1 Kings 20:15

1 Kings 20:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
• New International Version (NIV)So Ahab summoned the 232 junior officers under the provincial commanders. Then he assembled the rest of the Israelites, 7,000 in all.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he mustered the young leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel—seven thousand.

Context of 1 Kings 20:15

13Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I am going to hand them over to you today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’” 14But Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “The Lord says this: ‘By the young men of the leaders of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who will begin the battle?” And he said, “You will.” So he mustered the young men of the leaders of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, all the sons of Israel: seven thousand. 16They went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the temporary shelters with the thirty-two kings who were helping him. 17The young men of the leaders of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.”

1 Kings 20:15 word by word

וַיִּפְקֹ֗ד אֶֽת־נַעֲרֵי֙ שָׂרֵ֣י הַמְּדִינ֔וֹת וַיִּהְי֕וּ מָאתַ֖יִם שְׁנַ֣יִם וּשְׁלֹשִׁ֑ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם פָּקַ֧ד אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֛ם כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שִׁבְעַ֥ת אֲלָפִֽים׃Read the interlinear

• So he musteredפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: listH6485
• the youngנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• of the leadersשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• and there were 232מֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and there were 232שְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• and there were 232שְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• and afterאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
• thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505

People and places in 1 Kings 20:15

• Israel

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:15

• 1 Kings 20:14But Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “The Lord says this: ‘By the young men of the leaders of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who will begin the battle?” And he said, “You will.”

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Two hundred and thirty-two - These were probably the king's life or body guards; not all the militia, but two hundred and thirty of them who constituted the royal guard in Samaria. They were therefore the king's own regiment, and he is commanded by the prophet to put himself at their head. Seven thousand - How low must the state of Israel have been at this time! These Jarchi thinks were the seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Seven thousand - Considering how populous Palestine was in the time of the earlier Israelite kings (see 2 Chronicles 13:3; 2 Chronicles 14:8; 2 Chronicles 17:14-18), the smallness of this number is somewhat surprising. If the reading be sound, we must suppose, first, that Ben-hadad‘s attack was very sudden, and that Ahab had no time to collect forces from distant parts of the country; and secondly, that during the long siege the garrison of Samaria had…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-21Verses 12-21 The proud Syrians were beaten, and the despised Israelites were conquerors. The orders of the proud, drunken king disordered his troops, and prevented them from attacking the Israelites. Those that are most secure, are commonly least courageous. Ahab slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-16Ahab's forces attacked around noon after a prophet promised them victory. The Jewish historian Josephus thought this prophet might have been Micaiah (see 1 Kings 22:8). The Israelites attacked during the hottest part of the day (see Joshua 8:14), catching the enemy off guard. Ben-hadad and the allied kings were still drinking, showing their lack of respect for Ahab's military strength.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-2113-21. behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab--Though the king and people of Israel had highly offended Him, God had not utterly cast them off. He still cherished designs of mercy towards them, and here, though unasked, gave them a signal proof of His interest in them, by a prophet's animating announcement that the Lord would that day deliver the mighty hosts of the enemy into his hand by means of a small, feeble, inadequate band. Conformably to the…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:15

• Armies
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Children of Israel
• Ahab
• Governor
• Mark
• Pavilion
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Samaria, City of

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