1 Kings 20:28

²⁶ In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

²⁷ The Israelites also mobilized, gathered supplies, and marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped before them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”

²⁹ For seven days the armies camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle ensued, and the Israelites struck down the Arameans—a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day.

³⁰ The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

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 the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
KJV: 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.
WEB: A man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “The LORD says, ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”
ASV: And a man of God came near and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys; therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
DARBY: And the man of God drew near, and spoke to the king of Israel and said, Thus saith Jehovah: Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah is a god of the mountains, but he is not a god of the valleys, I will give all this great multitude into thy hand, and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.
BLB: And came a man of God and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says YHWH: ‘Because that the Aramaeans have said [that] YHWH [is] God of the hills, and He [is] not God of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you⁺ shall know that I [am] YHWH.’”

ÅB: Da trådte den Guds mann fram og sa til Israels konge: Så sier Herren, sa han: Fordi syrerne har sagt: Herren er en fjellgud og ikke en dalgud, så vil jeg gi hele denne store mengde i din hånd, og dere skal kjenne at jeg er Herren.
OTB: Da kom en Guds mann og sa til Israels konge, "Dette sier Herren: Fordi arameerne har sagt, 'Herren er en gud av høydene, men ikke en gud av dalene,' vil jeg overgi denne store hæren i dine hender, og du skal vite at jeg er Herren."
B1930: Da trådte den Guds mann frem og sa til Israels konge: Så sier Herren, sa han: Fordi syrerne har sagt: Herren er en fjellgud og ikke en dalgud, så vil jeg gi hele denne store mengde i din hånd, og I skal kjenne at jeg er Herren.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Kings 20:13
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.’”
Read in context
1 Kings 17:18
“O man of God,” said the woman to Elijah, “what have you done to me? Have you come to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son?”
Read in context
Ezekiel 36:21–23
But I had concern for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they had gone.
Read in context
Ezekiel 12:16
But I will spare a few of them from sword and famine and plague, so that in the nations to which they go, they can recount all their abominations. Then they will know that I am the LORD.”
Read in context
Psalms 79:10
Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants.
Read in context
Joshua 7:8–9
O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies?
Read in context
1 Kings 20:22–23
Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”
Read in context
Exodus 7:5
And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
Read in context