1map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.

2tn Heb “and he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it.”

3tn Heb “to the city.”

4tn Heb “all that is desirable to your eyes they will put in their hand and take.”

5tn Heb “elders.”

6tn Heb “Know and see that this [man] is seeking trouble.”

7tn Heb “Do not listen and do not be willing.”

8tn Heb “all which you sent to your servant in the beginning I will do, but this thing I am unable to do.”

9tn Heb “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add.”

10tn Heb “if the dirt of Samaria suffices for the handfuls of all the people who are at my feet.”

11sn The point of the saying is that someone who is still preparing for a battle should not boast as if he has already won the battle. A modern parallel would be, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”

12tn Heb “When he heard this word.”

13tn Heb “in the temporary shelters.” This is probably referring to tents.

14tn Heb “this great horde.”

15tn The words “will this be accomplished” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

16tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

17tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

18tn Heb “after them he assembled all the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand.”

19tn Heb “drinking and drunken.”

20tn Heb “in the temporary shelters.” This is probably referring to tents.

21map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.

22tn Heb “if they come in peace, take them alive; if they come for battle, take them alive.”

23tn Heb “each struck down his man.”

24tn Heb “struck down Aram with a great striking down.”

25tn The definite article indicates previous reference, that is, “the prophet mentioned earlier” (see v. 13).

26tn Heb “strengthen yourself.”

27tn Heb “know and see.”

28tn Heb “at the turning of the year.”

29tn Heb “go up against.”

30tn Or “servants.”

31tn Heb “And you, you muster an army like the one that fell from you, horse like horse and chariot like chariot.”

32tn Heb “he listened to their voice and did so.”

33tn Heb “at the turning of the year.”

34tn Heb “mustered Aram.”

35tn Heb “and went up to Aphek for battle with Israel.”

36tn The noun translated “small flocks” occurs only here. The common interpretation derives the word from the verbal root חשׂף, “to strip off; to make bare.” In this case the noun refers to something “stripped off” or “made bare.” HALOT 359 s.v. II חשׂף derives the noun from a proposed homonymic verbal root (which occurs only in Ps 29:9) meaning “cause a premature birth.” In this case the derived noun could refer to goats that are undersized because they are born prematurely.

37tn Heb “the man of God.”

38tn Heb “I will place all this great horde in your hand.”

39tn Heb “and the remaining ones fled to Aphek to the city and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men, the ones who remained.”

40tn Heb “and Ben Hadad fled and went into the city, [into] an inner room in an inner room.”

41tn Or “servants.”

42tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.

43sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.

44tn Heb “go out.”

45sn Your servant. By referring to Ben Hadad as Ahab’s servant, they are suggesting that Ahab make him a subject in a vassal treaty arrangement.

46tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

47sn He is my brother. Ahab’s response indicates that he wants to make a parity treaty and treat Ben Hadad as an equal partner.

48tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

49tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

50tn Heb “streets,” but this must refer to streets set up with stalls for merchants to sell their goods. See HALOT 299 s.v. חוּץ.

51map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.

52tn Heb “I will send you away with a treaty.” The words “Ahab then said” are supplied in the translation. There is nothing in the Hebrew text to indicate that the speaker has changed from Ben Hadad to Ahab. Some suggest adding “and he said” before “I will send you away.” Others prefer to maintain Ben Hadad as the speaker and change the statement to, “Please send me away with a treaty.”

53tn Heb “Now a man from the sons of the prophets said to his companion by the word of the Lord, ‘Wound me.’”

54tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

55tn Heb “and the man wounded him, wounding and bruising.”

56tn Heb “middle.”

57tn Heb “man” (also a second time later in this verse).

58tn Heb “if being missed, he is missed.” The emphatic infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form lends solemnity to the warning.

59tn The Hebrew term כִּכָּר (kikkar, “circle”) refers generally to something that is round. When used of metals it can refer to a disk-shaped weight made of the metal or to a standard unit of weight, generally regarded as a talent. Since the accepted weight for a talent of metal is about 75 pounds, this would have amounted to about 75 pounds of silver.

60tn Heb “your life will be in place of his life, or a unit of silver you will pay.”

61tn Heb “so [i.e., in accordance with his testimony] is your judgment, you have determined [it].”

62tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

63tn Heb “he”; the referent (the prophet) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

64tn Heb “Because you sent away the man of my destruction [i.e., that I determined should be destroyed] from [my/your?] hand, your life will be in place of his life, and your people in place of his people.”

65map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1.