1 Kings 20:1

Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it.

2 Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel,

3 saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it.
KJV
And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
WEB
Ben Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together; and there were thirty-two kings with him, with horses and chariots. He went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
ASV
And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together; and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
DARBY
And Ben-Hadad king of Syria assembled all his host; and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
BLB
Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered together all his forces, and thirty-two kings with him, and horse and chariot. And he went up and laid siege against Samaria and made war against it.
ÅB
Kongen i Syria Benhadad samlet hele sin hær, og to og tretti konger fulgte ham med hester og vogner; og han dro opp og kringsatte Samaria og stred mot det.
OTB
Nå samlet Ben-Hadad, kongen av Aram, hele sin hær. Trettito konger var med ham, sammen med hester og vogner. Han dro opp og beleiret Samaria og angrep det.
B1930
Kongen i Syria Benhadad samlet hele sin hær, og to og tretti konger fulgte ham med hester og vogner; og han drog op og kringsatte Samaria og stred mot det.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Kings 15:18

    So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace. He entrusted it to his servants and sent them with this message to Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus:

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 22:31

    Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 15:20

    And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, conquering Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and the whole land of Naphtali, including the region of Chinnereth.

    Read in context
  • Amos 1:4

    So I will send fire upon the house of Hazael to consume the citadels of Ben-hadad.

    Read in context
  • Isaiah 37:24

    Through your servants you have taunted the Lord, and you have said: “With my many chariots I have ascended to the heights of the mountains, to the remote peaks of Lebanon. I have cut down its tallest cedars, the finest of its cypresses. I have reached its farthest heights, the densest of its forests.

    Read in context
  • 2 Kings 6:24–29

    Some time later, Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army and marched up to besiege Samaria.

    Read in context
  • Exodus 14:7

    He took 600 of the best chariots, and all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.

    Read in context
  • Ezekiel 26:7

    For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I will bring against Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses and chariots, with cavalry and a great company of troops.

    Read in context