EN/HEע/E

Achav, Aram, and the Battle of Qarqar

Sources

Melakhim I 20:1-6מלכים א׳ כ׳:א׳-ו׳

(1) And Ben-hadad the king of Aram gathered all his host together; and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. (2) And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, (3) and said unto him: 'Thus saith Ben-hadad: Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.' (4) And the king of Israel answered and said: 'It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king: I am thine, and all that I have.' (5) And the messengers came again, and said: 'Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying: I sent indeed unto thee, saying: Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; (6) but I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.'

(א) וּבֶן הֲדַד מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם קָבַץ אֶת כׇּל חֵילוֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁנַיִם מֶלֶךְ אִתּוֹ וְסוּס וָרָכֶב וַיַּעַל וַיָּצַר עַל שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּלָּחֶם בָּהּ. (ב) וַיִּשְׁלַח מַלְאָכִים אֶל אַחְאָב מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעִירָה. (ג) וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ כֹּה אָמַר בֶּן הֲדַד כַּסְפְּךָ וּזְהָבְךָ לִי הוּא וְנָשֶׁיךָ וּבָנֶיךָ הַטּוֹבִים לִי הֵם. (ד) וַיַּעַן מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר כִּדְבָרְךָ אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ לְךָ אֲנִי וְכׇל אֲשֶׁר לִי. (ה) וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים וַיֹּאמְרוּ כֹּה אָמַר בֶּן הֲדַד לֵאמֹר כִּי שָׁלַחְתִּי אֵלֶיךָ לֵאמֹר כַּסְפְּךָ וּזְהָבְךָ וְנָשֶׁיךָ וּבָנֶיךָ לִי תִתֵּן. (ו) כִּי אִם כָּעֵת מָחָר אֶשְׁלַח אֶת עֲבָדַי אֵלֶיךָ וְחִפְּשׂוּ אֶת בֵּיתְךָ וְאֵת בָּתֵּי עֲבָדֶיךָ וְהָיָה כׇּל מַחְמַד עֵינֶיךָ יָשִׂימוּ בְיָדָם וְלָקָחוּ.

Melakhim I 20:26-43מלכים א׳ כ׳:כ״ו-מ״ג

(26) And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. (27) And the children of Israel were mustered, and were victualled, and went against them; and the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Arameans filled the country. (28) And a man of God came near and spoke unto the king of Israel, and said: 'Thus saith the Lord: Because the Arameans have said: The Lord is a God of the hills, but he is not a God of the valleys; therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.' (29) And they encamped one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel slew of the Arameans a hundred thousand footmen in one day. (30) But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber. (31) And his servants said unto him: 'Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings; let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; peradventure he will save thy life.' (32) So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said: 'Thy servant Ben-hadad saith: I pray thee, let me live.' And he said: 'Is he yet alive? he is my brother.' (33) Now the men took it for a sign, and hastened to catch it fromhim; and they said: 'Thy brother Ben-hadad.' Then he said: 'Go ye, bring him.' Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into his chariot. (34) And [Ben-hadad] said unto him: 'The cities which my father took from thy father I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.' 'And I, said Ahab, will let thee go with this covenant.' So he made a covenant with him, and let him go. (35) And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his fellow by the word of the Lord: 'Smite me, I pray thee.' And the man refused to smite him. (36) Then said he unto him: 'Because thou hast not heartened to the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee.' And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him; and slew him. (37) Then he found another man, and said: 'Smite me, I pray thee.' And the man smote him, smiting and wounding him. (38) So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes. (39) And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king; and he said: 'Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said: Keep this man; if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. (40) And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone.' And the king of Israel said unto him: 'So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.' (41) And he hastened, and took the headband away from his eyes; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. (42) And he said unto him: 'Thus saith the Lord: Because thou hast let go out of thy hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.' (43) And the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.

(כו) וַיְהִי לִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה וַיִּפְקֹד בֶּן הֲדַד אֶת אֲרָם וַיַּעַל אֲפֵקָה לַמִּלְחָמָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. (כז) וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הׇתְפָּקְדוּ וְכׇלְכְּלוּ וַיֵּלְכוּ לִקְרָאתָם וַיַּחֲנוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגְדָּם כִּשְׁנֵי חֲשִׂפֵי עִזִּים וַאֲרָם מִלְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ. (כח) וַיִּגַּשׁ אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה אָמַר י"י יַעַן אֲשֶׁר אָמְרוּ אֲרָם אֱלֹהֵי הָרִים י"י וְלֹא אֱלֹהֵי עֲמָקִים הוּא וְנָתַתִּי אֶת כׇּל הֶהָמוֹן הַגָּדוֹל הַזֶּה בְּיָדֶךָ וִידַעְתֶּם כִּי אֲנִי י"י. (כט) וַיַּחֲנוּ אֵלֶּה נֹכַח אֵלֶּה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַתִּקְרַב הַמִּלְחָמָה וַיַּכּוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת אֲרָם מֵאָה אֶלֶף רַגְלִי בְּיוֹם אֶחָד. (ל) וַיָּנֻסוּ הַנּוֹתָרִים אֲפֵקָה אֶל הָעִיר וַתִּפֹּל הַחוֹמָה עַל עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁבְעָה אֶלֶף אִישׁ הַנּוֹתָרִים וּבֶן הֲדַד נָס וַיָּבֹא אֶל הָעִיר חֶדֶר בְּחָדֶר. (לא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו עֲבָדָיו הִנֵּה נָא שָׁמַעְנוּ כִּי מַלְכֵי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי מַלְכֵי חֶסֶד הֵם נָשִׂימָה נָּא שַׂקִּים בְּמׇתְנֵינוּ וַחֲבָלִים בְּרֹאשֵׁנוּ וְנֵצֵא אֶל מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוּלַי יְחַיֶּה אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ. (לב) וַיַּחְגְּרוּ שַׂקִּים בְּמׇתְנֵיהֶם וַחֲבָלִים בְּרָאשֵׁיהֶם וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וַיֹּאמְרוּ עַבְדְּךָ בֶן הֲדַד אָמַר תְּחִי נָא נַפְשִׁי וַיֹּאמֶר הַעוֹדֶנּוּ חַי אָחִי הוּא. (לג) וְהָאֲנָשִׁים יְנַחֲשׁוּ וַיְמַהֲרוּ וַיַּחְלְטוּ הֲמִמֶּנּוּ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אָחִיךָ בֶן הֲדַד וַיֹּאמֶר בֹּאוּ קָחֻהוּ וַיֵּצֵא אֵלָיו בֶּן הֲדַד וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ עַל הַמֶּרְכָּבָה. (לד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו הֶעָרִים אֲשֶׁר לָקַח אָבִי מֵאֵת אָבִיךָ אָשִׁיב וְחֻצוֹת תָּשִׂים לְךָ בְדַמֶּשֶׂק כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׂם אָבִי בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן וַאֲנִי בַּבְּרִית אֲשַׁלְּחֶךָּ וַיִּכְרׇת לוֹ בְרִית וַיְשַׁלְּחֵהוּ. (לה) וְאִישׁ אֶחָד מִבְּנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים אָמַר אֶל רֵעֵהוּ בִּדְבַר י"י הַכֵּינִי נָא וַיְמָאֵן הָאִישׁ לְהַכֹּתוֹ. (לו) וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ יַעַן אֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹל י"י הִנְּךָ הוֹלֵךְ מֵאִתִּי וְהִכְּךָ הָאַרְיֵה וַיֵּלֶךְ מֵאֶצְלוֹ וַיִּמְצָאֵהוּ הָאַרְיֵה וַיַּכֵּהוּ. (לז) וַיִּמְצָא אִישׁ אַחֵר וַיֹּאמֶר הַכֵּינִי נָא וַיַּכֵּהוּ הָאִישׁ הַכֵּה וּפָצֹעַ. (לח) וַיֵּלֶךְ הַנָּבִיא וַיַּעֲמֹד לַמֶּלֶךְ עַל הַדָּרֶךְ וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ בָּאֲפֵר עַל עֵינָיו. (לט) וַיְהִי הַמֶּלֶךְ עֹבֵר וְהוּא צָעַק אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיֹּאמֶר עַבְדְּךָ יָצָא בְקֶרֶב הַמִּלְחָמָה וְהִנֵּה אִישׁ סָר וַיָּבֵא אֵלַי אִישׁ וַיֹּאמֶר שְׁמֹר אֶת הָאִישׁ הַזֶּה אִם הִפָּקֵד יִפָּקֵד וְהָיְתָה נַפְשְׁךָ תַּחַת נַפְשׁוֹ אוֹ כִכַּר כֶּסֶף תִּשְׁקוֹל. (מ) וַיְהִי עַבְדְּךָ עֹשֵׂה הֵנָּה וָהֵנָּה וְהוּא אֵינֶנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כֵּן מִשְׁפָּטֶךָ אַתָּה חָרָצְתָּ. (מא) וַיְמַהֵר וַיָּסַר אֶת הָאֲפֵר [מֵעֲלֵי] (מעל) עֵינָיו וַיַּכֵּר אֹתוֹ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי מֵהַנְּבִיאִים הוּא. (מב) וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו כֹּה אָמַר י"י יַעַן שִׁלַּחְתָּ אֶת אִישׁ חֶרְמִי מִיָּד וְהָיְתָה נַפְשְׁךָ תַּחַת נַפְשׁוֹ וְעַמְּךָ תַּחַת עַמּוֹ. (מג) וַיֵּלֶךְ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל בֵּיתוֹ סַר וְזָעֵף וַיָּבֹא שֹׁמְרוֹנָה.

Melakhim I 22:1-4מלכים א׳ כ״ב:א׳-ד׳

(1) And they continued three years without war between Aram and Israel. (2) And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. (3) And the king of Israel said unto his servants: 'Know ye that Ramoth-gilead is ours, and we are still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Aram?' (4) And he said unto Jehoshaphat: 'Wilt thou go with me to battle to Ramoth-gilead?' And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel: 'I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses.'

(א) וַיֵּשְׁבוּ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים אֵין מִלְחָמָה בֵּין אֲרָם וּבֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ב) וַיְהִי בַּשָּׁנָה הַשְּׁלִישִׁית וַיֵּרֶד יְהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה אֶל מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל. (ג) וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל עֲבָדָיו הַיְדַעְתֶּם כִּי לָנוּ רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַאֲנַחְנוּ מַחְשִׁים מִקַּחַת אֹתָהּ מִיַּד מֶלֶךְ אֲרָם. (ד) וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל יְהוֹשָׁפָט הֲתֵלֵךְ אִתִּי לַמִּלְחָמָה רָמֹת גִּלְעָד וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוֹשָׁפָט אֶל מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּמוֹנִי כָמוֹךָ כְּעַמִּי כְעַמֶּךָ כְּסוּסַי כְּסוּסֶיךָ.

Melakhim I 22:34-37מלכים א׳ כ״ב:ל״ד-ל״ז

(34) And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the lower armour and the breastplate; wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot: 'Turn thy hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded.' (35) And the battle increased that day; and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Arameans, and died at even; and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. (36) And there went a cry throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying: 'Every man to his city, and every man to his country.' (37) So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried the king in Samaria.

(לד) וְאִישׁ מָשַׁךְ בַּקֶּשֶׁת לְתֻמּוֹ וַיַּכֶּה אֶת מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּין הַדְּבָקִים וּבֵין הַשִּׁרְיָן וַיֹּאמֶר לְרַכָּבוֹ הֲפֹךְ יָדְךָ וְהוֹצִיאֵנִי מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה כִּי הׇחֳלֵיתִי. (לה) וַתַּעֲלֶה הַמִּלְחָמָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הָיָה מׇעֳמָד בַּמֶּרְכָּבָה נֹכַח אֲרָם וַיָּמׇת בָּעֶרֶב וַיִּצֶק דַּם הַמַּכָּה אֶל חֵיק הָרָכֶב. (לו) וַיַּעֲבֹר הָרִנָּה בַּמַּחֲנֶה כְּבֹא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ לֵאמֹר אִישׁ אֶל עִירוֹ וְאִישׁ אֶל אַרְצוֹ. (לז) וַיָּמׇת הַמֶּלֶךְ וַיָּבוֹא שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיִּקְבְּרוּ אֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן.

Melakhim II 5:2מלכים ב׳ ה׳:ב׳

And the Arameans had gone out in bands, and hadbrought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.

וַאֲרָם יָצְאוּ גְדוּדִים וַיִּשְׁבּוּ מֵאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל נַעֲרָה קְטַנָּה וַתְּהִי לִפְנֵי אֵשֶׁת נַעֲמָן.

Kurkh Monolith Inscription (D. Luckenbill, Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia (Chicago, 1927): 223)המונולית מכורח, מתורגם ע"י ח. תדמור, תולדות עם ישראל בימי קדם (תל-אביב, 1929): 120

From Argana I departed.  To Karkar I drew near. Karkar, his royal city, I destroyed, I devastated, I burned with fire. 1,200 chariots, 1,200 cavalry, 20,000 soldiers of Hadad-ezer of Aram (?Damascus), 700 chariots, 700 cavalry, 10,000 soldiers of Irhuleni of Hamath, 2000 chariots, 10,000 soldiers of Ahab the Israelite, 500 soldiers  of the Gueans, 1,000 soldiers of the Musreans, 10 chariots, 10,000 soldiers of the Irkanateans, 200 soldiers of Matinu-ba'il, the Arvadite, 200 soldiers of the Usanateabsm 30 chariots [   ],000 soldiers of Adunu-ba'il, the Shianean, 1000 camels of Gindibu, the Arabean, [   ],000 soldiers [of] Ba'sa son of Ruhubi, the Ammonite, – these twelve kings he brought to his support, to offer battle and fight, they came against me. (Trusting) in the exalted might which Assur, the lord, had given (me) in the mighty weapon, which Nergal, who goes before me, had presented to me, I battled with them. From Karkar, as far as the city of Gilzau, I routed them, 14,000 of their warriors I slew with the sword. Like Adad, I rained destruction upon them. I scattered their corpses far and wide and covered the face of the desolate plain with their widespreading armies.  With (my) weapons I made their blood to flow down to the valleys(?) of the land. The plain was too small to let their bodies fall, the wide countryside was used up in burying them.  With their bodies I spanned the Arantu (Orontes) as with a bridge(?). In that battle I took from them their chariots, their cavalry, their horses broken to the yoke.

מארגנ יצאתי ולקרקר קרבתי. את קרקר עיר מלכותו הרסתי, החרבתי באש שרפתי. 1200 רכב, 1200 סוסי פרשים, 20,000 רגלי של הדדעזר מארץ דמשק, 700 רכב, 700 סוסי פרשים, 10,000 רגלי של ארחלנ החמתי, 2000 רכב, 10,000 רגלי של אחאב הישראלי, 500 רגלי של בני גבל, 1,000 רגלי של בני מצרים, 10 רכב, 10,000 רגלי של רגלי של בני ערק, 200 רגלי של מתן-בעל, 200 רגלי של בני, 10,000 רגלי של אדוני-בעל הסיאני, 1,000 גמלים של גנדבא הערבי, 1,000 רגלי של בעשא בן-רחוב העמוני (או מהר האמנה) שנים-עשר מלכים אלה הוא הביא לו לעזרה (ו)הם נערכו נגדי לקרב מכריע. בכוח האדיר שנתן לי האל אשור, בכלי הנשק העזים שהעניק לי האל נרגל, ההולך לפני, לחמתי עמם. למן קרקר ועד גלזא הנחלתי להם מפלה ניצחת. בחרב הכיתי 14,000 מצבא לוחמיהם, כאדד המטרתי עליהם סופה. פיזרתי את גוויותיהם (ו)מילאתי את פני המישור בחילותיהם הנפוצים.