New English Translation
1 Kings 20:13
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.’”
1 Kings 20:13 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, "Thus says the Lord, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am the Lord."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Context of 1 Kings 20:13
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.” 12When 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. Now 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.” 15So Ahab assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000.
Read all of 1 Kings 201 Kings 20:13 word by word
וְהִנֵּ֣ה׀ נָבִ֣יא אֶחָ֗ד נִגַּשׁ֮ אֶל־אַחְאָ֣ב מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ וַיֹּ֗אמֶר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הְֽרָאִ֔יתָ אֵ֛ת כָּל־הֶהָמ֥וֹן הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּ֑ה הִנְנִ֨י נֹתְנ֤וֹ בְיָֽדְךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם וְיָדַעְתָּ֖ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And, behold, there cameנָגַשׁnâgash · to approach: approachH5066
- aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- prophetנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- unto Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Hast thou seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- all this greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
- behold, I will deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- it into thine handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- this dayיוֹםyôm · day: todayH3117
- and thou shalt knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:13
- Judges 7:7The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped I will deliver the whole army and I will hand Midian over to you. The rest of the men should go home.”
- 1 Samuel 14:6Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come on, let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will intervene for us. Nothing can prevent the Lord from delivering, whether by many or by a few.”
- 2 Chronicles 14:11Asa prayed to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army. O Lord our God, don’t let men prevail against you!”
- 1 Kings 19:18I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”
- 1 Samuel 14:2Now Saul was sitting under a pomegranate tree in Migron, on the outskirts of Gibeah. The army that was with him numbered about six hundred men.
- 2 Kings 13:7Jehoahaz had no army left except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops and trampled on them like dust.
- Psalms 106:40So the Lord was angry with his people and despised the people who belong to him.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13There came a prophet - Who this was we cannot tell; Jarchi says it was Micaiah, son of Imlah. It is strange that on such an occasion we hear nothing of Elijah or Elisha. Is it not possible that this was one of them disguised?Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13The rabbinical commentators conjecture that this prophet was Micaiah, the son of Imlah, who is mentioned below 1 Kings 22:8. Hast thou seen all this great multitude? - The boast of Ben-hadad 1 Kings 20:10, was not without a basis of truth; his force seems to have exceeded 130,000 (compare 1 Kings 20:25, 1 Kings 20:29-30). In his wars with the Assyrians we find him sometimes at the head of 100,000 men.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 20:13
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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