1 Kings 20:33

1 Kings 20:33 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: 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 the chariot.
• New International Version (NIV)The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. “Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!” they said. “Go and get him,” the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go and bring him." Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.” So he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot.

Context of 1 Kings 20:33

31Then the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.” 32So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” “Go and get him!” said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot. 34Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” “By this treaty I release you,” Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away. 35Meanwhile, by the word of the LORD, one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me, please!” But the man refused to strike him.

1 Kings 20:33 word by word

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩ יְנַחֲשׁ֨וּ וַֽיְמַהֲר֜וּ וַיַּחְלְט֣וּ הֲמִמֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אָחִ֣יךָ בֶן־הֲדַ֔ד וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בֹּ֣אוּ קָחֻ֑הוּ וַיֵּצֵ֤א אֵלָיו֙ בֶּן־הֲדַ֔ד וַֽיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Now the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• were looking for a sign of hopeנָחַשׁnâchash · to divineH5172
• and they quicklyמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
• graspedחָלַטchâlaţ · to catchH2480
• graspedמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• and repliedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Yes, your brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• Ben-hadadבֶּן־הֲדַדben-hădad · Ben-hadadH1130
• Goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• and get himלָקַחlâqach · to take: bringH3947
• came outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• ·אֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• and Ahab had him come upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• intoעַל‛al · uponH5921
• his chariotמֶרְכָּבָהmerkâbâh · chariotH4818

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:33

• 1 Kings 20:38and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
• 1 Samuel 10:12Then a man who lived there replied, “And who is their father?” So the saying became a proverb: “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
• 2 Kings 2:3Then the sons of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the LORD will take your master away from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied. “Do not speak of it.”
• 2 Kings 4:1Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant, my husband, is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And now his creditor is coming to take my two children as his slaves!”
• Amos 7:14“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied, “nor was I the son of a prophet; rather, I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees.
• 1 Kings 13:1Suddenly, as Jeroboam was standing beside the altar to burn incense, there came a man of God from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD.
• 1 Kings 17:18“O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”
• 1 Kings 20:37Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
• Isaiah 8:18Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me as signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion.
• Isaiah 20:2the LORD had already spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, “Go, remove the sackcloth from your waist and the sandals from your feet.” And Isaiah did so, walking around naked and barefoot.
• Jeremiah 27:2This is what the LORD said to me: “Make for yourself a yoke out of leather straps and put it on your neck.
• Ezekiel 4:3Then take an iron plate and set it up as an iron wall between yourself and the city. Turn your face toward it so that it is under siege, and besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
• Matthew 16:24Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33Did hastily catch it - They were watching to see if any kind word should be spoken by him, from which they might draw a favorable omen; and when they heard him use the word brother, it gave them much encouragement.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33The meaning of this verse is that the men from the first moment of their arrival were on the watch to note what Ahab would say; and the moment he let fall the expression “He is my brother,” they caught it up and repeated it, fixing him to it, as it were, and preventing his retreat. By the Oriental law of “dakheel” anyone is at any time entitled to put himself under the protection of another, be that other his friend or his greatest enemy; and if the man…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. 32-33my brother: Ahab spoke to Ben-hadad in a polite way, showing respect for the Aramean king's authority and Ahab's wish for good relations. Ahab invited Ben-hadad into his chariot to warmly welcome him and to show that he should see Ahab as his equal. In the ancient Near East, kings spoke to each other as brothers to express friendship, good relations, or formal equality.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 32-3432-34. put ropes on their heads--Captives were dragged by ropes round their necks in companies, as is depicted on the monuments of Egypt. Their voluntary attitude and language of submission flattered the pride of Ahab, who, little concerned about the dishonor done to the God of Israel by the Syrian king, and thinking of nothing but victory, paraded his clemency, called the vanquished king "his brother," invited him to sit in the royal chariot, and…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:33

• Brother
• Cord
• Diplomacy
• Kindness
• Magnanimity

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Mark
• Alliance
• Benhadad
• Haste
• 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