1 Kings 20 · Verse 2

1 Kings 20:2

And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben–hadad,
1 Kings 20:2, King James Version

1 Kings 20:2 in other translations

BSBThen he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel,
WEBHe sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Ben Hadad says,
ASVAnd he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad,
YLTand sendeth messengers unto Ahab king of Israel, to the city,
DARBYAnd he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said to him, Thus says Ben-Hadad:
BBEAnd he sent representatives into the town to Ahab, king of Israel;
WebsterAnd he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said to him, Thus saith Ben-hadad,

What does 1 Kings 20:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 20:2-12
2-12. Thus said Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine--To this message sent him during the siege, Ahab returned a tame and submissive answer, probably thinking it meant no more than an exaction of tribute. But the demand was repeated with greater insolence; and yet, from the abject character of Ahab, there is reason to believe he would have yielded to this arrogant claim also, had not the voice of his subjects been raised against it. 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. Kindling into a rage at the cool defiance, Ben-hadad gave orders for the immediate sack of the city.

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

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 20:1-11

Benhadad sent Ahab a very insolent demand. Ahab sent a very disgraceful submission; sin brings men into such straits, by putting them out of the Divine protection. If God do not rule us, our enemies shall: guilt dispirits men, and makes them cowards. Ahab became desperate. Men will part with their most pleasant things, those they most love, to save their lives; yet they lose their souls rather than part with any…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 20:1-11 →

1 Kings 20:2 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.

וַיִּשְׁלַ֧חvai.yish.Lachand he sentH7971
מַלְאָכִ֛יםmal.'a.KhimmessengersH4397
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אַחְאָ֥ב'ach.'AvAhabH256
מֶֽלֶךְ\־Me.lekh-[the] king ofH4428
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
הָעִֽירָה\׃ha.'I.rahthe city towardsH5892
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
ל֗וֹloto him
כֹּ֚הkohthusH3541
אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe saysH559
בֶּן\־ben-BenH1130
הֲדַ֔דha.DadHadadH1130

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

Cross references for 1 Kings 20:2

  • 2 Kings 19:9

    And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto Hezekiah, saying,

  • Isaiah 36:2-22

    And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field. Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah’s son, which was over the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph’s son, the recorder. And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein thou trustest? I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words) I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? …

  • Isaiah 37:9-10

    And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, He is come forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee, saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 19:9; Isa 36:2-22; 37:9,10

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

Context

  • 1 Kings 20:1

    And Ben–hadad 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.

  • 1 Kings 20:2

    And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben–hadad,

  • 1 Kings 20:3

    Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.

Read all of 1 Kings 20

1 Kings 20:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y envió mensajeros á la ciudad á Achâb rey de Israel, diciendo:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il envoya des messagers à Achab, roi d’Israël, dans la ville;
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und er sandte Boten zu Ahab, dem König von Israel, in die Stadt,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Mittensque nuntios ad Achab regem Israël in civitatem,