1 Kings 20:39

1 Kings 20:39 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, “Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, ‘Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, "Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, 'Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’

Context of 1 Kings 20:39

37Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him, 38and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes. As the king passed by, he cried out to the king: “Your servant had marched out into the middle of the battle, when suddenly a man came over with a captive and told me, ‘Guard this man! If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be exchanged for his life, or you will weigh out a talent of silver.’ 40But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.” 41Then the prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

1 Kings 20:39 word by word

וַיְהִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ עֹבֵ֔ר וְה֖וּא צָעַ֣ק אֶל־הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַיֹּ֜אמֶר עַבְדְּךָ֣׀ יָצָ֣א בְקֶֽרֶב־הַמִּלְחָמָ֗ה וְהִנֵּֽה־אִ֨ישׁ סָ֜ר וַיָּבֵ֧א אֵלַ֣י אִ֗ישׁ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שְׁמֹר֙ אֶת־הָאִ֣ישׁ הַזֶּ֔ה אִם־הִפָּקֵד֙ יִפָּקֵ֔ד וְהָיְתָ֤ה נַפְשְׁךָ֙ תַּ֣חַת נַפְשׁ֔וֹ א֥וֹ כִכַּר־כֶּ֖סֶף תִּשְׁקֽוֹל׃Read the interlinear

• ·הָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• As the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• passed byעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
• heהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• cried outצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
• toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• ·אָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Your servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• had marched outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• into the middleקֶ֫רֶבqereb · entrails: amongH7130
• of the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• when suddenlyהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• came overסוּרsûr ώûr · to turn aside: turn asideH5493
• withבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• Guardשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: guardH8104
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• Ifאִם'im · ifH518
• he goes missingפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: missingH6485
• your lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• forתַּחַתtachath · underneath: insteadH8478
• orאוֹ'ô 'av · orH176
• you will weigh outשָׁקַלshâqal · to weighH8254
• a talentכִּכָּרkikâr · talentH3603
• of silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:39

• 1 Kings 20:38and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
• 2 Samuel 13:19And Tamar put ashes on her head and tore her robe. And putting her hand on her head, she went away crying aloud.
• Job 2:8And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes.
• Jeremiah 6:26O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter wailing, as you would for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:39

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 39Keep this man - The drift of this is at once seen; but Ahab, not knowing it, was led to pass sentence on himself.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
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3939. a talent of silver--£342.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:39

• Parables
• Self-Condemnation
• Symbols and Similitudes

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Mark
• Micaiah
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Slave; Slavery

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