1 Kings 20:7
in 1 Kings 20Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
KJV
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
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This verse in 1 Kings 20
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The political institution of a Council of elders (Exo 3:16, etc.), which had belonged to the undivided nation from the sojourn in Egypt downward, had therefore been continued among the ten tribes after their separation, and still held an important place in the system of Government. The Council was not merely called together when the king needed it, but held its regular sittings at the seat of government; and hence, “all the elders of the land” were now present in Samaria. On the “elders of towns,” see 1Ki 21:8-
This site's exposition
called all the elders of the land
on 1 Kings 20:7-9
Ahab calls the elders of the land, the standing council continued among the ten tribes since the sojourn in Egypt, and lays the second demand before them in public. Their answer is unanimous, hearken not unto him, nor consent, and on that word Ahab draws the line he could not draw for himself. He refuses only the second demand, still standing by the surrender of verse 4, a half-measure that leaves Ben-hadad free to call it treachery.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Seeketh mischief - Though he pretended peace, upon these terms propounded, it is apparent by those additional demands, that he intends nothing less than our utter ruin.
Ahab, encouraged by a prophet, overthrows him twice, ver. 13-30. Makes a covenant with him, ver. 31-34. Is reproved and threatened by a prophet, ver. 35-43.
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Then the King of Israel called all the elders of the land,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Ben-hadad's object in these and other boastful menaces was to intimidate Ahab. But the weak sovereign began to show a little more spirit, as appears in his abandoning "my lord the king" for the single "tell him," and giving him a dry but sarcastic hint to glory no more till the victory is won.
The words behind it
24 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקְרָ֤א | vaiyikra' | and he summoned | H7121 → | 733 times |
| מֶֽלֶךְ־ | melekh- | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | <to> all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זִקְנֵ֣י | ziknei | [the] elders of | H2205 → | 178 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| דְּעֽוּ־ | deu- | know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| נָ֣א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| וּרְא֔וּ | ureu | and see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| רָעָ֖ה | raah | trouble | H7451 → | 662 times |
| זֶ֣ה | zeh | this [man] | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ | mevakesh | [is] seeking | H1245 → | 225 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| שָׁלַ֨ח | shalach | he sent | H7971 → | 845 times |
| אֵלַ֜י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לְנָשַׁ֤י | lenashai | for wives my | H802 → | 781 times |
| וּלְבָנַי֙ | ulevanai | and for children my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וּלְכַסְפִּ֣י | ulekhaspi | and for silver my | H3701 → | 403 times |
| וְלִזְהָבִ֔י | velizhavi | and for gold my | H2091 → | 389 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| מָנַ֖עְתִּי | mana'ti | I withheld [them] | H4513 → | |
| מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ | mimenu | from him | H4480 → | 1188 times |
וַיִּקְרָ֤אand he summoned
vaiyikra'H7121 →733 times
מֶֽלֶךְ־[the] king of
melekh-H4428 →2525 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לְכָל־<to> all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
זִקְנֵ֣י[the] elders of
zikneiH2205 →178 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe land
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙and he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
דְּעֽוּ־know
deu-H3045 →945 times
נָ֣אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
וּרְא֔וּand see
ureuH7200 →1300 times
כִּ֥יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
רָעָ֖הtrouble
raahH7451 →662 times
זֶ֣הthis [man]
zehH2088 →1180 times
מְבַקֵּ֑שׁ[is] seeking
mevakeshH1245 →225 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
שָׁלַ֨חhe sent
shalachH7971 →845 times
אֵלַ֜יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
לְנָשַׁ֤יfor wives my
lenashaiH802 →781 times
וּלְבָנַי֙and for children my
ulevanaiH1121 →4930 times
וּלְכַסְפִּ֣יand for silver my
ulekhaspiH3701 →403 times
וְלִזְהָבִ֔יand for gold my
velizhaviH2091 →389 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
מָנַ֖עְתִּיI withheld [them]
mana'tiH4513 →
מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃from him
mimenuH4480 →1188 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
2 Kings 5:7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and asked, “Am I God, killing and giving life, that this man expects me to cure a leper? Surely you can see…
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 2:6
The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
- Genesis 30:2
Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?”
- 1 Samuel 2:6
Through
Proverbs 24:2for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
it leads to
- Psalms 7:14
Behold, the wicked man travails with evil; he conceives trouble and births falsehood.
- Psalms 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue.
- Psalms 7:14
Through
Psalms 62:3How long will you threaten a man? Will all of you throw him down like a leaning wall or a tottering fence?
it leads to
- Jeremiah 4:14
Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
- Psalms 82:2
“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah
- Psalms 140:2
who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long.
- Jeremiah 4:14
Through
Psalms 140:2who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long.
it leads to
- Psalms 56:6
They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps while they wait to take my life.
- Psalms 56:6
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.