1 Kings 20:33

1 Kings 20:33 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben–hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben–hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
• New International Version (NIV)The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. “Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!” they said. “Go and get him,” the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go and bring him." Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.” So he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot.

Context of 1 Kings 20:33

31And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life. 32So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben–hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben–hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben–hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot. 34And Ben–hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away. 35And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of Yhwh, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

1 Kings 20:33 word by word

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩ יְנַחֲשׁ֨וּ וַֽיְמַהֲר֜וּ וַיַּחְלְט֣וּ הֲמִמֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אָחִ֣יךָ בֶן־הֲדַ֔ד וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בֹּ֣אוּ קָחֻ֑הוּ וַיֵּצֵ֤א אֵלָיו֙ בֶּן־הֲדַ֔ד וַֽיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Now the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• did diligently observeנָחַשׁnâchash · to divineH5172
• from him, and did hastilyמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
• catchחָלַטchâlaţ · to catchH2480
• and they saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Thy brotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
• Ben–hadadבֶּן־הֲדַדben-hădad · Ben-hadadH1130
• Goבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• ye, bringלָקַחlâqach · to take: bringH3947
• came forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• to him; and he caused him to come upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
• into the chariotמֶרְכָּבָהmerkâbâh · chariotH4818

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:33

• 1 Kings 20:38So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
• 1 Samuel 10:12And one of the same place answered and said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul also among the prophets?
• 2 Kings 2:3And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth–el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that Yhwh will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
• 2 Kings 4:1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear Yhwh: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
• Amos 7:14Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
• 1 Kings 13:1And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of Yhwh unto Beth–el: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
• 1 Kings 17:18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?
• 1 Kings 20:37Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
• Isaiah 8:18Behold, I and the children whom Yhwh hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yhwh of Armies, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
• Isaiah 20:2At the same time spake Yhwh by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
• Jeremiah 27:2Thus saith Yhwh to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck,
• Ezekiel 4:3Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.
• Matthew 16:24Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 33Did hastily catch it - They were watching to see if any kind word should be spoken by him, from which they might draw a favorable omen; and when they heard him use the word brother, it gave them much encouragement.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 33The meaning of this verse is that the men from the first moment of their arrival were on the watch to note what Ahab would say; and the moment he let fall the expression “He is my brother,” they caught it up and repeated it, fixing him to it, as it were, and preventing his retreat. By the Oriental law of “dakheel” anyone is at any time entitled to put himself under the protection of another, be that other his friend or his greatest enemy; and if the man…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 31-43Verses 31-43 This encouragement sinners have to repent and humble themselves before God; Have we not heard, that the God of Israel is a merciful God? Have we not found him so? That is gospel repentance, which flows from an apprehension of the mercy of God, in Christ; there is forgiveness with him. What a change is here! The most haughty in prosperity often are most abject in adversity; an evil spirit will thus affect a man in both these conditions. There…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 32-33my brother: Ahab spoke to Ben-hadad in a polite way, showing respect for the Aramean king's authority and Ahab's wish for good relations. Ahab invited Ben-hadad into his chariot to warmly welcome him and to show that he should see Ahab as his equal. In the ancient Near East, kings spoke to each other as brothers to express friendship, good relations, or formal equality.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 32-3432-34. put ropes on their heads--Captives were dragged by ropes round their necks in companies, as is depicted on the monuments of Egypt. Their voluntary attitude and language of submission flattered the pride of Ahab, who, little concerned about the dishonor done to the God of Israel by the Syrian king, and thinking of nothing but victory, paraded his clemency, called the vanquished king "his brother," invited him to sit in the royal chariot, and…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 20:33

• Brother
• Cord
• Diplomacy
• Kindness
• Magnanimity

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Mark
• Alliance
• Benhadad
• Haste
• 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