1 Kings 20:38
in 1 Kings 20and the prophet went and waited on the road for the king, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.
KJV
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
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This verse in 1 Kings 20
Commentary
8 notes on this verseDisguised himself with ashes upon his face - It does not immediately appear how putting ashes upon his face could disguise him. Instead of אפר apher, dust, Houbigant conjectures that it should be אפד aphad, a fillet or bandage. It is only the corner of the last letter which makes the difference; for the ד daleth and ר resh are nearly the same, only the shoulder of the former is square, the latter round.
This site's exposition
Then he found another man
on 1 Kings 20:37-38
A second man is willing to strike, and this time the blow wounds him enough to draw blood, the physical proof the sign requires. The wounded prophet then waits for the king by the road, disguised with ashes so Ahab will not recognize him until the parable has done its work. Wesley notes the wound is meant to be visible, since the whole device depends on Ahab seeing a beaten, anonymous soldier rather than a known prophet.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
John ChrysostomDISCOURSE AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 4.2.1-2 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
Ahab once captured a king of Syria and, contrary to God's decree, saved his life. He had the Syrian king enjoy a seat by his side and sent him off with great honor. About that time a prophet came to his companion and said to him, "In the word of the Lord, strike me." But his companion was not willing to strike him. And the prophet said to him, "Because you would not listen to the word of the Lord, behold, you will depart from me, and a lion will strike you." And he departed from him, and the lion found him and struck him. Then the prophet found another man and said, "Strike me." And the man did strike him and wounded him, and the prophet bandaged up his own face.What greater paradox than this could there be? The man who struck the prophet was saved; the one who spared the prophet was punished. Why? That you may learn that when God commands, you must not question too much the nature of the action; you have only to obey. So that the first man might not spare him out of reverence, the prophet did not simply say "strike me" but said "strike me, in the word of God." That is, God commands it; seek no further. It is the King who ordains it; reverence the rank of him who commands and with all eagerness heed his word. But the man lacked the courage to strike him and, on this account, he paid the ultimate penalty. But by the punishment he subsequently suffered, he encourages us to yield and obey God's every command.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad, 3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v2-3
With ashes - Or, with a cloath, or band; (as the Hebrew doctors understand the word) whereby he bound up his wound, which probably was in his face; for it was to be made in a conspicuous place, that it might be visible to Ahab and others.
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Smite me--This prophet is supposed (1Ki 20:8) to have been Micaiah. The refusal of his neighbor to smite the prophet was manifestly wrong, as it was a withholding of necessary aid to a prophet in the discharge of a duty to which he had been called by God, and it was severely punished [1Ki 20:36], as a beacon to warn others (see on 1Ki 13:2-24).
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Ashes - Rather, “a bandage” (and in 1Ki 20:41). The object of the wound and bandage was double. Partly, it was to prevent Ahab from recognizing the prophet’s face; partly, to induce him to believe that the man had really been engaged in the recent war.
The words behind it
10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙ | vaiyelekh | and he went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| הַנָּבִ֔יא | hanavi' | the prophet | H5030 → | 314 times |
| וַיַּעֲמֹ֥ד | vaiyaamod | and he stood | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לַמֶּ֖לֶךְ | lamelekh | for the king | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | beside | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| הַדָּ֑רֶךְ | hadarekh | the way | H1870 → | 707 times |
| וַיִּתְחַפֵּ֥שׂ | vaiyitchapes | and he disguised himself | H2664 → | 23 times |
| בָּאֲפֵ֖ר | baafer | with <the> ashes | H666 → | |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עֵינָֽיו׃ | ʾeinav | eyes his | H5869 → | 887 times |
וַיֵּ֙לֶךְ֙and he went
vaiyelekhH1980 →1546 times
הַנָּבִ֔יאthe prophet
hanavi'H5030 →314 times
וַיַּעֲמֹ֥דand he stood
vaiyaamodH5975 →521 times
לַמֶּ֖לֶךְfor the king
lamelekhH4428 →2525 times
עַל־beside
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
הַדָּ֑רֶךְthe way
hadarekhH1870 →707 times
וַיִּתְחַפֵּ֥שׂand he disguised himself
vaiyitchapesH2664 →23 times
בָּאֲפֵ֖רwith <the> ashes
baaferH666 →
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עֵינָֽיו׃eyes his
ʾeinavH5869 →887 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
Matthew 6:16When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward.
it leads to
- Isaiah 58:3–5
“Why have we fasted, and You have not seen? Why have we humbled ourselves, and You have not noticed?” “Behold, on the day of your fast, you do as you please, and you oppress…
- Matthew 9:14–15
At that time John’s disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast so often, but Your disciples do not fast?”
- Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept. I mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.
- Daniel 9:3
So I turned my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and petition, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.
- Luke 18:12
I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’
- Isaiah 58:3–5
Through
1 Kings 14:2and Jeroboam said to his wife, “Now get up, disguise yourself so they will not recognize you as my wife, and go to Shiloh. For Ahijah the prophet is there; it was he who…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 28:8
So Saul disguised himself by putting on different clothes, and he set out with two of his men. They came to the woman at night, and Saul said, “Consult a spirit for me. Bring…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 2 Chronicles 18:29
And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Samuel 28:8
Through
2 Samuel 14:2So Joab sent to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He told her, “Please pretend to be a mourner; put on clothes for mourning and do not anoint yourself with oil. Act…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 11:6
He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa,
- 2 Chronicles 11:6
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); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, DISCOURSE AGAINST JUDAIZING CHRISTIANS 4.2.1-2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.