1 Kings 20:2

1 Kings 20:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben–hadad,
• New International Version (NIV)He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-Hadad says:
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, "Thus says Ben-hadad:
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, “Thus says Ben-Hadad:

Context of 1 Kings 20:2

1About that time King Ben-hadad of Aram mobilized his army, supported by the chariots and horses of thirty-two allied kings. They went to besiege Samaria, the capital of Israel, and launched attacks against it. Ben-hadad sent messengers into the city to relay this message to King Ahab of Israel: “This is what Ben-hadad says: 3‘Your silver and gold are mine, and so are your wives and the best of your children!’” 4“All right, my lord the king,” Israel’s king replied. “All that I have is yours!”

1 Kings 20:2 word by word

וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח מַלְאָכִ֛ים אֶל־אַחְאָ֥ב מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הָעִֽירָה׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֗וֹ כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר בֶּן־הֲדַ֔דRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
• to Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• into the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Ben–hadadבֶּן־הֲדַדben-hădad · Ben-hadadH1130

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:2

• 2 Kings 19:9Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent messengers back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with this message:
• Isaiah 36:2Then the king of Assyria sent his chief of staff from Lachish with a huge army to confront King Hezekiah in Jerusalem. The Assyrians took up a position beside the aqueduct that feeds water into the upper pool, near the road leading to the field where cloth is washed.
• Isaiah 37:9Soon afterward King Sennacherib received word that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was leading an army to fight against him. Before leaving to meet the attack, he sent messengers back to Hezekiah in Jerusalem with this message:

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:2

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2It may be supposed that a considerable time had passed in the siege, that the city had been reduced to an extremity, and that ambassadors had been sent by Ahab to ask terms of peace short of absolute surrender, before Ben-hadad would make such a demand. He would expect and intend his demand to be rejected, and this would have left him free to plunder the town, which was evidently what he desired and purposed.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4Ben-hadad's first group of messengers demanded that Israel surrender its treasures and people. Ahab agreed, wanting peace no matter the cost. He was willing to give up royal treasures and even his family to avoid a bloody war with a powerful enemy.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2-122-12. Thus said Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine--To this message sent him during the siege, Ahab returned a tame and submissive answer, probably thinking it meant no more than an exaction of tribute. But the demand was repeated with greater insolence; and yet, from the abject character of Ahab, there is reason to believe he would have yielded to this arrogant claim also, had not the voice of his subjects been raised against it. Ben-hadad's…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:2

• Ambassadors

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Israel
• Mark
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Israel, Kingdom of
• Joel (2)
• Samaria, City of
• Ambassador
• siege, besiege, besieged, siegework, siegeworks

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