Leadership Verses

And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods {are} gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:

And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country. {were all...: or, were nourished}

And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD {is} God of the hills, but he {is} not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I {am} the LORD.

And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel {are} merciful kings: let us, I 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.

So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and {put} ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, {Is} he yet alive? he {is} my brother.

So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

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. {pay: Heb. weigh}

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}. {he was...: Heb. he was not}

And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he {was} of the prophets.

And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of {thy} hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.