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he revealed to the prophet that his repentance would not bring upon him the threatened things, but that in the days of his son these things would be accomplished. And the son of Hadad, king of Syria, marched 1.138 against Samaria with a heavy force and many allies. and besieging it, he sent to Ahab, saying that "your wealth and your wives and your children are mine; for I will take them by war. but if you concede to me to take whatever I wish, I will lift the siege and depart." But Ahab said, "I also and all that is mine are yours." And gathering the elders of the land, he related what the enemy had sent to him. But the multitude advised not to obey him. And he said to the ambassadors of the enemies that he could not do what was demanded. When this was announced to the king of Syria, it moved him to anger, and he commanded to place a palisade around the city and to raise up earthworks. And when a certain prophet told Ahab that God would deliver the enemies to him if he went out against them with the young men of the princes, he numbered the young men, and found two hundred and thirty-two. And while the enemies were feasting and drinking at midday, Ahab went out, having taken the young men. And the king of Syria, seeing them, commanded some of his household to bring those approaching to him bound. But the young men, encountering those coming upon them, killed many. And following behind the young men, the whole force of Israel, suddenly rushing upon the Syrians, turned them to flight, so that even their king was saved, having fled with difficulty. And Ahab, having returned from the pursuit, plundered the camp of the enemies, and returned to Samaria. And the prophet again foretold to him an attack of the Syrian. And when spring had already arrived, the Syrian again marched against Israel, and in 1.139 a plain he encamped. For those around him said to him that the God of the Hebrews has power in the mountains, but not, however, also in the valleys. And when the prophet promised victory to Ahab, so that, he said, God might show his strength also in the valleys, on the other days the armies were quiet, but on the seventh, when battle was joined, the Syrians fled; and Ahab pursued and killed them. And many who survived to the city of Aphek perished there when the wall fell upon them. But the son of Hadad, having fled with a few men, hid himself. And those around him, having put on sackcloth and having tied ropes around their heads, came to Ahab, and pleaded for him to save their lord; and he agreed. And they brought their leader to Ahab as he was riding in a chariot. And he took him up into the chariot and greeted him and commanded him to be of good courage. Then on terms he let him go away, having given him many gifts. And the prophet Micaiah asked one of his own people to strike him on the head. And when he did not obey, he prophesied that he would be struck by a lion; and the prophecy came to pass. Then he brought the same request to another; and when that one struck him, having bandaged his head, he went to Ahab, saying that he had received a captive from the commander to guard, but when that one fled, the commander sought to kill him. And when Ahab said that this was just, that one, uncovering his head, was recognized as being the prophet Micaiah. And he said to Ahab, "Because you have let go unpunished the king of Syria, a man of destruction, you yourself shall die instead of him, and your people instead of his people." Ahab was grieved upon hearing these things. 1.140 And having maintained peace for three years, then wishing to take the city of Ramoth from the Syrians as belonging to him, he asked also Jehoshaphat, the king of Jerusalem, to campaign with him. And he agreed, and advised to ask God through a prophet if he was well-pleased. And Ahab, having called together his own prophets, asked if he should go to war. And when they promised victory, King Jehoshaphat sought a prophet of the Lord. And Ahab said that there was one, but that he was offended with him for prophesying evil things. and

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τὴν μετάνοιαν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐπάξειν αὐτῷ τὰ ἠπειλημένα ἐδήλωσε τῷ προφήτῃ, ἀλλ' ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ ταῦτα τελέσειν. ̔Ο δὲ τοῦ Αδερ υἱὸς βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἐστράτευ1.138 σεν ἐπὶ τὴν Σαμάρειαν μετὰ βαρείας δυνάμεως καὶ συμμάχων πολλῶν. καὶ πολιορκῶν αὐτὴν επεμψε πρὸς ̓Αχαὰβ λέγων οτι "ὁ πλοῦτός σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκές σου καὶ τὰ τέκνα σου ἐμά ἐστι· λήψομαι γὰρ πολέμῳ αὐτά. αν δ' οσα βούλωμαι παραχωρήσῃς μοι λήψεσθαι, λύσω τὴν πολιορκίαν καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι." ̓Αχαὰβ δέ "κἀγώ" εφη "καὶ οἱ ἐμοὶ πάντες σοί ἐσμεν." καὶ συναθροίσας τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς γῆς, οσα πρὸς αὐτὸν διεπέμψατο ὁ πολέμιος ἀνεδίδαξε. τὸ δὲ πλῆθος μὴ πεισθῆναι αὐτῷ συνεβούλευσεν. ὁ δὲ τοῖς πρέσβεσι τῶν πολεμίων ειπε μὴ δύνασθαι ποιῆσαι τὸ ἀπαιτούμενον. τοῦτο ἀγγελθὲν τῷ βασιλεῖ τῆς Συρίας εἰς ὀργὴν ἐκεῖνον ἐκίνησε, καὶ χάρακα βαλεῖν περὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ χώματα ἐγείρειν ἐκέλευσε. προφήτου δέ τινος τῷ ̓Αχαὰβ φήσαντος παραδιδόναι τὸν θεὸν τοὺς πολεμίους αὐτῷ μετὰ τῶν παιδαρίων τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἐπιόντι αὐτοῖς, ἠρίθμησε τὰ παιδάρια, καὶ ευρε διακόσια τριάκοντα δύο. τῶν δὲ πολεμίων εὐωχουμένων καὶ μεθυόντων κατὰ μεσημβρίαν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ ̓Αχαὰβ παραλαβὼν τὰ παιδάρια. ὁ βασιλεὺς δὲ Συρίας ἰδὼν αὐτούς, δεδεμένους τοὺς προσιόντας παραστῆσαι αὐτῷ τισι τῶν οἰκείων προσέταξεν. οἱ δὲ παῖδες τοῖς ἐπιοῦσι προσμίξαντες πολλοὺς ἀνεῖλον. ἑπομένη δ' οπισθεν τῶν παίδων ἡ πᾶσα δύναμις τοῦ ̓Ισραὴλ ἐξαίφνης κατὰ τῶν Σύρων ὁρμήσασα εἰς φυγὴν αὐτοὺς ετρεψεν, ὡς καὶ τὸν βασιλέα σφῶν μόλις φυγόντα σωθῆναι. καὶ ἀναστρέψας ἐκ τῆς διώξεως ̓Αχαὰβ τὸ στρατόπεδον τῶν πολεμίων διήρπασε, καὶ ἐπανῆλθε πρὸς τὴν Σαμάρειαν. ὁ δὲ προφήτης αυθις τοῦ Σύρου αὐτῷ προεῖπεν ἐπέλευσιν. ηδη δὲ ἐπιστάντος τοῦ εαρος ἐπεστράτευσεν αυθις ὁ Σύρος κατὰ τοῦ ̓Ισραήλ, καὶ ἐν 1.139 πεδίῳ ἐσκήνωσεν. ειπον γὰρ αὐτῷ οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν ἐν ορεσι τὸν θεὸν τῶν ̔Εβραίων τὴν δύναμιν εχειν, οὐ μέντοι καὶ ἐν κοιλάσι. τοῦ δὲ προφήτου νίκην ἐπαγγελλομένου τῷ ̓Αχαάβ, ινα, φησί, καὶ ἐν κοιλάσι τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐπιδείξηται ὁ θεός, τὰς μὲν αλλας ἡμέρας ἡσύχαζον τὰ στρατόπεδα, τῇ δ' ἑβδόμῃ μάχης συρραγείσης φεύγουσιν οἱ Σύροι· καὶ ̓Αχαὰβ ἐδίωκε καὶ ἀνῄρει αὐτούς. πολλοὶ δὲ περισωθέντες εἰς Αφεκκα τὴν πόλιν ἐκεῖ διεφθάρησαν τοῦ τείχους ἐπιπεσόντος αὐτοῖς. ὁ δὲ τοῦ Αδερ υἱὸς μετά τινων ὀλίγων φυγὼν ἐκρύβη. οἱ δὲ περὶ ἐκεῖνον σάκκους ἐνδύντες καὶ σχοίνους ταῖς κεφαλαῖς περιδήσαντες προσῆλθον τῷ ̓Αχαάβ, καὶ σώζειν τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἱκέτευον κύριον· ὁ δὲ κατένευσε. κἀκεῖνοι προσήγαγον τὸν ἀρχηγὸν ἑαυτῶν ἐφ' αρματος ὀχουμένῳ τῷ ̓Αχαάβ. ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ αρμα λαμβάνει αὐτὸν καὶ ἀσπάζεται καὶ θαρρεῖν ἐγκελεύεται. ειτα ἐπὶ συνθήκαις ἀφῆκεν αὐτὸν ἀπελθεῖν, πολλὰ δωρησάμενος. ὁ προφήτης δὲ Μιχαίας τινὰ τῶν ὁμοφύλων ἠξίου πατάξαι αὐτὸν κατὰ κεφαλῆς. τοῦ δὲ μὴ πειθομένου, ὑπὸ λέοντος αὐτὸν παταχθῆναι προέφη· καὶ γέγονεν εἰς εργον ἡ πρόρρησις. ειθ' ἑτέρῳ τὴν αὐτὴν προσῆγεν ἀξίωσιν· πλήξαντος δ' ἐκείνου, καταδησάμενος τὴν κεφαλὴν προσῆλθε τῷ ̓Αχαάβ, λέγων ἐπὶ φυλακῇ παραλαβεῖν παρὰ τοῦ ταξιάρχου αἰχμάλωτον, φυγόντος δ' ἐκείνου τὸν ταξιάρχην ζητεῖν αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν. ὡς δὲ δίκαιον ειναι τοῦτο ειπεν ὁ ̓Αχαάβ, λύσας ἐκεῖνος τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐπεγνώσθη ὡς ὁ προφήτης Μιχαίας ην. καὶ εφη τῷ ̓Αχαάβ "ἐπεὶ τὸν βασιλέα Συρίας ανδρα ὀλέθριον ἀτιμώρητον ἀφῆκας, αὐτὸς ἀντ' ἐκείνου ἀποθανῇ, καὶ ὁ σὸς λαὸς ἀντὶ τοῦ λαοῦ ἐκείνου." ἐλυπήθη τούτων ἀκούσας ὁ ̓Αχαάβ. 1.140 ἐπὶ δὲ τριετίαν εἰρήνην ἀγαγών, ειτα βουληθεὶς τὴν πόλιν ̔Ρεμμὰθ ὡς αὐτῷ διαφέρουσαν ἀφελέσθαι τῶν Σύρων, ἠξίου καὶ τὸν βασιλέα τῆς ̔Ιερουσαλὴμ τὸν ̓Ιωσαφὰτ συνεκστρατεῦσαι αὐτῷ. κἀκεῖνος κατένευσε, καὶ συνεβούλευεν ἐρωτῆσαι τὸν θεὸν διὰ προφήτου εἰ εὐδοκεῖ. ̓Αχαὰβ δὲ τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ προφήτας συγκαλεσάμενος εἰ πορεύσεται πρὸς πόλεμον ηρετο. τῶν δὲ νίκην ἐπαγγελλομένων ὁ βασιλεὺς ̓Ιωσαφὰτ προφήτην ἐζήτησε τοῦ κυρίου. ̓Αχαὰβ δὲ ειναι μὲν εφη, προσωχθικέναι δ' ἐκείνῳ κακὰ προαγορεύοντι. καὶ