God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 20:26
26Spring came, and Benhadad organized the Aramean army and went to Aphek to fight Israel.
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
24This is what we must do: Remove all of the kings from their positions, and substitute governors for them. 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. Spring 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. 28The man of God came again. He said to the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: Because the Arameans said that the Lord is a god of the hills but not a god of the valleys, I will hand over their entire army to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
Read all of 1 Kings 201 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 King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: Have you seen this large army? I will hand it over to you today. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
- 1 Kings 13:1A man of God from Judah had come to Bethel. When he arrived, Jeroboam was standing at the altar to offer a sacrifice.
- 1 Kings 17:18The woman asked Elijah, “What do you and I have in common, man of God? Did you come here to remind me of my sin and kill my son?”
- 2 Chronicles 20:14Then the Lord’s Spirit came to Jahaziel. (He was the son of Zechariah, grandson of Benaiah, great-grandson of Jeiel, whose father was Mattaniah, a Levite descended from Asaph.)
- 1 Kings 20:23Meanwhile, 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.
- Isaiah 37:29Since you rage against me and your boasting has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bridle in your mouth. I will make you go back the way you came.
- Deuteronomy 32:27But I didn’t want their enemies to make me angry. I didn’t want their opponents to misunderstand and say, ‘We won this victory! It wasn’t the Lord who did all this!’ ”
- Joshua 7:8Lord, what else can I say after Israel ran away from its enemy?
- Job 12:16“God has power and priceless wisdom. He owns ⌞both⌟ the deceiver and the person who is deceived.
- Psalms 58:10Righteous people will rejoice when they see ⌞God⌟ take revenge. They will wash their feet in the blood of wicked people.
- Psalms 79:10Why should the nations ⌞be allowed to⌟ say, “Where is their God?” Let us watch as the nations learn that there is punishment for shedding the blood of your servants.
- Jeremiah 14:7Do something, Lord, for the sake of your name, even though our sins testify against us. We have been unfaithful and have sinned against you.
- Ezekiel 20:9But I acted so that my name would not be dishonored among the nations where they were living. While other nations were watching, I made myself known to them by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.
- Ezekiel 36:21I became concerned about my holy name because my people dishonored it among the nations wherever they went.
- Exodus 6:7Then I will make you my people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians.
- Exodus 7:5The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I use my power against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of 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
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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