Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two. After them, he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand. They went out at noon. But Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty-two kings who helped him. The young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben Hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, “Men are coming out from Samaria.”
He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them. They each killed his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen. The king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv17, 20 That is, young men trained in the service of…
That is, young men trained in the service of princes.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv15–21 1Ki 20:15 Then he numbered the young men of…
1Ki 20:15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, [even] all the children of Israel, [being] seven thousand.
Ver. 15. And they were two hundred and thirty.] These having God’s word for their warrant, had better success than those three hundred Roman gentlemen, who going out - for a name - to fight with some neighbouring enemies, perished by their own foolhardiness. {a}
Read full note →
{a} Flor., lib. i., cap. 12. Veientes.
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 On vv15, 16, 18, 20, 21 All the children of Israel; either,
All the children of Israel; either,
1. All the men; for they only went out to battle; and the rest of the men might be consumed with the sword or famine, or other judgments. Or rather,
Read full note →
2. All the men of war, or all that were fit to go out to war; all except those whom their age, or infirmity, or other sufficient causes excused. Being seven thousand; which number may possibly be noted with respect unto those seven thousand, commended 1Ki 19:18, for whose sakes principally God gave this deliverance.
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 On vv15–21 Then he numbered the young men of the princes…
Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two,.... A very small number to go forth against so great an army as the host of the Syrians, and these raw unexperienced young men:
and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand; which could never be the number of all the people in the land, nor even in the city of Samaria, who were able to bear arms; but it must mean such who were willing to go out to war on this occasion: and the number being just the same as of those that bowed not the knee to Baal, has led the Jewish commentators to conclude that these were the men that were numbered for war; but it is not likely that they were all in Samaria, or that none but those would go to war, though it must be owned the number is remarkable.
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 On vv15, 18, 20, 21 All Israel - All that were fit to go…
All Israel - All that were fit to go out to war; all, except those whom their age, or the same infirmity excused.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv15, 18, 20 Verse 15. Two hundred and thirty-two] These were probably…
Verse 15. Two hundred and thirty-two] These were probably the king's life or body guards; not all the militia, but two hundred and thirty of them who constituted the royal guard in Samaria. They were therefore the king's own regiment, and he is commanded by the prophet to put himself at their head.
Seven thousand.] How low must the state of Israel have been at this time! These Jarchi thinks were the seven thousand who had not bowed the knee to Baal.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv15, 16, 20 1Ki 20:15. He numbered all the men of Israel…
1Ki 20:15. He numbered all the men of Israel — All in Samaria and the neighbourhood that were fit to go out to war; all except those whom their age, or infirmity, or other sufficient causes excused; but certainly not all the men of war in Israel, who must have been far more than seven thousand.
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 On vv15–17 Seven thousand - Considering how populous Palestine was in…
Seven thousand - Considering how populous Palestine was in the time of the earlier Israelite kings (see 2Ch 13:3; 2Ch 14:8; 2Ch 17:14-18), the smallness of this number is somewhat surprising. If the reading be sound, we must suppose, first, that Ben-hadad’s attack was very sudden, and that Ahab had no time to collect forces from distant parts of the country; and secondly, that during the long siege the garrison of Samaria had been greatly reduced, until it now did not exceed 7,000 men fit for service.
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 On vv18, 21 Alive. This he said out of contempt, and too…
Alive. This he said out of contempt, and too great confidence; (Menochius) and this gave occasion to his defeat. For, while his men were endeavouring to execute his orders punctually, the Israelites cut many in pieces, and routed the rest. (Salien)
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 On vv15, 17, 18 15. Seven thousand — Some have supposed that these…
15. Seven thousand — Some have supposed that these were the seven thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal. 1Ki_19:18. That, however, can only be regarded as a pleasing conjecture. Keil thinks that in both places seven thousand denotes the whole covenant people, but with this distinction, that in 1Ki_19:18, it is the actually elect of Israel, while here it only represents the elect.
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 On vv15–21 15. Then he numbered [R.V. mustered] the young men]…
15. Then he numbered [R.V. mustered] the young men] The verb occurs several times in this chapter, and is always rendered ‘numbered’ (see 1Ki_20:26-27 and the two instances in this verse), as indeed it is in nearly all cases in A.V. But looking at 1Ki_20:27, in comparison with this verse, ‘to number’ can hardly be correct, for then the operation would have been performed twice over, manifestly a needless proceeding. The verb literally signifies ‘to visit’, hence ‘to hold a visitation, or gathering,’ and so ‘to muster’ appears to represent the sense here very well. See also the note on 1Ki_20:25 below.
even all the children of Israel] The LXX. omits these words. The smallness of the number mentioned (7000) is very remarkable. Josephus only speaks of them as the rest of the army. There were no doubt many more men of war in Israel, but if the number in the text be correct, it must be that Ahab had not been able to bring many soldiers together in the city by reason of the suddenness of the attack, or because so many other persons from the country had crowded into the safest places, and thus there was no room for more.
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 On vv15, 20 (15) The young men—i.e., the attendants or armour-bearers of…
(15) The young men—i.e., the attendants or armour-bearers of the territorial chiefs, no doubt picked men and well armed. The whole garrison is stated as seven thousand—enough, perhaps, to man the walls, but wholly unfit to take the field. The sally is made at noon, when (as Josephus relates) the besiegers were resting unarmed in the heat of the day.
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 On vv15–21 Then he numbered or reviewed (cf. Num_1:44 sqq.; 3:39-43)…
Then he numbered or reviewed (cf. Num_1:44 sqq.; 3:39-43) the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty-two cf. 2Ch_14:11; Psalm ia Deu_32:30, etc. LXX diako triakonta. Theodoret remarks that by this band 230, as he understood it Almighty God would destroy the hosts of thirty and two kings. The numbers may have been recorded because of the correspondency: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand. This number is of course to be understood, unlike that of ch. 19:18, literally. And the context (cf. ver. 19) shows that this was the number of fighting men. But this small army can hardly fail to create surprise, especially if we compare it with the statistics of the soldiery of an earlier age (2Sa_24:9; 1Ch_21:5; 2Ch_13:3 2Ch_14:8) It is true this was not strictly an army, but a garrison for the defence of the capital. But it looks very much as if, under the feeble rule of Ahab, the kingdom of Israel had become thoroughly disorganized. "The position of Jarchi is that of a true Rabbi, viz., that the 7000 were those who had not bowed the knee unto Baal," (1Ki_19:18) Bahr.
The young men were two hundred and thirty-two. " "Not by might nor by power. God"s host is ever a little flock (cf. Jud 7:2-7; 2Ch_20:12; 1Co_1:27-29) The "weak things" were chosen then, as subsequently, "that no flesh should glory in his presence." God never departs from that rule. The "carpenter"s son," the "fishermen," the "unlearned and ignorant men it is the same principle underlies His choice in every case.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v17 And the young men of the princes of the…
1Ki_20:17
And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first.
Read full note →
Young men encouraged to band together for the holy war
I. The mighty enemies to be opposed.
II. The glorious monarch under whom we fight.
III. The instruments employed on this occasion in his service. The young men of the princes of the provinces. Such it was, that God selected on this occasion, that His hand might be more clearly revealed. Thus the faith of His people was called forth and exercised; thus bold zeal in His cause would be encouraged. Nor is it only in the history of Israel, that young men have been employed. There have, in our own country and in our own Church, been in past days associations of young men, that have been eminently blessed of God. The societies for the reformation of manners originated with young men; and from 1668, for nearly a century, their associated efforts greatly blessed our country. Vice was discouraged and put down; and innumerable books of piety, circulated by the young men of that period, produced a great reformation of morals, especially in the city of London, but which spread also through other parts of the country.
IV. The victory obtained. (E. Bickersteth, M. A.)
Step in anywhere
During a great battle, a recruit who had lost his company in the tumult of strife, approached the general in command, and timidly asked where he should step in. Step in? thundered the general. Step in anywhere; theres fighting all along the line. A heavy piece of machinery was being moved into a building by means of a block and tackle. Suddenly one of the ropes parted, and the machine began to slide backward. The two men who had charge of the work sprang to stay its progress. Give us a lift! one of them shouted to a bystander. Where shall I take hold? asked the man thus addressed, unmindful of the fact that there was net a second to lose. Grab hold anywhere! yelled the mover. It may be that we are in a field where we are unaccustomed to work, and are timidly asking where we shall step in. We may find our answer in the words, Step in anywhere; theres fighting all along the line. Are you waiting to be called into some special Church work? Step in anywhere. If you are willing, you can be used. This is not the time to pick and choose as to what work we shall do. The need is so great, the force against us so strong, that only one duty awaits the Christian disciple--to take hold anywhere. (Signal.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv16, 18, 20 They went out
They went out
Here the word "They" refers to the Israelite army.
Read full note →
thirty-two lesser kings
See how you translated this in 1 Kings 20:1.
Ben Hadad was informed by scouts that he had sent out
This can be expressed in active form. AT: "Scouts that Ben Hadad had sent out informed him" (See: Active or Passive)
scouts
A "scout" is a soldier sent to gather information about the enemy.
translationWords
drunk
king
send
Samaria
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv17, 20 20:17 first contingent: Ahab apparently sent this small squad…
20:17 first contingent: Ahab apparently sent this small squad to test the enemy. Surprise attacks in the ancient Near East often divided the attacking forces into assault groups designed to launch a pincer movement against the enemy (Judg 7:16; 1 Sam 11:11), to lure the opposing forces into an ambush (Josh 8:15-22), or to draw the enemy to a spot where the attacking army enjoyed a superior position (Judg 4:14-16; 5:19-21).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.