God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 20:8
8All the leaders and all the people told him, “Don’t listen to him. Don’t agree ⌞to his demands⌟.”
1 Kings 20:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.
- New International Version (NIV)The elders and the people all answered, “Don’t listen to him or agree to his demands.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And all the elders and all the people said to him, "Do not listen or consent."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”
Context of 1 Kings 20:8
6At this time tomorrow I’m going to send my servants to search your palace and your servants’ houses. They will take anything that you consider valuable.’ ” 7Then the king of Israel called for all the leaders of the country. He said, “You can see how this man is looking for trouble. When he sent for my wives, children, silver, and gold, I didn’t refuse him.” All the leaders and all the people told him, “Don’t listen to him. Don’t agree ⌞to his demands⌟.” 9Ahab told Benhadad’s messengers, “Tell His Majesty, ‘I did everything your messengers told me the first time, but I can’t do this.’ ” The messengers left to take back his answer. 10Then Benhadad sent Ahab the following message: “May the gods strike me dead if there will be enough dust left from Samaria to give a handful to each soldier who follows me.”
Read all of 1 Kings 201 Kings 20:8 word by word
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ אֵלָ֛יו כָּל־הַזְּקֵנִ֖ים וְכָל־הָעָ֑ם אַל־תִּשְׁמַ֖ע וְל֥וֹא תֹאבֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:8
- 1 Kings 19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah. She said, “May the gods strike me dead if by this time tomorrow I don’t take your life the way you took the lives of Baal’s prophets.”
- Acts 23:12In the morning the Jews formed a conspiracy. They asked God to curse them if they ate or drank anything before they had killed Paul.
- 2 Samuel 17:12Then we’ll attack him wherever we find him. We’ll fall on him as dew falls on the ground. Neither he nor any of his men will be left ⌞alive⌟.
- 2 Kings 19:23Through your servants you defy the Lord and say, “With my many chariots I’ll ride up the high mountains, up the slopes of Lebanon. I’ll cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypresses. I’ll come to its most distant borders and its most fertile forests.
- Isaiah 10:13The king will say, “I did this with my own two powerful hands. I did this with my wisdom, because I am so clever. I’ve eliminated the boundaries of nations. I’ve looted treasuries. I’ve brought down people like a mighty man.
- Isaiah 37:24Through your servants you defy the Lord and say, “With my many chariots I’ll ride up the high mountains, up the slopes of Lebanon. I’ll cut down its tallest cedars and its finest cypresses. I’ll come to its most distant heights and its most fertile forests.
- Exodus 11:8Then all these officials of yours will come, bow down to me, and say, ‘You and all the people who follow you, get out!’ After that I will leave.” Burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh.
- Judges 4:10Barak called the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali together at Kedesh. Ten thousand men went to fight under his command. Deborah also went along with him.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Hearken not unto him - The elders had every thing at stake, and they chose rather to make a desperate defense than tamely to yield to such degrading and ruinous conditions.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8“The people” had no distinct place in the ordinary Jewish or Israelite constitution; but they were accustomed to signify their approbation or disapprobation of the decisions of the elders by acclamations or complaints (Joshua 9:18; Judges 11:11, etc.).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9When Ben-hadad's second group made even bigger demands (see 1 Samuel 11:1–2), Ahab realized Ben-hadad wanted war. Ahab agreed to the first demand but refused the second. my lord the king: Ahab spoke to Ben-hadad politely, showing he was willing to accept the Aramean king's rule. He might have hoped his polite response would prevent a fight.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-122-12. Thus said Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine--To this message sent him during the siege, Ahab returned a tame and submissive answer, probably thinking it meant no more than an exaction of tribute. But the demand was repeated with greater insolence; and yet, from the abject character of Ahab, there is reason to believe he would have yielded to this arrogant claim also, had not the voice of his subjects been raised against it. Ben-hadad's…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 20:8
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
Commentaries