1 Kings 20:26

1 Kings 20:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben–hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)The next spring Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)In the spring, Ben-hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So it was, in the spring of the year, that Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

Context of 1 Kings 20:26

24You should do this: Remove all the other kings. Put your own officers to lead the army instead. 25Bring together enough men to make an army as big as the one that lost the battle. There must be the same number of horses and chariots. Then we will fight the Israelites on the low ground. If we do that, we will surely be stronger than them.’ Ben-Hadad agreed with them. He did what they had suggested. The next spring, King Ben-Hadad brought together the men for his army. The Syrian army marched to Aphek to fight against the Israelites. 27King Ahab brought together the Israelite army and he gave them food and weapons. Then they marched out to fight against the Syrian army. The Israelite soldiers stood there in two groups. They looked like two small groups of goats! The Syrian soldiers were so many that they covered all the land around. 28God's servant, the prophet, went to the king of Israel. He said to the king, ‘This is what the Lord says: “The Syrians think that the Lord is a god who lives only in the hills. They think that he has no authority in the valleys. But I will give you power over all their great army. Then you will know that I am the Lord” ’

1 Kings 20:26 word by word

וַֽיְהִי֙ לִתְשׁוּבַ֣ת הַשָּׁנָ֔ה וַיִּפְקֹ֥ד בֶּן־הֲדַ֖ד אֶת־אֲרָ֑ם וַיַּ֣עַל אֲפֵ֔קָה לַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass at the returnתְּשׁוּבָהteshûbâh teshûbâh · turnH8666
• of the yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141
• that Ben–hadadבֶּן־הֲדַדben-hădad · Ben-hadadH1130
• numberedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
• the Syriansאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758
• and went upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• to Aphekאֲפֵק'ăphêq 'ăphîyq · AphekH663
• to fightמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
• against Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:26

• 1 Kings 20:13Then a prophet came to Ahab, the king of Israel. He said, ‘The Lord says this to you: “Look at Ben-Hadad's great army! Today I will put them under your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’
• 1 Kings 13:1King Jeroboam was standing in front of the altar at Bethel. He was ready to make an offering. At that time, the Lord told one of his servants to go from Judah to Bethel.
• 1 Kings 17:18The woman said to Elijah, ‘Servant of God, why have you come to hurt me like this? Did you come to kill my son so that I would remember all my sins?’
• 2 Chronicles 20:14Then the Lord's Spirit came with power to Jahaziel as he stood among the people. Jahaziel was a Levite, a descendant of Asaph. He was the son of Zechariah, who was the son of Benaiah, who was the son of Jeiel, who was the son of Mattaniah.
• 1 Kings 20:23At the same time, some of the king of Syria's officers said to him, ‘The gods of the Israelites are gods who live in the hills. That is why the Israelites were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the lower ground, we will surely be stronger than them.
• Isaiah 37:29Yes, you do shout at me! And I have heard all your proud noise. So I will put my hook in your nose. I will tie a rope to your mouth. Then I will pull you back home by the same way that you came.”
• Deuteronomy 32:27But then their enemies would boast. They would not understand. They would say, “We have destroyed these people with our own strength! The Lord has not done this!” ’
• Joshua 7:8Now our army has had to run away from our enemies! Lord, there is nothing more for me to say!
• Job 12:16God has strength and wisdom. He has power over people who tell lies, and the people that they deceive.
• Psalms 58:10When God punishes those wicked people, righteous people will be very happy. They will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked people!
• Psalms 79:10Foreign nations are saying about us, ‘Their God cannot help them!’ That is not right! People of those nations have murdered your servants, so punish them for us to see.
• Jeremiah 14:7‘Lord, our many sins show that we are guilty. But please help us, to show that you are our God. We have turned away from you many times. We have done bad things against you.
• Ezekiel 20:9But I did not want the people of other nations to insult my name. I had promised Israel's people that I would bring them out of Egypt. The nations near where the Israelites were living knew this.
• Ezekiel 36:21I wanted them to give honour to my holy name. Instead, Israel's people brought me shame among the nations where they went.
• Exodus 6:7I will cause you to be my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord. I am your God who saved you from the power of the Egyptians.
• Exodus 7:5Then the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. I will show my great strength in Egypt and I will lead the Israelites out from there.’

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:26

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek - There were several towns of this name; see the notes on Joshua 12:18. It is supposed that the town mentioned here was situated in Libanus, upon the river Adonis, between Heliopolis and Biblos.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26Aphek - There were several places of this name in Palestine (see the marginal reference). This Aphek has been almost certainly identified with the modern Fik, a large village on the present high road from Damascus to Nablous and Jersalem. The expression “went up to Aphek” is appropriate, for Fik, though in a level country, is at a much higher elevation than Damascus.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-30Verses 22-30 Those about Benhadad advised him to change his ground. They take it for granted that it was not Israel, but Israel's gods, that beat them; but they speak very ignorantly of Jehovah. They supposed that Israel had many gods, to whom they ascribed limited power within a certain district; thus vain were the Gentiles in their imaginations concerning God. The greatest wisdom in worldly concerns is often united with the most contemptible folly in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26Aphek was east of the Sea of Galilee in northern Ramoth-gilead. Ben-hadad’s officers thought this place would benefit the Aramean chariots and weaken Israel's "gods of the hills."Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2622-26. the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said--The same prophet who had predicted the victory shortly reappeared, admonishing the king to take every precaution against a renewal of hostilities in the following campaign. at the return of the year--that is, in spring, when, on the cessation of the rainy season, military campaigns (2Sa 11:1), were anciently begun. It happened as the prophet had forewarned. Brooding over their late disastrous…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:26

• Aphek
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Muster
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Ahab
• Aphik
• Mark
• Aphek
• Benhadad
• Israel, Kingdom of
• War; Warfare
• Joash

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