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1 Kings 20:31

Mercy and compassion

29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.

30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.

33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

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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 the servants of Ben-hadad said to him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go out to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
KJV
And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
WEB
His servants said to him, “See now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Maybe he will save your life.”
ASV
And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.
DARBY
And his servants said to him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save thy life.
BLB
And his servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel, that they are merciful kings. Let us put, please, sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads, and we will go out to the king of Israel. Perhaps he will spare your life.”
ÅB
Da sa hans tjenere til ham: Vi har hørt at kongene av Israels hus er milde konger; la oss legge sekk om våre lender og rep om våre hoder og gå ut til Israels konge! Kanskje han lar deg få leve!
OTB
Hans tjenestemenn sa til ham, "Se, vi har hørt at Israels konger er barmhjertige. La oss kle oss i sekkestrie med tau rundt hodene våre og gå ut til Israels konge. Kanskje han vil spare ditt liv."
B1930
Da sa hans tjenere til ham: Vi har hørt at kongene av Israels hus er milde konger; la oss legge sekk om våre lender og rep om våre hoder og gå ut til Israels konge! Kanskje han lar dig få leve!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Genesis 37:34

    And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.

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  • 2 Samuel 3:31

    And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him, Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

    Read in context

  • 1 Kings 20:23

    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.

    Read in context

  • 2 Samuel 14:2

    And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

    Read in context

  • 2 Kings 19:1–2

    And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD.

    Read in context

  • Matthew 10:28

    And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

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  • Isaiah 16:5

    And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.

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  • Job 2:4

    And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

    Read in context