New English Translation
1 Kings 22:3
3The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.”
1 Kings 22:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?
- New International Version (NIV)The king of Israel had said to his officials, “Don’t you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the king of Israel said to his servants, "Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we keep quiet and do not take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, but we hesitate to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria?”
Context of 1 Kings 22:3
1There was no war between Syria and Israel for three years. 2In the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to visit the king of Israel. The king of Israel said to his servants, “Surely you recognize that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us, though we are hesitant to reclaim it from the king of Syria.” 4Then he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I will support you; my army and horses are at your disposal.” 5Then Jehoshaphat added, “First seek an oracle from the Lord.”
Read all of 1 Kings 221 Kings 22:3 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֔יו הַיְדַעְתֶּ֕ם כִּֽי־לָ֖נוּ רָמֹ֣ת גִּלְעָ֑ד וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ מַחְשִׁ֔ים מִקַּ֣חַת אֹתָ֔הּ מִיַּ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ אֲרָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- Knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- ye that Ramothרָמֹתrâmôth gil‛âd râmôth gil‛âd · Ramoth (Gilead)H7433
- in Gileadגִּלְעָדgil‛âd · (Ramoth)-gileadH1568
- stillחָשָׁהchâshâh · be silentH2814
- takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- it not out of the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of Syriaאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758
Cross-references for 1 Kings 22:3
- 1 Kings 4:13Ben-Geber was in charge of Ramoth Gilead; he controlled the tent villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan, including sixty large walled cities with bronze bars locking their gates.
- Deuteronomy 4:43These cities are Bezer, in the desert plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan for the Manassehites.
- Joshua 20:8Beyond the Jordan east of Jericho they selected Bezer in the desert on the plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh.
- Judges 16:2The Gazites were told, “Samson has come here!” So they surrounded the town and hid all night at the city gate, waiting for him to leave. They relaxed all night, thinking, “He will not leave until morning comes; then we will kill him!”
- 2 Samuel 19:10But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king, has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?”
Commentaries on 1 Kings 22:3
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3By the terms of Ahab‘s covenant with Ben-hadad, Ramoth in Gilead ought, long ere this, to have been restored 1 Kings 20:34. Hence, the claim “is ours,” i. e., “it belongs to us of right though the Syrians still hold possession of it.”Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4Jehoshaphat and Ahab were related because Ahab’s daughter, Athaliah, married Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram (2 Kings 8:25–26). Jehoshaphat intended his visit to be friendly, but he quickly got involved in Ahab’s plan to capture Ramoth-gilead. The threat from Assyria had stopped Ahab from controlling this important area, which was at the eastern end of the Plain of Jezreel. Now, they needed to take it by force, and Jehoshaphat offered his troops and horses to…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-83-8. Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours--a Levitical and free town on the north border of Gad (De 4:43; Jos 21:38), on the site of the present Salt Lake, in the province of Belka. It lay within the territories of the Israelitish monarch, and was unjustly alienated; but whether it was one of the cities usurped by the first Ben-hadad, which his son had promised to restore, or was retained for some other reasons, the sacred historian has not mentioned. In…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 22:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 22
- 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
- EGW Writings
New English Translation — © 1996-2016 Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.
Commentaries