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1 Kings 20:10

Ben-hadadSamaria

8 And the elders and the people all said, “Do not listen to him or consent to his terms.”

9 So Ahab answered the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you demanded of your servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers departed and relayed the message to Ben-hadad.

Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”

11 And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’”

12 Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

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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
Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”
KJV
And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
WEB
Ben Hadad sent to him, and said, “The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria will be enough for handfuls for all the people who follow me.”
ASV
And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
DARBY
And Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me!
BLB
And Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “Thus may the gods do to me, and thus more, if the dust of Samaria is left for handfuls for all the people who [are] at my feet.”
ÅB
Da sendte Benhadad igjen bud til ham og lot si: Gudene la det gå meg ille både nå og siden om Samarias støv skal kunne fylle nevene på alt det folk som er i mitt følge.
OTB
Da sendte Ben-Hadad ord igjen og sa: "Måtte gudene straffe meg hardt hvis det er nok støv igjen i Samaria til å gi en håndfull til hver av de mennene som følger meg!"
B1930
Da sendte Benhadad atter bud til ham og lot si: Gudene la det gå mig ille både nu og siden om Samarias støv skal kunne fylle nevene på alt det folk som er i mitt følge.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Kings 19:2

    So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the lives of those you killed!”

    Read in context

  • Exodus 11:8

    And all these officials of yours will come and bow before me, saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that, I will depart.” And hot with anger, Moses left Pharaoh’s presence.

    Read in context

  • Acts 23:12

    When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.

    Read in context

  • Judges 4:10

    where he summoned Zebulun and Naphtali. Ten thousand men followed him, and Deborah also went with him.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 10:13–14

    For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done this, and by my wisdom, for I am clever. I have removed the boundaries of nations and plundered their treasures; like a mighty one I subdued their rulers.

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 37:24–25

    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 19:23–24

    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 outposts, the densest of its forests.

    Read in context

  • 2 Samuel 17:12–13

    Then we will attack David wherever we find him, and we will descend on him like dew on the ground. And of all the men with him, not even one will remain.

    Read in context