Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Yahweh says, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”
Parallel Translations
-
Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Yahweh says, ‘By the young men of the princes of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.”
-
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.
-
And Ahab said: 'By whom?' And he said: 'Thus saith the LORD: By the young men of the princes of the provinces.' Then he said: 'Who shall begin the battle?' And he answered: 'Thou.'
Cross-references (5)
Passages linked to 1 Kings 20:14 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 14:14-16 When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his three hundred eighteen trained men, born in his house, and pursued as far as Dan. He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative Lot and his goods, and the women also, and the other people.
- Judges 7:16-20 He divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all them trumpets and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. He said to them, “Watch me, and do likewise. Behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so you shall do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and shout, ‘For Yahweh and for Gideon!’ ” So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch. Then they blew the trumpets and broke in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets, broke the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands with which to blow; and they shouted, “The sword of Yahweh and of Gideon!”
- 1 Samuel 17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine, and killed him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
- 1 Kings 18:44 On the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” He said, “Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you.’ ”
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame the things that are strong. God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that don’t exist, that he might bring to nothing the things that exist, that no flesh should boast before God.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Private notes
Saved on this device only — never synced or sent anywhere.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ki 20:14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he…
1Ki 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.
Ver. 14. Even by the young men of the princes, &c.] By the noblemen’s sons, the young courtiers, and cavaliers. These were fresh water soldiers, likely, and unexperienced; carpet knights, fitter for a canopy than a camp, for language than a lance; but God had therefore the more glory by the victory gotten by them.
Read full note →
Who shall order the battle?] i.e., Set upon the Syrians, after that they are disordered by the young gallants. {a}
{a} Gens una Fabiorum.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain By the young men of the princes of the…
By the young men of the princes of the provinces; not by old and experienced soldiers, but by those young men; either the sons of the princes and great men of the land, who were generally fled thither for safety; or their pages or servants that used to attend upon them, who are bred up delicately, and seem unfit for the business.
He answered, Thou, partly to encourage the young men to fight courageously, as being in the presence of their prince; and partly that it might appear that the victory was wholly due to God’s gracious and powerful providence, and not to the valour or worthiness of the instruments.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Ahab said, by whom?.... Knowing he had no…
And Ahab said, by whom?.... Knowing he had no army with him sufficient to go out with against the Syrian army:
and he said, thus saith the Lord, even by the young men of the princes of the provinces; either such, as Kimchi thinks, who were brought up with him; or, as others, the sons of governors of provinces, who were kept as hostages, that their fathers might not rebel; neither of which is likely: but rather the servants of such princes who waited on them, and lived delicately and at ease, and were not trained up to military exercise, even by these should the victory be obtained:
Read full note →
then he said, who shall order the battle? begin the attack, we or they? or who shall conduct it, or be the general of the army, go before it, and lead them on? Ahab might think, being an idolater, that the Lord would not make use of him, or otherwise who could be thought of but himself?
and he answered, thou; thou must be the commander, go forth with the army, and make the attack upon the enemy.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain He said, &c. - Not by old and experienced…
He said, &c. - Not by old and experienced soldiers, but by those young men; either the sons of the princes, and great men of the land, who were fled thither for safety; or their pages, or servants that used to attend them: who are bred up delicately, and seem unfit for the business. Thou - Partly to encourage the young men to fight courageously, as being the presence of their prince: and partly, that it might appear, that the victory was wholly due to God's gracious providence, and not to the valour or worthiness of the instruments.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 14. By the young men of the princes…
Verse 14. By the young men of the princes of the provinces.] These were probably some chosen persons out of the militia of different districts, raised by the princes of the provinces; the same as we would call lord-lieutenants of counties.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 1Ki 20:14. By the young men of the princes,…
1Ki 20:14. By the young men of the princes, &c. — The Hebrew word נערי, nagnaree, here rendered young men, is ambiguous, and may mean either the sons or the servants of the princes of the provinces. It was not by old, experienced soldiers, but by those young men, who had lived delicately, and perhaps had never seen a fight, that this battle was to be won; in order that it might appear that the victory was wholly due to God’s gracious providence, and not to the valour or worthiness of the instruments. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? — Or, as some understand the words, Who shall begin the fight, they or we? Shall we make a sally, or wait till they assault us? He answered, Thou — The prophet bids the king begin and lead them on, partly to encourage the young men to fight courageously, as being in the presence of their prince; and partly to try whether Ahab would thus far trust God, or not.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain The “princes of the provinces” are the governors of…
The “princes of the provinces” are the governors of districts, many of whom may have fled to the capital, as the hostile army advanced through Galilee and northern Samaria. The “young men” are their attendants, youths unaccustomed to war.
Who shall order the battle? - i. e., “Who shal join battle, begin the attack? We or the enemy?” The reply was, that the Israelites were to attack.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain Servants. Literally, "footmen." (Haydock) --- Hebrew means either "sons…
Servants. Literally, "footmen." (Haydock) --- Hebrew means either "sons or servants." The pages of honour, or the menial servants of the lords, were not likely to gain the victory. (Calmet) --- There were 232 in number, ver. 15. Achab followed them, (ver. 19.) with 7000; and this army defeated the Syrians. --- Thou, not in person; but thy men must begin the attack.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 14. Young men of the princes of the provinces…
14. Young men of the princes of the provinces — These princes of the provinces were the local governors of the several districts in the kingdom, who had been called into Samaria by order of the king to help defend the city against Ben-hadad. Their young men were their servants or attendants. Jehovah will show Ahab, and also Ben-hadad, that “the battle is not to the strong,” and these two hundred and thirty-two youths shall be mightier than the boasted numbers of the king of Syria.
Who shall order the battle — Literally, Who shall bind on the battle? That is, Who shall begin the fight?
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 14. the young men of the princes of the…
14. the young men of the princes of the provinces] The LXX. gives υἱοὶ τῶν ἡγεμόνων, ‘sons of the leaders’, and Josephus nearly the same. ‘The princes of the provinces’ were probably chieftains who had come from various parts of the kingdom of Israel. The ‘young men’ would be their attendants or squires. Evidently they are selected as persons who had no great experience though they might have the courage to go, few in number, against a much superior force.
Who shall order the battle] The verb, as is seen from the margin of A.V., means ‘to bind’ or ‘tie’. The R.V. taking this to apply to the bringing of the armies together has rendered begin. Instead of remaining within the walls, God encourages Ahab to be the first to strike a blow. Humanly speaking, even, such a step was likely to meet with some success. Josephus says Ahab was to lead because of the inexperience of the young men.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (14) Who shall order the battle?—The marginal reading seems…
(14) Who shall order the battle?—The marginal reading seems right, “Who shall give battle?” “Who shall begin the fray?”
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus…
And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord Observe the repetition. He is careful to give special prominence to the sacred name, as the only help in trouble, (Psa_20:1, Psa_20:5, Psa_20:7, etc.) Even by the young men or servants r"n", has both meanings, corresponding with paiv (cf. Gen_37:2; 2Ki_5:20 2Ki_8:4) of the princes of the provinces. The local governors, (cf. 1Ki_4:7 1Ki_10:15) on the approach of Ben hadad, had apparently fled to the capital. Whether these "young men" were their "pages" (Thenius), or even were "young lads" (Ewald) at all, or, on the contrary, a "select body of strong young men" (Bahr), the bodyguard of the various governors (2Sa_18:15) (Von Gerlach), may be doubtful; but when Bahr says that Ahab would not have consented to appoint weak boys to lead the van, at least without remonstrance, he must have forgotten that all the ordinary means at Ahab"s disposal were equally insufficient, and that in themselves 200 or 2000 tried veterans would have been just as inadequate a force as 200 pages. The agency by which the victory was won was purposely weak and feeble (per turbam imbellem), in order that the work might be seen to be of God (cf. Jud_1:7:2; 1Co_1:27, 1Co_1:29) And this consideration makes against the supposition that the attacking body was composed of tried and skilful warriors. Then he said, Who shall order Heb. bind; we speak of joining battle" the battle? The meaning is not, "who shall command this force," but, "which side shall begin the fray?" And he answered, Thou i.e., thy band of young men shall make the attack.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.