Christian Standard Bible
1 Kings 20:13
13A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am the Lord.’”
1 Kings 20:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, "Thus says the Lord, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the Lord."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Context of 1 Kings 20:13
11The king of Israel answered, “Say this: ‘Don’t let the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.’” 12When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in their quarters, he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city. A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am the Lord.’” 14Ahab asked, “By whom?” And the prophet said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘By the young men of the provincial leaders.’” Then he asked, “Who is to start the battle?” He said, “You.” 15So Ahab mobilized the young men of the provincial leaders, and there were 232. After them he mobilized all the Israelite troops: 7,000.
Read all of 1 Kings 201 Kings 20:13 word by word
וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ נָבִ֣יא אֶחָ֗ד נִגַּשׁ֮ אֶל־אַחְאָ֣ב מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הְֽרָאִ֔יתָ אֵ֛ת כָּל־הֶהָמ֥וֹן הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּ֑ה הִנְנִ֨י נֹתְנ֤וֹ בְיָֽדְךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְיָדַעְתָּ֖ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And, behold, there cameנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
- aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- unto Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Hast thou seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- all this greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- behold, I will deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- it into thine handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- and thou shalt knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:13
- Judges 7:7The Lord said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the three hundred men who lapped and hand the Midianites over to you. But everyone else is to go home.”
- 1 Samuel 14:6Jonathan said to the attendant who carried his weapons, “Come on, let’s cross over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will help us. Nothing can keep the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”
- 2 Chronicles 14:11Then Asa cried out to the Lord his God, “Lord, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord our God, for we depend on you, and in your name we have come against this large army. Lord, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you.”
- 1 Kings 19:18But I will leave seven thousand in Israel — every knee that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
- 1 Samuel 14:2Saul was staying under the pomegranate tree in Migron on the outskirts of Gibeah. The troops with him numbered about six hundred.
- 2 Kings 13:7Jehoahaz did not have an army left, except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them, making them like dust at threshing.
- Psalms 106:40Therefore the Lord’s anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own inheritance.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13There came a prophet - Who this was we cannot tell; Jarchi says it was Micaiah, son of Imlah. It is strange that on such an occasion we hear nothing of Elijah or Elisha. Is it not possible that this was one of them disguised?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The rabbinical commentators conjecture that this prophet was Micaiah, the son of Imlah, who is mentioned below 1 Kings 22:8. Hast thou seen all this great multitude? - The boast of Ben-hadad 1 Kings 20:10, was not without a basis of truth; his force seems to have exceeded 130,000 (compare 1 Kings 20:25, 1 Kings 20:29-30). In his wars with the Assyrians we find him sometimes at the head of 100,000 men.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 The proud Syrians were beaten, and the despised Israelites were conquerors. The orders of the proud, drunken king disordered his troops, and prevented them from attacking the Israelites. Those that are most secure, are commonly least courageous. Ahab slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-16Ahab's forces attacked around noon after a prophet promised them victory. The Jewish historian Josephus thought this prophet might have been Micaiah (see 1 Kings 22:8). The Israelites attacked during the hottest part of the day (see Joshua 8:14), catching the enemy off guard. Ben-hadad and the allied kings were still drinking, showing their lack of respect for Ahab's military strength.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2113-21. behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab--Though the king and people of Israel had highly offended Him, God had not utterly cast them off. He still cherished designs of mercy towards them, and here, though unasked, gave them a signal proof of His interest in them, by a prophet's animating announcement that the Lord would that day deliver the mighty hosts of the enemy into his hand by means of a small, feeble, inadequate band. Conformably to the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 20:13
In the dictionaries
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
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