Bible Compass
Log inGet started
Back to the chapter

1 Kings 20:23

Syria

21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:

25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

Read the whole chapter

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
Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.
KJV
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
WEB
The servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let’s fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.
ASV
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we: but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
DARBY
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them on the plateau, shall we not be stronger than they?
BLB
And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods [are] gods of the hills; upon thus they were stronger than we. But if we fight against them in the plain, will we not surely be stronger than they?
ÅB
Men syrerkongens tjenere sa til ham: Deres guder er fjellguder, derfor vant de over oss; men strider vi med dem på sletten, da vinner vi sikkert over dem.
OTB
I mellomtiden sa kongens av Aram tjenestemenn til ham, "Deres guder er guder av høydene. Det er derfor de var sterkere enn oss. Men hvis vi kjemper mot dem på slettene, vil vi sikkert være sterkere enn de.
B1930
Men syrerkongens tjenere sa til ham: Deres guder er fjellguder, derfor vant de over oss; men strider vi med dem på sletten, da vinner vi sikkert over dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 1 Kings 14:23

    For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

    Read in context

  • 1 Samuel 4:8

    Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

    Read in context

  • 2 Kings 19:12

    Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which were in Thelasar?

    Read in context

  • Isaiah 42:8

    I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

    Read in context

  • Psalms 50:21–22

    These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.

    Read in context

  • Romans 1:21–23

    Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

    Read in context

  • 2 Chronicles 32:13–19

    Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?

    Read in context

  • 1 Kings 20:28

    And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

    Read in context