3 Kingdoms 21

Βασιλειῶν Γ´

1 ΚΑΙ συνήθροισεν υἱὸς Ἄδερ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβη καὶ περιεκάθισεν ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν καὶ τριακονταδύο βασιλεῖς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ πᾶς ἵππος καὶ ἅρμα· καὶ ἀνέβησαν καὶ περιεκάθισαν ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν καὶ ἐπολέμησαν ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν.

And the son of Ader gathered all his forces, and went up and besieged Samaria, [he] and thirty-two kings with him, and all [his] horse and chariots: and they went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.

2 καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς Ἀχαὰβ βασιλέα Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· τάδε λέγει υἱὸς Ἄδερ·

And he sent into the city to Achaab king of Israel, and said to him, Thus says the son of Ader,

3 τὸ ἀργύριόν σου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον σου ἐμόν ἐστι καὶ αἱ γυναῖκές σου καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου ἐμά ἐστι.

Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and your children are mine.

4 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ εἶπε· καθὼς ἐλάλησας, κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, σὸς ἐγώ εἰμι καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐμά.

And the king of Israel answered and said, As you have said, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all mine [also].

5 καὶ ἀνέστρεψαν οἱ ἄγγελοι, καὶ εἶπαν· τάδε λέγει ὁ υἱὸς Ἄδερ· ἐγὼ ἀπέστειλα πρός σε λέγων· τὸ ἀργύριόν σου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον σου καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου δώσεις ἐμοί·

And the messengers came again, and said, Thus says the son of Ader, I sent to you, saying, You shall give me your silver and your gold, and your wives and your children.

6 ὅτι ταύτην τὴν ὥραν αὔριον ἀποστελῶ τοὺς παῖδάς μου πρός σε, καὶ ἐρευνήσουσι τὸν οἶκόν σου καὶ τοὺς οἴκους τῶν παίδων σου καὶ ἔσται πάντα τὰ ἐπιθυμήματα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτῶν, ἐφ᾿ ἃ ἂν ἐπιβάλωσι τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν, καὶ λήψονται.

For at this time to-morrow I will send my servants to you, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants, and it shall be that all the desirable objects of their eyes on which they shall lay their hands, they shall even take [them].

7 καὶ ἐκάλεσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ πάντας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς γῆς καὶ εἶπε· γνῶτε δὴ καὶ ἴδετε ὅτι κακίαν οὗτος ζητεῖ, ὅτι ἀπέσταλκε πρός με περὶ τῶν γυναικῶν μου καὶ περὶ τῶν υἱῶν μου καὶ περὶ τῶν θυγατέρων μου· τὸ ἀργύριόν μου καὶ τὸ χρυσίον μου οὐκ ἀπεκώλυσα ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Take notice now and consider, that this man seeks mischief: for he has sent to me concerning my wives, and concerning my sons, and concerning my daughters: I have not kept back from him my silver and my gold.

8 καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαός· μὴ ἀκούσῃς καὶ μὴ θελήσῃς.

And the elders and all the people said to him, Listen not, and consent not.

9 καὶ εἶπε τοῖς ἀγγέλοις υἱοῦ Ἄδερ· λέγετε τῷ κυρίῳ ὑμῶν· πάντα ὅσα ἀπέσταλκας πρὸς τὸν δοῦλόν σου ἐν πρώτοις ποιήσω, τὸ δὲ ρῆμα τοῦτο οὐ δυνήσομαι ποιῆσαι. καὶ ἀπῇραν οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν αὐτῷ λόγον.

And he said to the messengers of the son of Ader, Say to your master, All things that you have sent to your servant about at first I will do; but this thing I shall not be able to do. And the men departed, and carried back the answer to him.

10 καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς αὐτὸν υἱὸς Ἄδερ λέγων· τάδε ποιήσαι μοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τάδε προσθείη, εἰ ἐκποιήσει ὁ χοῦς Σαμαρείας ταῖς ἀλώπεξι παντὶ τῷ λαῷ τοῖς πεζοῖς μου.

And the son of Ader sent to him, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for foxes to all the people, even my infantry.

11 καὶ ἀπεκρίθη ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ εἶπεν· ἱκανούσθω· μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ κυρτὸς ὡς ὁ ὀρθός.

And the king of Israel answered and said, Let it be sufficient; let not the humpbacked boast as he that is upright.

12 καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἀπεκρίθη αὐτῷ τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, πίνων ἦν αὐτὸς καὶ πάντες οἱ βασιλεῖς οἱ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν σκηναῖς καὶ εἶπε τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ· οἰκοδομήσατε χάρακα· καὶ ἔθεντο χάρακα ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν.

And it came to pass when he returned him this answer, he and all the kings with him were drinking in tents: and he said to his servants, Form a trench. And they made a trench against the city.

13 καὶ ἰδοὺ προφήτης εἷς προσῆλθε τῷ Ἀχαὰβ βασιλεῖ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ εἶπε· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· εἰ ἑώρακας τὸν ὄχλον τὸν μέγαν τοῦτον; ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ δίδωμι αὐτὸν σήμερον εἰς χεῖράς σας, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος.

And, behold, a prophet came to Achaab king of Israel, and said, Thus says the Lord, Have you seen this great multitude? behold, I give it this day into your hands; and you shall know that I [am] the Lord.

14 καὶ εἶπεν Ἀχαάβ· ἐν τίνι; καὶ εἶπε· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἐν τοῖς παιδαρίοις τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν χωρῶν. καὶ εἶπεν Ἀχαάβ· τίς συνάξει τὸν πόλεμον; καὶ εἶπε· σύ.

And Achaab said, Whereby? And he said, Thus says the Lord, by the young men of the heads of the districts. And Achaab said, Who shall begin the battle? and he said, You.

15 καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο Ἀχαὰβ τὰ παιδάρια τῶν ἀρχόντων τῶν χωρῶν, καὶ ἐγένοντο διακόσια τριάκοντα· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπεσκέψατο τὸν λαόν, πάντα υἱὸν δυνάμεως, ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας.

And Achaab numbered the young men the heads of the districts, and they were two hundred and thirty: and afterwards he numbered the people, [even] every man fit for war, seven thousand.

16 καὶ ἐξῆλθε μεσημβρίας· καὶ υἱὸς Ἄδερ πίνων μεθύων ἐν Σοκχὼθ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς, τριάκοντα καὶ δύο βασιλεῖς συμβοηθοὶ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

And he went forth at noon, and the son of Ader was drinking [and] getting drunk in Socchoth, he and the kings, [even] thirty and two kings, his allies.

17 καὶ ἐξῆλθον ἄρχοντες παιδάρια τῶν χωρῶν ἐν πρώτοις. καὶ ἀποστέλλουσι καὶ ἀπαγγέλλουσι τῷ βασιλεῖ Συρίας λέγοντες· ἄνδρες ἐξεληλύθασιν ἐκ Σαμαρείας.

And the young men the heads of the districts went forth first; and they send and report to the king of Syria, saying, There are men come forth out of Samaria.

18 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· εἰ εἰς εἰρήνην ἐκπορεύονται, συλλαβεῖν αὐτοὺς ζῶντας· καὶ εἰ εἰς πόλεμον, ζῶντας συλλαβεῖν αὐτούς·

And he said to them, If they come forth peaceably, take them alive; and if they come forth to war, take them alive:

19 καὶ μὴ ἐξελθάτωσαν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τὰ παιδάρια ἀρχόντων τῶν χωρῶν. καὶ ἡ δύναμις ὀπίσω αὐτῶν

and let not the young men the heads of the districts go forth of the city. And the force that was behind them

20 ἐπάταξεν ἕκαστος τὸν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐδευτέρωσεν ἕκαστος τὸν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔφυγε Συρία, καὶ κατεδίωξεν αὐτοὺς Ἰσραήλ· καὶ σῴζεται υἱὸς Ἄδερ βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἐφ᾿ ἵππου ἱππέως.

struck each one the man next to him; and each one a second time struck the man next to him: and Syria fled, and Israel pursued them; and the son of Ader, [even] the king of Syria, escapes on the horse of a horseman.

21 καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἔλαβε πάντας τοὺς ἵππους καὶ τὰ ἅρματα καὶ ἐπάταξε πληγὴν μεγάλην ἐν Συρίᾳ.

And the king of Israel went forth, and took all the horses and the chariots, and struck [the enemy] with a great slaughter in Syria.

22 καὶ προσῆλθεν ὁ προφήτης πρὸς βασιλέα Ἰσραὴλ καὶ εἶπε· κραταιοῦ καὶ γνῶθι καὶ ἴδε τί ποιήσεις, ὅτι ἐπιστρέφοντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ υἱὸς Ἄδερ βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἀναβαίνει ἐπὶ σέ.

And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said, Strengthen yourself, and observe, and see what you shall do; for at the return of the year the son of Ader king of Syria comes up against you.

23 καὶ οἱ παῖδες βασιλέως Συρίας εἶπον· Θεὸς ὀρέων Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ οὐ Θεὸς κοιλάδων, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκραταίωσεν ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς· ἐὰν δὲ πολεμήσωμεν αὐτοὺς κατ᾿ εὐθύ, εἰ μὴν κραταιώσωμεν ὑπὲρ αὐτούς.

And the servants of the king of Syria, even they said, The God of Israel [is] a God of mountains, and not a God of valleys; therefore has he prevailed against us: but if we should fight against them in the plain, verily we shall prevail against them.

24 καὶ τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο ποίησον· ἀπόστησον τοὺς βασιλεῖς ἕκαστον εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν καὶ θοῦ ἀντ᾿ αὐτῶν σατράπας,

And do you this thing: Send away the kings, each one to his place, and set princes in their stead.

25 καὶ ἀλλάξομέν σοι δύναμιν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν πεσοῦσαν καὶ ἵππον κατὰ τὴν ἵππον καὶ ἅρματα κατὰ τὰ ἅρματα καὶ πολεμήσομεν πρὸς αὐτοὺς κατ᾿ εὐθὺ καὶ κραταιώσομεν ὑπὲρ αὐτούς. καὶ ἤκουσε τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐποίησεν οὕτως.

And we will give you [another] army according to the army that was destroyed, and cavalry according to the cavalry, and chariots according to the chariots, and we will fight against them in the plain, and we shall prevail against them. And he listened to their voice, and did so.

26 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπιστρέψαντος τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ ἐπεσκέψατο υἱὸς Ἄδερ τὴν Συρίαν καὶ ἀνέβη εἰς Ἀφεκὰ εἰς πόλεμον ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ.

And it came to pass at the return of the year, that the son of Ader reviewed Syria, and went up to Apheca to war against Israel.

27 καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπεσκέπησαν καὶ παρεγένοντο εἰς ἀπαντὴν αὐτῶν, καὶ παρενέβαλεν Ἰσραὴλ ἐξεναντίας αὐτῶν ὡσεὶ δύο ποίμνια αἰγῶν, καὶ Συρία ἔπλησε τὴν γῆν.

And the children of Israel were numbered, and came to meet them: and Israel encamped before them as two little flocks of goats, but Syria filled the land.

28 καὶ προσῆλθεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ εἶπε τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἰσραήλ· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· ἀνθ᾿ ὧν εἶπε Συρία· Θεὸς ὀρέων Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ οὐ Θεὸς κοιλάδων αὐτός, καὶ δώσω τὴν δύναμιν τὴν μεγάλην ταύτην εἰς χεῖρα σήν, καὶ γνώσῃ ὅτι ἐγὼ Κύριος.

And there came the man of God, and said to the king of Israel, Thus says the Lord, Because Syria has said, The Lord God of Israel [is] a God of the hills, and he [is] not a God of the valleys, therefore will I give this great army into your hand, and you shall know that I [am] the Lord.

29 καὶ παρεμβάλλουσιν οὗτοι ἀπέναντι τούτων ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ προσήγαγεν ὁ πόλεμος, καὶ ἐπάταξεν Ἰσραὴλ τὴν Συρίαν ἑκατὸν χιλιάδας πεζῶν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ.

And they encamp one over against the other before them seven days. And it came to pass on the seventh day that the battle drew on, and Israel struck Syria, [even] one hundred thousand footmen in one day.

30 καὶ ἔφυγον οἱ κατάλοιποι εἰς Ἀφεκὰ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἔπεσε τὸ τεῖχος ἐπὶ εἴκοσι καὶ ἑπτὰ χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν τῶν καταλοίπων. καὶ υἱὸς Ἄδερ ἔφυγε καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κοιτῶνος, εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον.

And the rest fled to Apheca, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty-seven thousand men that were left: and the son of Ader fled, and entered into an inner chamber, into a closet.

31 καὶ εἶπε τοῖς παισὶν αὐτοῦ· οἶδα ὅτι βασιλεῖς Ἰσραὴλ βασιλεῖς ἐλέους εἰσίν· ἐπιθώμεθα δὴ σάκκους ἐπὶ τὰς ὀσφύας ἡμῶν καὶ σχοινία ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς ἡμῶν καὶ ἐξέλθωμεν πρὸς βασιλέα Ἰσραήλ, εἴ πως ζωογονήσει τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

And he said to his servants, I know that the kings of Israel are merciful kings: let us now put sackcloth upon our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and let us go forth to the king of Israel, if by any means he will save our souls alive.

32 καὶ περιεζώσαντο σάκκους ἐπὶ τὰς ὀσφύας αὐτῶν καὶ ἔθεσαν σχοινία ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ εἶπον τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἰσραήλ· δοῦλός σου υἱὸς Ἄδερ λέγει· ζησάτω δὴ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν. καὶ εἶπεν· εἰ ἔτι ζῇ, ἀδελφός μού ἐστι.

So they girded sackcloth upon their loins, and put ropes upon their heads, and said to the king of Israel, Your servant the son of Ader says, Let our souls live, I pray you. And he said, Does he yet live? He is my brother.

33 καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες οἰωνίσαντο καὶ ἐσπείσαντο καὶ ἀνελέξαντο τὸν λόγον ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπον· ἀδελφός σου υἱὸς Ἄδερ. καὶ εἶπεν· εἰσέλθατε καὶ λάβετε αὐτόν· καὶ ἐξῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν υἱὸς Ἄδερ, καὶ ἀναβιβάζουσιν αὐτὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ ἅρμα.

And the men divined, and offered drink-offerings; and they caught the word out of his mouth, and said, Your brother the son of Ader. And he said, Go you⌃ in and fetch him. And the son of Ader went out to him, and they cause him to go up to him into the chariot.

34 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· τὰς πόλεις, ἃς ἔλαβεν ὁ πατήρ μου παρὰ τοῦ πατρός σου, ἀποδώσω σοι, καὶ ἐξόδους θήσεις σεαυτῷ ἐν Δαμασκῷ, καθὼς ἔθετο ὁ πατήρ μου ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ· καὶ ἐγὼ ἐν διαθήκῃ ἐξαποστελῶ σε. καὶ διέθετο αὐτῷ διαθήκην καὶ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτόν.

And he said to him, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore to you; and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made streets in Samaria; and I will let you go with a covenant. And he made a covenant with him, and let him go.

35 Καὶ ἄνθρωπος εἷς ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν τῶν προφητῶν εἶπε πρὸς τὸν πλησίον αὐτοῦ ἐν λόγῳ Κυρίου· πάταξον δή με· καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος πατάξαι αὐτόν.

And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour by the word of the Lord, Strike me, I pray, And the man would not strike him.

36 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· ἀνθ᾿ ὧν οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φωνῆς Κυρίου καὶ ἰδοὺ σὺ ἀποτρέχεις ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, καὶ πατάξει σε λέων· καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ εὑρίσκει αὐτὸν λέων καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτόν.

And he said to him, Because you have not listened to the voice of the Lord, therefore, behold, as you depart from me, a lion shall strike you: and he departed from him, and a lion found him, and struck him.

37 καὶ εὑρίσκει ἄνθρωπον ἄλλον καὶ εἶπε· πάταξόν με δή· καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν ὁ ἄνθρωπος πατάξας καὶ συνέτριψε.

And he finds another man, and says, Strike me, I pray you. And the man struck him, and in striking wounded [him].

38 καὶ ἐπορεύθη ὁ προφήτης καὶ ἔστη τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ κατεδήσατο ἐν τελαμῶνι τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ.

And the prophet went and stood before the king of Israel by the way, and bound his eyes with a bandage.

39 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς παρεπορεύετο ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ οὗτος ἐβόα πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ εἶπεν· ὁ δοῦλός σου ἐξῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὴν στρατιὰν τοῦ πολέμου, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ εἰσήγαγε πρός με ἄνδρα καὶ εἶπε πρός με· φύλαξον τοῦτον τὸν ἄνδρα, ἐὰν δὲ ἐκπηδῶν ἐκπηδήσῃ, καὶ ἔσται ἡ ψυχή σου ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ, ἢ τάλαντον ἀργυρίου στήσεις·

And it came to pass as the king passed by, that he cried aloud to the king, and said, Your servant went out to war, and, behold, a man brought [another] man to me, and said to me, Keep his man; and if he should by any means escape, then your life shall go for his life, or you shall pay a talent of silver.

40 καὶ ἐγενήθη περιεβλέψατο ὁ δοῦλός σου ὧδε καὶ ὧδε, καὶ οὗτος οὐκ ἦν. καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ· ἰδοὺ καὶ τὰ ἔνεδρα παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ ἐφόνευσας.

And it came to pass, that your servant looked round this way and that way, and the man was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, Behold, you have also destroyed snares [set] for me.

41 καὶ ἔσπευσε καὶ ἀφεῖλε τὸν τελαμῶνα ἀπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐπέγνω αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι ἐκ τῶν προφητῶν οὗτος.

And he hasted, and took away the bandage from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognised him, that he was one of the prophets.

42 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· τάδε λέγει Κύριος· διότι ἐξήνεγκας σὺ ἄνδρα ὀλέθριον ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου, καὶ ἔσται ἡ ψυχή σου ἀντὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ λαός σου ἀντὶ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ.

And he said to him, Thus says the Lord, Because you have suffered to escape out of your hand a man appointed to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.

43 καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ συγκεχυμένος καὶ ἐκλελυμένος καὶ ἔρχεται εἰς Σαμάρειαν.

And the king of Israel departed confounded and discouraged, and came to Samaria.

Greek: the Septuagint as the Orthodox Media Network published it (Mount Athos); 2 Maccabees and the Prayer of Manasseh from Brenton's edition (1851). English: Brenton's translation (1851), its spelling updated by Michael Paul Johnson; public domain. About these texts.