1 Kings 20:7

1 Kings 20:7 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
• New International Version (NIV)The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, “See how this man is looking for trouble! When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, "Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, “Notice, please, and see how this man seeks trouble, for he sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold; and I did not deny him.”

Context of 1 Kings 20:7

5And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben–hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 6Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away. Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. 8And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent. 9Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben–hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

1 Kings 20:7 word by word

וַיִּקְרָ֤א מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לְכָל־זִקְנֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ דְּעֽוּ־נָ֣א וּרְא֔וּ כִּ֥י רָעָ֖ה זֶ֣ה מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֨ח אֵלַ֜י לְנָשַׁ֤י וּלְבָנַי֙ וּלְכַסְפִּ֣י וְלִזְהָבִ֔י וְלֹ֥א מָנַ֖עְתִּי מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃Read the interlinear

• Then the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• all the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
• of the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Markיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• I pray you, and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• seekethבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• mischiefרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
• for he sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• unto me for my wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• and for my childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• and for my silverכֶּ֫סֶףkeseph · silver: moneyH3701
• and for my goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
• and I deniedמָנַעmâna‛ · to withholdH4513

Cross-references for 1 Kings 20:7

• 1 Kings 8:1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Yhwh out of the city of David, which is Zion.
• 2 Kings 5:7And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
• 1 Chronicles 13:1And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader.
• 1 Chronicles 28:1And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men, and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.
• Proverbs 11:14Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
• Job 15:35They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
• Psalms 7:14Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
• Psalms 36:4He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
• Psalms 62:3How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.
• Psalms 140:2Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.
• Proverbs 6:14Perverseness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.
• Proverbs 11:27He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.
• Proverbs 24:2For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
• Daniel 11:27And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.
• Romans 3:13Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
• 1 Kings 20:4And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 20:7

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7The political institution of a Council of elders (Exodus 3:16, etc.), which had belonged to the undivided nation from the sojourn in Egypt downward, had therefore been continued among the ten tribes after their separation, and still held an important place in the system of Government. The Council was not merely called together when the king needed it, but held its regular sittings at the seat of government; and hence, “all the elders of the land” were now…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7-9When Ben-hadad's second group made even bigger demands (see 1 Samuel 11:1–2), Ahab realized Ben-hadad wanted war. Ahab agreed to the first demand but refused the second. my lord the king: Ahab spoke to Ben-hadad politely, showing he was willing to accept the Aramean king's rule. He might have hoped his polite response would prevent a fight.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 20:7

• Government

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Ahab
• Mark
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Deny
• 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