sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, 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."
וַיַּחְגְּרוּ֩ שַׂקִּ֨ים בְּמָתְנֵיהֶ֜ם וַחֲבָלִ֣ים בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶ֗ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ עַבְדְּךָ֧ בֶן־הֲדַ֛ד אָמַ֖ר תְּחִֽי־נָ֣א נַפְשִׁ֑י וַיֹּ֛אמֶר הַעוֹדֶ֥נּוּ חַ֖י אָחִ֥י הֽוּא׃
33The men took this as a good omen and quickly seized on his word: "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad!" "Go and bring him," the king said. When Ben-hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩ יְנַחֲשׁ֨וּ וַֽיְמַהֲר֜וּ וַיַּחְלְט֣וּ הֲמִמֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אָחִ֣יךָ בֶן־הֲדַ֔ד וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בֹּ֣אוּ קָחֻ֑הוּ וַיֵּצֵ֤א אֵלָיו֙ בֶּן־הֲדַ֔ד וֽ͏ַיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה׃
34Ben-hadad said, "I will return the cities my father took from your father, and you may set up your own market districts in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria." Ahab said, "On the basis of a treaty I will let you go." So he made a treaty with him and let him go.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֡יו הֶעָרִ֣ים אֲשֶׁר־לָֽקַח־אָבִי֩ מֵאֵ֨ת אָבִ֜יךָ אָשִׁ֗יב וְ֠חוּצוֹת תָּשִׂ֨ים לְךָ֤ בְדַמֶּ֙שֶׂק֙ כַּאֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֤ם אָבִי֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וַאֲנִ֖י בַּבְּרִ֣ית אֲשַׁלְּחֶ֑ךָּ וַיִּכְרָת־ל֥וֹ בְרִ֖ית וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵֽהוּ׃ ס
The Second Siege of Samaria
Under Ben-Hadad II, the Arameans launched a brutal siege of Samaria that led to famine, but God intervened and they fled.
24Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army, marched up, and laid siege to Samaria.
וַֽיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם אֶת־כָּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֕עַל וַיָּ֖צַר עַל־שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃
25There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey's head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a kab of seed pods for five shekels. [Footnote: Hebrew literally "dove's dung," probably a term for a cheap wild plant or seed pod.]
וַיְהִ֨י רָעָ֤ב גָּדוֹל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וְהִנֵּ֖ה צָרִ֣ים עָלֶ֑יהָ עַ֣ד הֱי֤וֹת רֹאשׁ־חֲמוֹר֙ בִּשְׁמֹנִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף וְרֹ֛בַע הַקַּ֥ב *חרייונים **דִּבְיוֹנִ֖ים בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־כָֽסֶף׃
6For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, and they had said to one another, "Look, the king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack us!"
וַאדֹנָ֞י הִשְׁמִ֣יעַ ׀ אֶת־מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֗ם ק֥וֹל רֶ֙כֶב֙ ק֣וֹל ס֔וּס ק֖וֹל חַ֣יִל גָּד֑וֹל וַיֹּאמְר֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֗יו הִנֵּ֣ה שָֽׂכַר־עָלֵינוּ֩ מֶ֨לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־מַלְכֵ֧י הַחִתִּ֛ים וְאֶת־מַלְכֵ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם לָב֥וֹא עָלֵֽינוּ׃
7So they had fled at dusk, abandoning their tents, their horses, and their donkeys. They left the camp just as it was and ran for their lives.
וַיָּקוּמוּ֮ וַיָּנ֣וּסוּ בַנֶּשֶׁף֒ וַיַּעַזְב֣וּ אֶת־אָהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־סֽוּסֵיהֶם֙ וְאֶת־חֲמֹ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁר־הִ֑יא וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ אֶל־נַפְשָֽׁם׃
Ben-Hadad's Illness and Death
Ben-Hadad fell ill and sent Hazael to the prophet Elisha to ask if he would recover. Hazael later killed Ben-Hadad and became king himself.
7Elisha came to Damascus while Ben-hadad king of Aram was ill. When he was told, "The man of God has come here,"
וַיָּבֹ֤א אֱלִישָׁע֙ דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק וּבֶן־הֲדַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם חֹלֶ֑ה וַיֻּגַּד־ל֣וֹ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּ֛א אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃
8the king said to Hazael, "Take a gift with you and go to meet the man of God. Inquire of the LORD through him: Will I recover from this illness?"
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־חֲזָהאֵ֗ל קַ֤ח בְּיָֽדְךָ֙ מִנְחָ֔ה וְלֵ֕ךְ לִקְרַ֖את אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֨ אֶת־יְהוָ֤ה מֵֽאוֹתוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳלִ֥י זֶֽה׃
9So Hazael went to meet him, taking with him a gift—the finest goods of Damascus, a load for forty camels. He came and stood before him and said, "Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask you: Will I recover from this illness?"
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ חֲזָאֵל֮ לִקְרָאתוֹ֒ וַיִּקַּ֨ח מִנְחָ֤ה בְיָדוֹ֙ וְכָל־ט֣וּב דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק מַשָּׂ֖א אַרְבָּעִ֣ים גָּמָ֑ל וַיָּבֹא֙ וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד לְפָנָ֔יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בִּנְךָ֨ בֶן־הֲדַ֤ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָם֙ שְׁלָחַ֤נִי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳלִ֥י זֶֽה׃
10Elisha said to him, "Go and tell him, 'You will certainly recover.'[^1] Yet the LORD has shown me that he will surely die."
[^1]: The written Hebrew consonants here can be read as "tell him" or as "you will not certainly recover"; the traditional reading is "tell him."
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֱלִישָׁ֔ע לֵ֥ךְ אֱמָר־*לא **ל֖וֹ חָיֹ֣ה תִחְיֶ֑ה וְהִרְאַ֥נִי יְהוָ֖ה כִּֽי־מ֥וֹת יָמֽוּת׃
14Then Hazael left Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, "What did Elisha say to you?" He answered, "He told me that you would certainly recover."
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ ׀ מֵאֵ֣ת אֱלִישָׁ֗ע וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָֽה־אָמַ֥ר לְךָ֖ אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָ֥מַר לִ֖י חָיֹ֥ה תִחְיֶֽה׃
15But the next day he took a blanket, soaked it in water, and spread it over the king's face, and he died. And Hazael became king in his place.
וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת וַיִּקַּ֤ח הַמַּכְבֵּר֙ וַיִּטְבֹּ֣ל בַּמַּ֔יִם וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ עַל־פָּנָ֖יו וַיָּמֹ֑ת וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ חֲזָהאֵ֖ל תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ
Mainittu Raamatussa (22)
1. Kuningasten kirja 15:181. Kuningasten kirja 15:201. Kuningasten kirja 20:11. Kuningasten kirja 20:31. Kuningasten kirja 20:51. Kuningasten kirja 20:101. Kuningasten kirja 20:121. Kuningasten kirja 20:161. Kuningasten kirja 20:201. Kuningasten kirja 20:261. Kuningasten kirja 20:321. Kuningasten kirja 20:331. Kuningasten kirja 20:342. Kuningasten kirja 6:242. Kuningasten kirja 8:72. Kuningasten kirja 8:92. Kuningasten kirja 13:32. Kuningasten kirja 13:242. Kuningasten kirja 13:252. Aikakirja 16:22. Aikakirja 16:4Aamos 1:4