1 Kings 20:14
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.
13 Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
“By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet.
15 So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.
16 They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.
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
- “By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet.
- KJV
- And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
- WEB
- Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “The LORD says, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”
- ASV
- And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.
- DARBY
- And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah: By the servants of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he said, Thou.
- BLB
- And Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘By the young men of the commanders of the provinces.’” And he said, “Who will direct the battle?” And he answered, “You.”
- ÅB
- Akab spurte: Ved hvem? Han svarte: Så sier Herren: Ved landshøvdingenes menn. Så spurte han: Hvem skal begynne striden? Han svarte: Du selv.
- OTB
- Ahab spurte: "Ved hvem?" Og han sa: "Dette sier Herren: Ved de unge offiserene til distriktsguvernørene." Da spurte Ahab: "Hvem skal begynne slaget?" Og han svarte: "Du skal."
- B1930
- Akab spurte: Ved hvem? Han svarte: Så sier Herren: Ved landshøvdingenes menn. Så spurte han: Hvem skal begynne striden? Han svarte: Du selv.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Genesis 14:14–16
And when Abram heard that his relative had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men born in his household, and they set out in pursuit as far as Dan.
Read in contextJudges 7:16–20
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies and gave each man a ram’s horn in one hand and a large jar in the other, containing a torch.
Read in context1 Samuel 17:50
Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
Read in context1 Corinthians 1:27–29
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
Read in context1 Kings 18:44
On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
Read in context