1 Kings 20:16

1 Kings 20:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they went out at noon. But Ben–hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they went out at noon. Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the thirty-two kings helping him were getting drunk at the command post.
• New Living Translation (NLT)About noontime, as Ben-hadad and the thirty-two allied kings were still in their tents drinking themselves into a stupor,

Context of 1 Kings 20:16

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. They set out at noon while Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. 17The junior officers under the provincial commanders went out first. Now Ben-Hadad had dispatched scouts, who reported, “Men are advancing from Samaria.” 18He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

1 Kings 20:16 word by word

וַיֵּצְא֖וּ בַּֽצָּהֳרָ֑יִם וּבֶן־הֲדַד֩ שֹׁתֶ֨ה שִׁכּ֜וֹר בַּסֻּכּ֗וֹת ה֧וּא וְהַמְּלָכִ֛ים שְׁלֹשִֽׁים־וּשְׁנַ֥יִם מֶ֖לֶךְ עֹזֵ֥ר אֹתֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And they went outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• at noonצֹ֫הַרtsôhar · middayH6672
• But Ben–hadadבֶּן־הֲדַדben-hădad · Ben-hadadH1130
• drinkingשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• himself drunkשִׁכֹּרshikkôr shikkôr · drunkenH7910
• in the pavilionsסֻכָּהsûkkâh · boothH5521
• he and the kingsמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• the thirtyשְׁלֹשִׁיםshelôshîym shelôshîym · thirtyH7970
• and twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
• that helpedעָזַר‛âzar · to helpH5826

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:16

• 1 Samuel 2:3“Do not keep talking so proudly or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the Lord is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.
• 1 Samuel 14:11So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost. “Look!” said the Philistines. “The Hebrews are crawling out of the holes they were hiding in.”
• 1 Samuel 17:44“Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”
• 2 Kings 14:8Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”
• Proverbs 18:12Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:16

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16drinking himself drunk - Ben-hadad meant probably to mark his utter contempt of his foe. Compare the contempt of Belshazzar Daniel 5:1-4.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 20:16

• Drunkenness
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• King
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Eating
• Mark
• Pavilion
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Drunkenness
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Samaria, City of

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