1 Kings 20:41

1 Kings 20:41 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he hastened to take the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

Context of 1 Kings 20:41

39As the king passed by, the prophet called out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the middle of the battle, and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be required for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40But while your servant was busy here and there, he [escaped and] was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “Such is your own judgment (verdict); you have determined it.” Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and [Ahab] the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42He said to the king, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because you have released from your hand the man [Ben-hadad] whom I had devoted to destruction, your life shall be required for his life, and your people for his people.’ ” 43So the king of Israel went to his house resentful and sullen, and came to Samaria.

1 Kings 20:41 word by word

וַיְמַהֵ֕ר וַיָּ֙סַר֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֲפֵ֔ר מֵעֲלֵ֖י עֵינָ֑יו וַיַּכֵּ֤ר אֹתוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י מֵֽהַנְּבִאִ֖ים הֽוּא׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he hastedמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
• and took the ashesאֲפֵר'ăphêr · bandageH666
• awayסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: removeH5493
• from his faceעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
• and the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• discernedנָכַרnâkar · to recognizeH5234
• of the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:41

• 1 Kings 21:4So Ahab [already upset by the Lord’s message] came into his house [feeling more] resentful and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face, and would not eat any food.
• 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he never prophesies good news for me, but only evil.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say that [Micaiah only tells bad news].”
• Esther 5:13Yet all of this does not satisfy me as long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”
• Esther 6:12Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his [own] house, mourning and with his head covered [in sorrow].
• Job 5:2For anger slays the foolish man, And jealousy kills the simple (naive).
• Proverbs 19:3The foolishness of man undermines his way [ruining whatever he undertakes]; Then his heart is resentful and rages against the Lord [for, being a fool, he blames the Lord instead of himself].

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:41

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 41Took the ashes away - He took the bandage from off his eyes: see on 1 Kings 20:38; (note). It was no doubt of thin cloth, through which he could see, while it served for a sufficient disguise.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 41He was of the prophets - Josephus and others conjecture that this prophet was Micaiah, the son of Imlah (but compare 1 Kings 20:13 note).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 31-43Verses 31-43 This encouragement sinners have to repent and humble themselves before God; Have we not heard, that the God of Israel is a merciful God? Have we not found him so? That is gospel repentance, which flows from an apprehension of the mercy of God, in Christ; there is forgiveness with him. What a change is here! The most haughty in prosperity often are most abject in adversity; an evil spirit will thus affect a man in both these conditions. There…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 35-43Ahab showed mercy to Ben-hadad, which displeased God. An unnamed prophet used symbolic actions to show this disapproval. God's prophets often used symbols to deliver his messages (Isaiah 20; Jeremiah 27:1–7; Ezekiel 4:1–3, 9–17; 5:1–4). By sparing an untrustworthy enemy, Ahab brought judgment on himself and his people instead of relying more on the Lord.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:41

• Ashes
• Parables
• Self-Condemnation

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Ahab
• Mark
• Micaiah
• Israel, Kingdom of

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary