God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 20:1
1King Benhadad of Aram gathered together his whole army. With him were 32 kings along with their horses and chariots. He went to blockade Samaria and fight against it.
1 Kings 20:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Ben–hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
- New International Version (NIV)Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he went up and besieged Samaria and attacked it.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces together; thirty-two kings were with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria, and made war against it.
Context of 1 Kings 20:1
King Benhadad of Aram gathered together his whole army. With him were 32 kings along with their horses and chariots. He went to blockade Samaria and fight against it. 2He sent messengers into the city to King Ahab of Israel. They told Ahab, “This is what Benhadad says: 3Your silver and gold are mine. Your beloved wives and children are mine.”
Read all of 1 Kings 201 Kings 20:1 word by word
וּבֶן־הֲדַ֣ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֗ם קָבַץ֙ אֶת־כָּל־חֵיל֔וֹ וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֨ים וּשְׁנַ֥יִם מֶ֛לֶךְ אִתּ֖וֹ וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיַּ֗עַל וַיָּ֙צַר֙ עַל־שֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וַיִּלָּ֖חֶם בָּֽהּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Ben–hadadבֶּן־הֲדַדben-hădad · Ben-hadadH1130
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Syriaאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758
- gatheredקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
- all his hostחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
- thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
- and twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- with him, and horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- and chariotsרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
- and he went upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- and besiegedצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
- Samariaשֹׁמְרוֹןshômerôn · SamariaH8111
- and warredלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:1
- 1 Kings 15:18Then Asa took all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace and turned them over to his officials. King Asa sent them to Damascus to Aram’s King Benhadad, son of Tabrimmon and grandson of Hezion.
- 2 Kings 8:7Elisha went to Damascus. King Benhadad of Aram, who was sick, was told, “The man of God has come here.”
- 2 Chronicles 16:2Then Asa brought out all the silver and gold that was left in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace. He sent them to Damascus to Aram’s King Benhadad.
- Jeremiah 49:27“I will set fire to the walls of Damascus and burn down Benhadad’s palaces.”
- Amos 1:4I will send a fire on the house of Hazael and burn down the palaces of Ben Hadad.
- 1 Kings 20:16They attacked at noon, when Benhadad was in his tent getting drunk with the 32 kings who were his allies.
- Genesis 14:1At that time ⌞four kings⌟—King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim—
- Judges 1:7Adoni Bezek said, “Seventy kings who had their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up food under my table. God has paid me back for what I did to them.” Judah’s troops brought Adoni Bezek to Jerusalem, where he died.
- Ezra 7:12From: Artaxerxes, king of kings To: Ezra the priest, a scribe for the Teachings of the God of Heaven: I wish you peace and prosperity!
- Isaiah 10:8They ask, ‘Aren’t all our commanders kings?
- Ezekiel 26:7“This is what the Almighty Lord says: From the north I’m going to bring King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon against you, Tyre. He is the greatest king. He will bring horses, chariots, war horses, many people, and many troops.
- Daniel 2:37“Your Majesty, you are the greatest king. The God of heaven has given you a kingdom. He has given you power, strength, and honor.
- Exodus 14:7He took 600 of his best chariots as well as all the other chariots in Egypt, placing an officer in each of them.
- Deuteronomy 20:1When you go to war against your enemies, you may see horses, chariots, and armies larger than yours. Don’t be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, will be with you.
- Judges 4:3The people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help. King Jabin had 900 chariots made of iron and had cruelly oppressed Israel for 20 years.
- 1 Samuel 13:5The Philistines assembled to fight against Israel. They had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and as many soldiers as the sand on the seashore. They camped at Michmash, east of Beth Aven.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Ben-hadad - Several MSS., and some early printed editions, have Ben-hadar, or the son of Hadar, as the Septuagint. He is supposed to be the same whom Asa stirred up against the king of Israel, 1 Kings 15:18; or, as others, his son or grandson. Thirty and two kings - Tributary chieftains of Syria and the adjacent countries. In former times every town and city had its independent chieftain. Both the Septuagint and Josephus place this war after the history…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Ben-hadad, the king of Syria - Probably the son of the Ben-hadad who assisted Asa against Baasha (1 Kings 15:18 note). Thirty and two kings with him - Not allies, but feudatories 1 Kings 20:24. Damascus had in the reign of this Ben-hadad become the center of an important monarchy, which may not improbably have extended from the Euphrates to the northern border of Israel. The Assyrian inscriptions show that this country was about the period in question…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Benhadad besieges Samaria. (1-11) Benhadad's defeat. (12-21) The Syrians again defeated. (22-30) Ahab makes peace with Benhadad. (31-43) Verses 1-11 Benhadad sent Ahab a very insolent demand. Ahab sent a very disgraceful submission; sin brings men into such straits, by putting them out of the Divine protection. If God do not rule us, our enemies shall: guilt dispirits men, and makes them cowards. Ahab became desperate. Men will part with their most…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1We do not know if this refers to Ben-hadad I or II. Accompanied by thirty-two kings: Groups of kings often united in the ancient Near East. Shalmaneser III recorded Ben-hadad’s name as Hadad-ezer and noted he was in a twelve-king alliance against him at the Battle of Qarqar in 853 BC.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-121Ki 20:1-12. Ben-hadad Besieges Samaria. 1. Ben-hadad the king of Syria--This monarch was the son of that Ben-hadad who, in the reign of Baasha, made a raid on the northern towns of Galilee (1Ki 15:20). The thirty-two kings that were confederate with him were probably tributary princes. The ancient kings of Syria and Phoenicia ruled only over a single city, and were independent of each other, except when one great city, as Damascus, acquired the…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 20:1
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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