1 Kings 20:24
in 1 Kings 20So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And do this thing: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their room;
KJV
And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:
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This verse in 1 Kings 20
Commentary
9 notes on this verseCaptains - That is, experienced soldiers of his own subjects, who would faithfully obey the commands of the general (to which the kings would not so readily yield) and use their utmost skill and valour for their own interest and advancement.
This site's exposition
Take the kings away
on 1 Kings 20:24-25
Syria's response is entirely tactical, remove the thirty and two feudal kings, who know little of war, and put trained captains in their place, then rebuild the army horse for horse and chariot for chariot. The plan sounds reasonable and Ben-hadad follows it exactly, which is the chapter's quiet point, that Israel's coming victory will owe nothing to any comparable strategy on its own side. Matthew Henry notes the ease with which Syria refits after so great a loss, a sign of how rich and populous the kingdom still was.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Did not the Lord wish Ben-hadad, king of Syria, whom besides countless thousands of his own people, thirty-two kings and armies of the same number of kings served, to be conquered by a few foot soldiers of the princes in order that he who was …
Here the Scripture relates the two battles of the king of Israel against the Arameans, at which we have already hinted, and the twin slaughters of the Arameans, of which the second caused the death of 127,000 men, as God took his revenge on the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Let every man be employed in that which he is brought up to and used to, and preferred to that which he is fit for. Syria, it seems, was rich and populous, when it could furnish recruits sufficient, after so great a defeat, horse for horse, chariot for chariot.
And do this thing,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It happened as the prophet had forewarned. Brooding over their late disastrous defeat, the attendants of Ben-hadad ascribed the misfortune to two causes--the one arose from the principles of heathenism which led them to consider the gods of Israel as "gods of the hills"; whereas their power to aid the Israelites would be gone if the battle was maintained on the plains.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Take the kings away - These were not acquainted with military affairs, or they had not competent skill. Put experienced captains in their place, and fight not but on the plains, and you will be sure of victory.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Syrian chiefs evidently thought that want of unity had weakened their army. They therefore proposed the deposition of the kings, and the substitution, in their place, of Syrian governors: not “captains.” The term used always denotes a civil office.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַדָּבָ֥ר | hadavar | the thing | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הַזֶּ֖ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| עֲשֵׂ֑ה | ʾaseh | do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| הָסֵ֤ר | haser | remove | H5493 → | 299 times |
| הַמְּלָכִים֙ | hamelakhim | the kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| אִ֣ישׁ | ʾish | each | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מִמְּקֹמ֔וֹ | mimekomo | from place his | H4725 → | 401 times |
| וְשִׂ֥ים | vesim | and appoint | H7760 → | 584 times |
| פַּח֖וֹת | pachot | governors | H6346 → | |
| תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃ | tachteihem | in place of them | H8478 → | 505 times |
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
הַדָּבָ֥רthe thing
hadavarH1697 →1440 times
הַזֶּ֖ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
עֲשֵׂ֑הdo
ʾasehH6213 →2628 times
הָסֵ֤רremove
haserH5493 →299 times
הַמְּלָכִים֙the kings
hamelakhimH4428 →2525 times
אִ֣ישׁeach
ʾishH376 →1663 times
מִמְּקֹמ֔וֹfrom place his
mimekomoH4725 →401 times
וְשִׂ֥יםand appoint
vesimH7760 →584 times
פַּח֖וֹתgovernors
pachotH6346 →
תַּחְתֵּיהֶֽם׃in place of them
tachteihemH8478 →505 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 21:30There is no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel that can prevail against the LORD.
it leads to
- Acts 5:39
But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God.”
- Proverbs 19:21
Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.
- Jeremiah 9:23
This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength, nor the wealthy man in his riches.
- Isaiah 14:27
The LORD of Hosts has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is outstretched, so who can turn it back?
- 1 Corinthians 3:19–20
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
- Acts 5:39
Through
1 Kings 22:31Now the king of Aram had ordered his thirty-two chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 18:30
Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.”
- Jeremiah 16:6
“Both great and small will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned, nor will anyone cut himself or shave his head for them.
- 2 Chronicles 18:30
Through
1 Kings 20:1Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he marched up, besieged Samaria, and waged war against it.
it leads to
- 1 Kings 15:18
So Asa withdrew all the silver and gold that remained in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the royal palace. He entrusted it to his servants and sent them with this…
- 1 Kings 15:18
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS 20:1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Salvian the Presbyter, THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 7.8.