1 Kings 20:14

1 Kings 20:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
• New International Version (NIV)“But who will do this?” asked Ahab. The prophet replied, “This is what the Lord says: ‘The junior officers under the provincial commanders will do it.’ ” “And who will start the battle?” he asked. The prophet answered, “You will.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Ahab said, "By whom?" He said, "Thus says the Lord, By the servants of the governors of the districts." Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?" He answered, "You."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘By the young leaders of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who will set the battle in order?” And he answered, “You.”

Context of 1 Kings 20:14

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. 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.’” Ahab 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. 16They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily in their quarters.

1 Kings 20:14 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ בְּמִ֔י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנַעֲרֵ֖י שָׂרֵ֣י הַמְּדִינ֑וֹת וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מִֽי־יֶאְסֹ֥ר הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽתָּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• by the young menנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
• of the princesשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• of the provincesמְדִינָהmedîynâh · provinceH4082
• Who shall orderאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
• the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:14

• 1 Kings 20:11The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.”
• 1 Kings 16:7The prophet Jehu son of Hanani received from the Lord the message predicting the downfall of Baasha and his family because of all the evil Baasha had done in the sight of the Lord. His actions angered the Lord (including the way he had destroyed Jeroboam’s dynasty), so that his family ended up like Jeroboam’s.
• Proverbs 23:29Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has dullness of the eyes?
• Ecclesiastes 10:16Woe to you, O land, when your king is childish, and your princes feast in the morning!
• Hosea 4:11Old and new wine take away the understanding of my people.
• Isaiah 54:15If anyone dares to challenge you, it will not be my doing! Whoever tries to challenge you will be defeated.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14By the young men of the princes of the provinces - These were probably some chosen persons out of the militia of different districts, raised by the princes of the provinces; the same as we would call lord-lieutenants of counties.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14The “princes of the provinces” are the governors of districts, many of whom may have fled to the capital, as the hostile army advanced through Galilee and northern Samaria. The “young men” are their attendants, youths unaccustomed to war. Who shall order the battle? - i. e., “Who shal join battle, begin the attack? We or the enemy?” The reply was, that the Israelites were to attack.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 20:14

• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Mark
• Pavilion
• Prince
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Order
• Samaria, City of
• Young; Men, Young Women

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