God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 20:25
25Recruit an army with as many horses and chariots as the one which was defeated. Then, if we fight them on the plain, we will be stronger than they are.” He took their advice and followed it.
1 Kings 20:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
- New International Version (NIV)You must also raise an army like the one you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they." And he listened to their voice and did so.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and you shall muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain; surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.
Context of 1 Kings 20:25
23Meanwhile, the officers of King Benhadad of Aram told him, “Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we were. However, if we fight them on the plain, we will be stronger than they are. 24This is what we must do: Remove all of the kings from their positions, and substitute governors for them. Recruit an army with as many horses and chariots as the one which was defeated. Then, if we fight them on the plain, we will be stronger than they are.” He took their advice and followed it. 26Spring came, and Benhadad organized the Aramean army and went to Aphek to fight Israel. 27When the Israelite ⌞troops⌟ had been organized and given provisions, they went to meet the enemy. The Israelites, while camped opposite the Arameans who filled the country, seemed like two newborn goats.
Read all of 1 Kings 201 Kings 20:25 word by word
וְאַתָּ֣ה תִֽמְנֶה־לְךָ֣׀ חַ֡יִל כַּחַיִל֩ הַנֹּפֵ֨ל מֵאוֹתָ֜ךְ וְס֣וּס כַּסּ֣וּס׀ וְרֶ֣כֶב כָּרֶ֗כֶב וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ בַּמִּישׁ֔וֹר אִם־לֹ֥א נֶחֱזַ֖ק מֵהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע לְקֹלָ֖ם וַיַּ֥עַשׂ כֵּֽן׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And numberמָנָהmânâh · to countH4487
- thee an armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
- that thou hast lostנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
- horseסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- and chariotרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
- and we will fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
- againstאֵת'êth · withH854
- them in the plainמִישׁוֹרmîyshôr mîyshôr · plainH4334
- surely we shall be strongerחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
- than they. And he hearkenedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- unto their voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- and did soעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:25
- Joshua 1:11“Go through the camp. Tell the people, ‘Get your supplies ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River to take possession of the land the Lord your God is going to give you.’ ”
- Judges 7:8So Gideon sent the other men of Israel home, but the 300 men who stayed kept all the supplies and rams’ horns. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley.
- Deuteronomy 32:30How could one person chase a thousand or two people make ten thousand flee? Their rock used these people to defeat them and the Lord gave them no help.
- Judges 6:5Like swarms of locusts, they came with their livestock and their tents. They and their camels could not be counted. They came into the land only to ruin it.
- 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.
- 1 Samuel 14:2Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree at Migron. He had with him about 600 men
- 2 Chronicles 32:7“Be strong and courageous. Don’t be frightened or terrified by the king of Assyria or the crowd with him. Someone greater is on our side.
- Ecclesiastes 9:11I saw something else under the sun. The race isn’t ⌞won⌟ by fast runners, or the battle by heroes. Wise people don’t necessarily have food. Intelligent people don’t necessarily have riches, and skilled people don’t necessarily receive special treatment. But time and unpredictable events overtake all of them.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:25
- 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. 24-25Ben-hadad's commanders believed they could easily defeat Israel on the plains with their skilled leaders and superior troops and equipment.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 20:25
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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