1 Kings 20 · Verse 18

1 Kings 20:18

And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
1 Kings 20:18, King James Version

1 Kings 20:18 in other translations

BSB“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”
WEBHe said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
ASVAnd he said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.
YLTAnd he saith, ‘If for peace they have come out--catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out--alive catch them.'
DARBYAnd he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
BBEAnd he said, If they have come out for peace, take them living, and if they have come out for war, take them living.
WebsterAnd he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.

What does 1 Kings 20:18 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…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 20:13-21 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Take them alive - He was confident of victory. Do not slay them; bring them to me, they may give us some useful information.

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 20:18 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.

וַיֹּ֛אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אִם\־'im-ifH518
לְשָׁל֥וֹםle.sha.Lomfor peaceH7965
יָצָ֖אוּya.Tza.'uthey have come outH3318
תִּפְשׂ֣וּםtif.Sumseize themH8610
חַיִּ֑יםchai.YimaliveH2416
וְאִ֧םve.'Imand ifH518
לְמִלְחָמָ֛הle.mil.cha.Mahfor battleH4421
יָצָ֖אוּya.Tza.'uthey have come outH3318
חַיִּ֥יםchai.YimaliveH2416
תִּפְשֽׂוּם\׃tif.Sumseize themH8610

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

Cross references for 1 Kings 20:18

  • 2 Kings 14:8-12

    Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face. And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle. Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth–shemesh, which belongeth to Judah. …

  • Proverbs 18:12

    Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.

  • 1 Samuel 17:44

    And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

  • 1 Samuel 2:3-4

    Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.

  • 1 Samuel 14:11-12

    And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 2:3,4; 14:11,12; 17:44; 2Ki 14:8-12; Pr 18:12

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

Context

  • 1 Kings 20:17

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

  • 1 Kings 20:18

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

  • 1 Kings 20:19

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

Read all of 1 Kings 20

1 Kings 20:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		El entonces dijo: Si han salido por paz, tomadlos vivos; y si han salido para pelear, tomadlos vivos.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il dit: S’ils sont sortis pour la paix, saisissez-les vivants; et s’ils sont sortis pour la guerre, saisissez-les vivants.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da sprach er: Wenn sie zum Frieden ausgezogen sind, so greifet sie lebendig; und wenn sie zum Streit ausgezogen sind, so greifet sie lebendig.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et ille ait: Sive pro pace veniunt, apprehendite eos vivos: sive ut prælientur, vivos eos capite.