1 Kings 20 · Verse 13

1 Kings 20:13

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.
1 Kings 20:13, King James Version

1 Kings 20:13 in other translations

BSBMeanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’”
WEBBehold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, “The LORD says, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
ASVAnd, behold, a prophet came near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thy hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.
YLTAnd lo, a certain prophet hath come nigh unto Ahab king of Israel, and saith, ‘Thus said Jehovah, ‘Hast thou seen all this great multitude? lo, I am giving it into thy hand to-day, and thou hast known that I am Jehovah.'
DARBYAnd behold, a prophet drew near to Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah: Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thy hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am Jehovah.
BBEThen a prophet came up to Ahab, king of Israel, and said, The Lord says, Have you seen all this great army? See, I will give it into your hands today, and you will see that I am the Lord.
WebsterAnd behold, there came a prophet to Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thy hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

What does 1 Kings 20:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 20:13-21
13-21. behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab--Though the king and people of Israel had highly offended Him, God had not utterly cast them off. He still cherished designs of mercy towards them, and here, though unasked, gave them a signal proof of His interest in them, by a prophet's animating announcement that the Lord would that day deliver the mighty hosts of the enemy into his hand by means of a small, feeble, inadequate band. Conformably to the prophet's instructions, two hundred thirty-two young men went boldly out towards the camp of the enemy, while seven thousand more, apparently volunteers, followed at some little distance, or posted themselves at the gate, to be ready to reinforce those in front if occasion required it. Ben-hadad and his vassals and princes were already, at that early hour--scarcely midday--deep in their cups; and though informed of this advancing company, yet confiding in his numbers, or it may be, excited with wine, he ordered with indifference the proud intruders to be taken alive, whether they came with peaceful or hostile intentions. It was more easily said than done; the young men smote right and left, making terrible havoc among their intended captors; and their attack, together with the sight of the seven thousand, who soon rushed forward to mingle in the fray, created a panic in the Syrian army, who immediately took up flight. Ben-hadad himself escaped the pursuit of the victors on a fleet horse, surrounded by a squadron of horse guards. This glorious victory, won so easily, and with such a paltry force opposed to overwhelming numbers, was granted that Ahab and his people might know (1Ki 20:13) that God is the Lord. But we do not read of this acknowledgment being made, or of any sacrifices being offered in token of their national gratitude.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 There came a prophet - Who this was we cannot tell; Jarchi says it was Micaiah, son of Imlah. It is strange that on such an occasion we hear nothing of Elijah or Elisha. Is it not possible that this was one of them disguised?

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 20:12-21

The proud Syrians were beaten, and the despised Israelites were conquerors. The orders of the proud, drunken king disordered his troops, and prevented them from attacking the Israelites. Those that are most secure, are commonly least courageous. Ahab slew the Syrians with a great slaughter. God often makes one wicked man a scourge to another.

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 20:12-21 →

1 Kings 20:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְהִנֵּ֣ה\׀ve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
נָבִ֣יאna.Vi'a prophetH5030
אֶחָ֗ד'e.ChadoneH259
נִגַּשׁ֮ni.Gashhe drew nearH5066
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אַחְאָ֣ב'ach.'AvAhabH256
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
יִשְׂרָאֵל֒Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
וַיֹּ֗אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
כֹּ֚הkohthusH3541
אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
הְֽרָאִ֔יתָhe.ra.'I.ta¿ do you seeH7200
אֵ֛ת'et<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הֶהָמ֥וֹןhe.ha.Monthe multitudeH1995
הַגָּד֖וֹלha.ga.Dol<the> greatH1419
הַזֶּ֑הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
הִנְנִ֨יhi.Nihere IH2005
נֹתְנ֤וֹno.te.No[am] about to give itH5414
בְיָֽדְךָ֙ve.ya.de.Khain hand yourH3027
הַיּ֔וֹםhai.Yomthis dayH3117
וְיָדַעְתָּ֖ve.ya.da'.Taand you will knowH3045
כִּֽי\־ki-thatH3588
אֲנִ֥י'a.NiIH589
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.weh[am] YahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 20:13

  • 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.

  • Ezekiel 20:22

    Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.

  • Isaiah 37:20

    Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only.

  • Isaiah 7:1-9

    And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it. And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear–jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field; And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah. …

  • 2 Kings 7:1

    Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

  • Ezekiel 20:14

    But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

  • Joel 3:17

    So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.

  • Exodus 16:12

    I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God.

  • Exodus 14:18

    And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

  • Psalms 83:18

    That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.

  • 2 Kings 6:8-12

    Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel? …

  • 2 Kings 13:23

    And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
came. Heb. approached. Hast thou.
2Ki 6:8-12; 7:1; 13:23; Isa 7:1-9; Eze 20:14,22
and thou shalt.
28; 18:37; Ex 14:18; 16:12; Ps 83:18; Isa 37:20; Eze 6:7; Joe 3:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 20:12

    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.

  • 1 Kings 20:13

    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.

  • 1 Kings 20:14

    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.

Read all of 1 Kings 20

1 Kings 20:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y he aquí un profeta se llegó á Achâb rey de Israel, y le dijo: Así ha dicho Jehová: ¿Has visto esta grande multitud? he aquí yo te la entregaré hoy en tu mano, para que conozcas que yo soy Jehová.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et voici, un prophète s’approcha d’Achab, roi d’Israël, et dit: Ainsi dit l’ Éternel: Vois-tu toute cette grande multitude? Voici, je l’ai livrée aujourd’hui en ta main, et tu sauras que moi, je suis l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und siehe, ein Prophet trat zu Ahab, dem König von Israel, und sprach: So spricht Jehova: Hast du diesen ganzen großen Haufen gesehen? Siehe, ich gebe ihn heute in deine Hand, und du sollst wissen, daß ich Jehova bin.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ecce propheta unus accedens ad Achab regem Israël, ait ei: Hæc dicit Dominus: Certe vidisti omnem multitudinem hanc nimiam? ecce ego tradam eam in manu tua hodie, ut scias quia ego sum Dominus.