1 Kings 20:21
New International Version
The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans.

New Living Translation
However, the king of Israel destroyed the other horses and chariots and slaughtered the Arameans.

English Standard Version
And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.

King James Bible
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

New King James Version
Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.

New American Standard Bible
The king of Israel also went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.

NASB 1995
The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

NASB 1977
And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the king of Israel went out and struck down the horses and chariots, and struck the Arameans with a great slaughter.

Amplified Bible
The king of Israel went out and struck [the riders of] the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the cavalry and the chariots. He inflicted a severe slaughter on Aram.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the cavalry and the chariots. He inflicted a great slaughter on Aram.

American Standard Version
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

Contemporary English Version
but Ahab and his soldiers followed them and captured their horses and chariots. Ahab and Israel's army crushed the Syrians.

English Revised Version
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The king of Israel went out and destroyed the horses and chariots and decisively defeated the Arameans.

Good News Translation
King Ahab took to the field, captured the horses and chariots, and inflicted a severe defeat on the Syrians.

International Standard Version
The king of Israel went out and attacked the cavalry and chariots and killed the Arameans in a massive victory.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.

NET Bible
Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated Syria.

New Heart English Bible
The king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

World English Bible
The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the king of Israel goes out, and strikes the horses, and the charioteers, and has struck among the Arameans a great striking.

Young's Literal Translation
and the king of Israel goeth out, and smiteth the horses, and the charioteers, and hath smitten among the Aramaeans a great smiting.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king of Israel will go forth and strike the horse and the chariot, and he struck upon Aram a great blow.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But the king of Israel going out overthrew the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But the king of Israel, going out, struck the horses and the chariots, and he struck the Syrians with a great slaughter.

New American Bible
Then the king of Israel went out and destroyed the horses and chariots. Thus he inflicted a severe defeat on Aram.

New Revised Standard Version
The king of Israel went out, attacked the horses and chariots, and defeated the Arameans with a great slaughter.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the king of Israel went out and destroyed the horses and chariots, and slew the Arameans with a great slaughter.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King of Israel went out and destroyed horses and chariots, and he struck Edom with a very great slaughter.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Arameans with a great slaughter.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king of Israel went forth, and took all the horses and the chariots, and smote the enemy with a great slaughter in Syria.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad
20and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry. 21Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans. 22Afterward, 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.”…

Cross References
2 Kings 13:7
Jehoahaz had no army left, except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.

2 Kings 6:23
So the king prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean raiders did not come into the land of Israel again.

2 Kings 7:6-7
For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” / Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives.

2 Kings 8:28-29
Then Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to fight against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram. / So King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab, because Joram had been wounded.

2 Kings 13:25
Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and so recovered the cities of Israel.

2 Kings 14:25-27
This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. / For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel, / and since the LORD had said that He would not blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

2 Chronicles 18:30-32
Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel.” / When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “This is the king of Israel!” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him. / And when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

2 Chronicles 20:22-23
The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. / The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

Isaiah 7:1-9
Now in the days that Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, Rezin king of Aram marched up to wage war against Jerusalem. He was accompanied by Pekah son of Remaliah the king of Israel, but he could not overpower the city. / When it was reported to the house of David that Aram was in league with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people trembled like trees in the forest shaken by the wind. / Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out with your son Shear-jashub to meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct that feeds the upper pool, on the road to the Launderer’s Field, ...

Isaiah 37:36-37
Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

Jeremiah 46:15-16
Why have your warriors been laid low? They cannot stand, for the LORD has thrust them down. / They continue to stumble; indeed, they have fallen over one another. They say, ‘Get up! Let us return to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword of the oppressor.’

Ezekiel 30:21-22
“Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt. See, it has not been bound up for healing, or splinted for strength to hold the sword. / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt. I will break his arms, both the strong one and the one already broken, and will make the sword fall from his hand.

Matthew 12:20
A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish, till He leads justice to victory.

Luke 1:51-52
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. / He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

Luke 14:31-32
Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand? / And if he is unable, he will send a delegation while the other king is still far off, to ask for terms of peace.


Treasury of Scripture

And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

1 Kings 20:28
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.

1 Kings 14:23
For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

1 Samuel 4:8
Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.

Jump to Previous
Advanced Aramaeans Arameans Captured Charioteers Chariots Destruction Great Heavy Horses Inflicted Israel Killed Losses Overpowered Slaughter Slew Smiteth Smiting Smitten Smote Struck Syrians War-Carriages
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Advanced Aramaeans Arameans Captured Charioteers Chariots Destruction Great Heavy Horses Inflicted Israel Killed Losses Overpowered Slaughter Slew Smiteth Smiting Smitten Smote Struck Syrians War-Carriages
1 Kings 20
1. Ben-Hadad, not content with Ahab's homage, besieges Samaria
13. By the direction of a prophet, the Syrians are slain
22. As the prophet forewarned Ahab, the Syrians come against him in Aphek
28. By the word of the prophet, and God's judgment, the Syrians are smitten again
31. The Syrians submit; Ahab sends Ben-Hadad away with a covenant
35. The prophet, under the parable of a prisoner,
39. making Ahab judge himself, denounces God's judgment against him














Then the king of Israel
This phrase refers to King Ahab, who was the ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel during this period. Ahab's reign is often characterized by his complex relationship with God, influenced heavily by his wife Jezebel and the worship of Baal. Historically, Ahab's reign is placed in the 9th century BC, a time when Israel was frequently at odds with neighboring nations, including Aram (Syria). The mention of "the king of Israel" here sets the stage for a significant military engagement, highlighting Ahab's role as a leader despite his spiritual failings.

marched out
The Hebrew root for "marched out" is "yatsa," which means to go forth or come out. This action signifies a proactive and bold move by Ahab, indicating a shift from a defensive to an offensive strategy. In the context of ancient warfare, marching out was a demonstration of confidence and readiness to confront the enemy. It reflects a moment of decision and courage, where Ahab takes initiative, perhaps inspired by the prophetic assurance of victory given earlier in the chapter.

and attacked the horses and chariots
Horses and chariots were the pinnacle of military technology in the ancient Near East, symbolizing strength and power. The Hebrew word for "attacked" is "nakah," meaning to strike or smite. By targeting the horses and chariots, Ahab strategically aimed to dismantle the core of the Aramean military might. This tactic not only neutralized the immediate threat but also served as a psychological blow to the Arameans, who relied heavily on their chariotry for battlefield dominance.

inflicting a great slaughter
The phrase "inflicting a great slaughter" underscores the magnitude of the victory. The Hebrew word for "slaughter" is "makkah," which conveys a sense of a decisive and overwhelming defeat. This victory was not just a minor skirmish but a significant triumph that would have had lasting implications for the balance of power in the region. It highlights the fulfillment of God's promise to deliver the Arameans into Israel's hands, showcasing His sovereignty and faithfulness even amidst Israel's unfaithfulness.

on the Arameans
The Arameans, also known as Syrians, were a formidable adversary located to the northeast of Israel. They frequently clashed with Israel over territory and influence. The mention of the Arameans here is significant as it reflects the ongoing geopolitical struggles of the time. Historically, the Arameans were known for their skilled warriors and charioteers, making this victory all the more remarkable. This defeat would have temporarily subdued the Aramean threat, providing Israel with a period of respite and demonstrating God's power over Israel's enemies.

Persons / Places / Events
1. King of Israel
This refers to King Ahab, who was the ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel during this time. Despite his reputation for idolatry and wickedness, God granted him victory over the Arameans.

2. Arameans
A group of people from Aram, located in modern-day Syria. They were often in conflict with Israel and were led by King Ben-Hadad during this period.

3. Horses and Chariots
These were significant military assets in ancient warfare, representing the strength and mobility of an army. The destruction of these assets was a major blow to the Aramean forces.

4. Great Slaughter
This phrase indicates a decisive and overwhelming victory for Israel, showcasing God's intervention and power in the battle.

5. Marching Out
This action by King Ahab signifies a proactive and bold move, demonstrating leadership and confidence in the face of the enemy.
Teaching Points
Divine Sovereignty in Human Affairs
God can use even flawed leaders to accomplish His purposes. Despite Ahab's shortcomings, God granted him victory to demonstrate His power and sovereignty.

The Futility of Trusting in Human Strength
The destruction of the Aramean chariots serves as a reminder that reliance on military might or human resources is futile without God's favor.

God's Mercy and Patience
Despite Ahab's idolatry, God showed mercy by granting victory, illustrating His patience and desire for repentance.

Leadership and Courage
Ahab's decision to march out against the Arameans demonstrates the importance of decisive leadership and courage in the face of adversity.

The Importance of Obedience to God's Word
The victory was foretold by a prophet, underscoring the importance of listening to and obeying God's word for success in life's battles.Verse 21. - And the king of Israel went out [It looks as if Ahab had remained within the city until the defeat of the Syrians was assured], and smote [LXX. καὶ ἐλαβε, and captured] the horses and chariots [i.e., the cavalry and chariotry; cf. ver. 1], and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. [Heb. in Syria a great, etc.]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the king
מֶ֣לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

marched out
וַיֵּצֵא֙ (way·yê·ṣê)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

and attacked
וַיַּ֥ךְ (way·yaḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

the horses
הַסּ֖וּס (has·sūs)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5483: A swallow, swift (type of bird)

and chariots,
הָרָ֑כֶב (hā·rā·ḵeḇ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7393: A vehicle, a team, cavalry, a rider, the upper millstone

inflicting
וְהִכָּ֥ה (wə·hik·kāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5221: To strike

a great
גְדוֹלָֽה׃ (ḡə·ḏō·w·lāh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

slaughter
מַכָּ֥ה (mak·kāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4347: A wound, carnage, pestilence

on the Arameans.
בַאֲרָ֖ם (ḇa·’ă·rām)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 758: Aram -- Syria


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OT History: 1 Kings 20:21 The king of Israel went out (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 20:20
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