New International Version
1 Kings 20:13
13Meanwhile 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.’ ”
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.
- 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.’ ”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then a certain prophet came to see King Ahab of Israel and told him, “This is what the Lord says: Do you see all these enemy forces? Today I will hand them all over to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
Context of 1 Kings 20:13
11The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’ ” 12Ben-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. 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.’ ” 14“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.” 15So Ahab summoned the 232 junior officers under the provincial commanders. Then he assembled the rest of the Israelites, 7,000 in all.
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 that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
- 1 Samuel 14:6Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.”
- 2 Chronicles 14:11Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. Lord, you are our God; do not let mere mortals prevail against you.”
- 1 Kings 19:18Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
- 1 Samuel 14:2Saul was staying on the outskirts of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree in Migron. With him were about six hundred men,
- 2 Kings 13:7Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
- Psalms 106:40Therefore the Lord was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance.
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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