1 Kings 20:23 - Forerunner Commentary

1 Kings 20:23

21 Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and see what you should do, ^afor in the spring of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.”

The Syrians Again Defeated

23 Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they.

24 So do this thing: Dismiss the kings, each from his position, and put captains in their¹ places;

25 and you shall muster an army like the army¹ that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain; surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

26 So it was, in the spring of the year, that Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to ^aAphek to fight against Israel.

27 And the children of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and they went against them. Now the children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while the Syrians filled the ^acountryside.

Verse Comparison: 1 Kings 20:23

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American Standard Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their god is a god 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.

Amplified® Bible
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Israel's 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.

Contemporary English Version
Meanwhile, Benhadad's officials went to him and explained: Israel's gods are mountain gods. We fought Israel's army in the hills, and that's why they defeated us. But if we fight them on flat land, there's no way we can lose.

Darby English Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them on the plateau, shall we not be stronger than they?

Good News Bible
King Benhadad's officials said to him, "The gods of Israel are mountain gods, and that is why the Israelites defeated us. But we will certainly defeat them if we fight them in the plains.

King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, {and} surely we will be stronger than they.

New International Version
Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.

New King James Version
Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they.

N.A.S.B. in E-Prime
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their gods they regard as gods of the mountains, therefore they proved stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will prove stronger than they.

Revised Standard Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Young's Literal Translation
And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him, `Gods of hills `are' their gods, therefore they were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not stronger than they?

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The Syrians Again Defeated

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