1 Kings 20:25

1 Kings 20:25 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
• New International Version (NIV)You must also raise an army like the one you lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they." And he listened to their voice and did so.
• New King James Version (NKJV)and you shall muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain; surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

Context of 1 Kings 20:25

23After their defeat, Ben-hadad’s officers said to him, “The Israelite gods are gods of the hills; that is why they won. But we can beat them easily on the plains. 24Only this time replace the kings with field commanders! Recruit another army like the one you lost. Give us the same number of horses, chariots, and men, and we will fight against them on the plains. There’s no doubt that we will beat them.” So King Ben-hadad did as they suggested. 26The following spring he called up the Aramean army and marched out against Israel, this time at Aphek. 27Israel then mustered its army, set up supply lines, and marched out for battle. But the Israelite army looked like two little flocks of goats in comparison to the vast Aramean forces that filled the countryside!

1 Kings 20:25 word by word

וְאַתָּ֣ה תִֽמְנֶה־לְךָ֣׀ חַ֡יִל כַּחַיִל֩ הַנֹּפֵ֨ל מֵאוֹתָ֜ךְ וְס֣וּס כַּסּ֣וּס׀ וְרֶ֣כֶב כָּרֶ֗כֶב וְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֤ה אוֹתָם֙ בַּמִּישׁ֔וֹר אִם־לֹ֥א נֶחֱזַ֖ק מֵהֶ֑ם וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע לְקֹלָ֖ם וַיַּ֥עַשׂ כֵּֽן׃ פRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And numberמָנָהmânâh · to countH4487
• thee an armyחַ֫יִלchayil · armyH2428
• that thou hast lostנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• horseסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
• and chariotרֶ֫כֶבrekeb · chariotH7393
• and we will fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
• againstאֵת'êth · withH854
• them in the plainמִישׁוֹרmîyshôr mîyshôr · plainH4334
• surely we shall be strongerחָזַקchâzaq · to strengthen: strengthenH2388
• than they. And he hearkenedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
• unto their voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• and did soעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:25

• Joshua 1:11“Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
• Judges 7:8So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home. But he kept the 300 men with him. The Midianite camp was in the valley just below Gideon.
• Deuteronomy 32:30How could one person chase a thousand of them, and two people put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the Lord had given them up?
• Judges 6:5These enemy hordes, coming with their livestock and tents, were as thick as locusts; they arrived on droves of camels too numerous to count. And they stayed until the land was stripped bare.
• 1 Samuel 13:5The Philistines mustered a mighty army of 3,000 chariots, 6,000 charioteers, and as many warriors as the grains of sand on the seashore! They camped at Micmash east of Beth-aven.
• 1 Samuel 14:2Meanwhile, Saul and his 600 men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron.
• 2 Chronicles 32:7“Be strong and courageous! Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria or his mighty army, for there is a power far greater on our side!
• Ecclesiastes 9:11I have observed something else under the sun. The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle. The wise sometimes go hungry, and the skillful are not necessarily wealthy. And those who are educated don’t always lead successful lives. It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:25

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-30Verses 22-30 Those about Benhadad advised him to change his ground. They take it for granted that it was not Israel, but Israel's gods, that beat them; but they speak very ignorantly of Jehovah. They supposed that Israel had many gods, to whom they ascribed limited power within a certain district; thus vain were the Gentiles in their imaginations concerning God. The greatest wisdom in worldly concerns is often united with the most contemptible folly in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 24-25Ben-hadad's commanders believed they could easily defeat Israel on the plains with their skilled leaders and superior troops and equipment.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22-2622-26. the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said--The same prophet who had predicted the victory shortly reappeared, admonishing the king to take every precaution against a renewal of hostilities in the following campaign. at the return of the year--that is, in spring, when, on the cessation of the rainy season, military campaigns (2Sa 11:1), were anciently begun. It happened as the prophet had forewarned. Brooding over their late disastrous…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:25

• Chariot
• Israel, Prophecies Concerning
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Mark
• Benhadad
• Israel, Kingdom 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