1 Kings 20:12

1 Kings 20:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, when Ben–hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.
• New International Version (NIV)Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he ordered his men: “Prepare to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, "Take your positions." And they took their positions against the city.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And it happened when Ben-Hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking at the command post, that he said to his servants, “Get ready.” And they got ready to attack the city.

Context of 1 Kings 20:12

10Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.” 11The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.” When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city. 13Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Do you see this huge army? Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’” 14Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”

1 Kings 20:12 word by word

וַיְהִ֗י כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְה֥וּא שֹׁתֶ֛ה ה֥וּא וְהַמְּלָכִ֖ים בַּסֻּכּ֑וֹת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ שִׂ֔ימוּ וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ עַל־הָעִֽיר׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• this messageדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• drinkingשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• he and the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• in the pavilionsסֻכָּהsûkkâh · boothH5521
• that he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• Setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: takeH7760
• against the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:12

• Genesis 14:14When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he mobilized his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders as far as Dan.
• Judges 7:16He divided the three hundred men into three units. He gave them all trumpets and empty jars with torches inside them.
• 1 Samuel 17:50David prevailed over the Philistine with just the sling and the stone. He struck down the Philistine and killed him. David did not even have a sword in his hand.
• 1 Corinthians 1:27But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong.
• 1 Kings 18:44The seventh time the servant said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’”

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12In the pavilions - This word comes from papilio, a butterfly, because tents, when pitched or spread out, resembled such animals; partly because of the mode of their expansion, and partly because of the manner in which they were painted. Set yourselves in array - The original word, שימו simu, which we translate by this long periphrasis, is probably a military term for Begin the attack, Invest the city, Every man to his post, or some such like expression.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Pavilions - “Booths” (Genesis 33:17 margin; Leviticus 23:42; Jonah 4:5). The term seems to be properly applied to a stationary “booth” or “hut,” as distinguished from a moveable “tent.” On military expeditions, and especially in the case of a siege, such “huts” were naturally constructed to shelter the king and his chief officers.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. 12Ben-hadad and the other kings were drinking in their tents, expecting Ahab to surrender. Ahab’s response was a challenge, so the Aramean officers got ready to attack.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

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Mark
• Pavilion
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Booth
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Samaria, City of
• Set

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