1 Kings 20:35-43

Expanded Bible

A Prophet Speaks Against Ahab

³⁵ One ·prophet from one of the groups of prophets [^Lof the sons of the prophets] told another, “Hit me!” He said this ·because the Lord had commanded it [by the word of the Lord], but the other man refused. ³⁶ The prophet said, “You did not obey the ·Lord’s command [^Lvoice of the Lord], so a lion will kill you as soon as you leave me.” When the man left, a lion found him and killed him.

³⁷ The prophet went to another man and said, “Hit me, please!” So the man hit him and hurt him. ³⁸ The prophet ·wrapped his face in a cloth [placed a bandage over his eyes; ^Cto disguise himself]. Then he went and waited by the road for the king. ³⁹ As Ahab king of Israel passed by, the prophet called out to him. “I went to fight in the battle,” the prophet said. “One of our men brought an ·enemy soldier [^Lman] to me. Our man said, ‘Guard this man. If he ·runs away [is missing], ·you will have to give your life in his place [^Lit will be your life for his life]. Or, you will have to pay a ·fine of seventy-five pounds [^Ltalent] of silver.’ ⁴⁰ But I was busy doing other things, so the man ran away.”

The king of Israel answered, “That is your ·sentence [judgment]. You have ·already said what the punishment is [pronounced it yourself].

⁴¹ Then the prophet quickly took the ·cloth from his face [bandage from his eyes]. When the king of Israel saw him, he knew he was one of the prophets. ⁴² The prophet said to the king, “·This is what the Lord says [^TThus says the Lord]: ‘You freed the man I ·said should die [^Lhad devoted to destruction], so your life will be ·taken instead of his [for his life]. ·The lives of your people will also be taken instead of the lives of […and your people for] his people.’”

⁴³ Then King Ahab went back to his palace in Samaria, ·angry and upset [resentful and sullen].