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1 Kings 20

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1 Kings 20

1 And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.

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.

4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.

7 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.

8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

10 And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.

11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.

16 And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.

20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.



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

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

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.

24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:

25 And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.

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.

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 Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

31 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 Benhadad 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 Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.

35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbor in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.

41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

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Summary and the Meaning of Chapter 20 of 1 Kings in the KJV Holy Bible

Chapter 20 of the book of 1 Kings in the KJV Holy Bible is a continuation of the events that took place in chapter 19. In chapter 19, we saw how the prophet Elijah had fled from the wrath of Queen Jezebel and was hiding in a cave. In this chapter, we see the consequences of his actions and how God continues to work through His faithful servants despite their weaknesses and shortcomings.

Chapter 20 begins with the introduction of Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram. He had gathered a large army consisting of thirty-two kings and was determined to conquer the northern kingdom of Israel. He sent a message to King Ahab, demanding that he surrender and give him his silver, gold, wives, and children. King Ahab consulted with his elders and decided to comply with Ben-Hadad's demands, much to the disappointment of the people of Israel.

However, God had other plans. He sent a prophet to King Ahab, telling him that He would give him victory over Ben-Hadad and his army. The prophet also reminded King Ahab that it was God who had made him king and that He would continue to protect and guide him as long as he followed His commandments.

King Ahab gathered his army and went to battle against Ben-Hadad. God gave the Israelites a great victory, and they were able to defeat the Aramean army. However, Ben-Hadad was not willing to accept his defeat and gathered another army to attack Israel once again.

God sent another prophet to King Ahab, warning him of the impending attack and assuring him of His protection once again. The prophet also reminded King Ahab that the victory was not his but God's, and he should acknowledge and give thanks to God for it.

As expected, Ben-Hadad and his army attacked Israel once again, but God gave the Israelites another great victory. This time, they were able to capture Ben-Hadad, and King Ahab showed mercy by sparing his life and making a treaty with him.

However, God was not pleased with King Ahab's actions. He sent another prophet to rebuke him for showing mercy to Ben-Hadad, the enemy of God's people. The prophet warned King Ahab that his actions would have consequences, and he would face punishment for his disobedience.

Meanwhile, in Samaria, there was a man named Naboth who owned a vineyard near the palace of King Ahab. King Ahab wanted to buy the vineyard from Naboth, but Naboth refused to sell it, as it was his inheritance from his ancestors. King Ahab was disappointed and angry, and his wife Jezebel came up with a plan to get the vineyard for the king.

Jezebel wrote letters in King Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, ordering the elders and nobles of the city to falsely accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king. She also arranged for false witnesses to testify against Naboth, and he was stoned to death as punishment for his supposed crime.

When King Ahab heard about Naboth's death, he went to take possession of the vineyard. However, God sent the prophet Elijah to confront him and pronounce God's judgment on him and his household for his involvement in Naboth's death. Elijah told King Ahab that his entire family would be wiped out, and dogs would lick up his blood at the same place where they had licked up Naboth's blood.

King Ahab was deeply troubled and repented of his sins. God saw his repentance and showed mercy by postponing the judgment until the days of his son, King Ahaziah.

The Main Themes of Chapter 20

The main themes of chapter 20 of 1 Kings are God's sovereignty and faithfulness, the consequences of disobedience, and the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness from God.

Throughout the chapter, we see how God is in control of all things and how He works through His faithful servants to accomplish His purposes. Despite King Ahab's weaknesses and shortcomings, God continues to protect and guide him as long as he follows His commandments. God also shows His faithfulness by giving the Israelites victory over their enemies, not once but twice.

The consequences of disobedience are also a significant theme in this chapter. We see how King Ahab's disobedience leads to the death of Naboth and ultimately brings God's judgment upon him and his family. The story of Naboth's death also highlights the corrupt and evil nature of Queen Jezebel, who is willing to go to extreme lengths to get what she wants.

The importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness from God is another crucial theme in this chapter. Despite his many sins, King Ahab repents and seeks forgiveness from God, and God shows him mercy. This serves as a reminder that no one is beyond God's forgiveness, and we can always turn to Him in repentance and find grace and mercy.

The Meaning of Chapter 20

Chapter 20 of 1 Kings teaches us several important lessons. Firstly, it reminds us of God's sovereignty and faithfulness. No matter how dire our circumstances may seem, we can trust in God's plans and His ability to work through us to accomplish His purposes. We also see that God is a just God who punishes disobedience but is also merciful to those who repent and seek His forgiveness.

Secondly, this chapter serves as a warning against the consequences of disobedience. King Ahab's disobedience not only led to his downfall but also caused the death of an innocent man. It also highlights the corrupt and evil nature of those who are willing to do anything to get what they want. This serves as a reminder for us to be careful and mindful of our actions and to always follow God's commandments.

Lastly, this chapter teaches us the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness from God. We see how God shows mercy to King Ahab when he repents and turns to Him. This serves as a reminder that no matter how great our sins may be, God is always willing to forgive us if we come to Him with a contrite heart.

In conclusion, chapter 20 of 1 Kings is a continuation of the events that took place in the previous chapter and serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and faithfulness, the consequences of disobedience, and the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness from God. It is a powerful reminder that no matter how great our sins may be, God is always willing to forgive us and show us mercy if we turn to Him in repentance.

This article is informed by the King James Version of the Holy Bible, the authors' personal knowledge, considerations and experience, and additional materials and resources available in internet.


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