He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
Parallel Translations
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He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”
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And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
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And he said: 'Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.'
Cross-references (5)
Passages linked to 1 Kings 20:18 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 2 Kings 14:8-12 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let’s look one another in the face.” 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 your daughter to my son as wife. Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by, and trampled down the thistle. You have indeed struck Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Enjoy the glory of it, and stay at home; for why should you meddle to your harm, that you fall, even you, and Judah with you?’ ” But Amaziah would not listen. So Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. Judah was defeated by Israel; and each man fled to his tent.
- 1 Samuel 2:3-4 “Don’t keep talking so exceedingly proudly. Don’t let arrogance come out of your mouth, for Yahweh is a God of knowledge. By him actions are weighed. “The bows of the mighty men are broken. Those who stumbled are armed with strength.
- 1 Samuel 14:11-12 Both of them revealed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, “Behold, the Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they had hidden themselves!” The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
- 1 Samuel 17:44 The Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the field.”
- Proverbs 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is proud, but before honor is humility.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (10 sources)
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John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 1Ki 20:18 And he said, Whether they be come…
1Ki 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.
Ver. 18. Take them alive.] He bore himself so bold upon his great strength, that he thought there was no more to do but to take them alive. He considered not that they were Deo armati; and that himself was held fast "in the snare of the devil, being taken alive by him at his will," {2Ti 2:26} as a beast is taken in a toil. {a}
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{a} εζωγρημενοι.
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 He bids them not fight; for he thought they…
He bids them not fight; for he thought they needed not to strike one stroke, and that the Israelites could not stand the first brunt.
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 he said, whether they be come out for…
And he said, whether they be come out for peace,.... To propose terms of peace:
take them alive; make them prisoners, which was contrary to the laws of nations:
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or whether they be come out for war, take them alive; he made no doubt of their being easily taken; but he would not have them be put to death, that he might examine them, and know the state of things in Samaria, and what Ahab intended to do, that he might take his measures accordingly.
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 Take them - He bids them not fight, for…
Take them - He bids them not fight, for he thought they needed not to strike one stroke; and that the Israelites could not stand the first brunt.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 18. Take them alive.] He was confident of…
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's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain 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 18. Take them alive — In the folly of…
18. Take them alive — In the folly of his drunken insolence he was confident of victory, not dreaming of any power greater than his own.
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 18. take them alive] Whatever their mission might be…
18. take them alive] Whatever their mission might be Ben-hadad had no doubt that his followers could surround them and capture them without fighting. They could have no difficulty in overpowering so insignificant a force. Why he wished for the capture rather than the slaughter of the Israelites is not so evident. It might be only with a view of making it clear that there was no need to cut off any troops sent against them; by mere force of numbers they could overpower them and make them prisoners.
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.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain And he said, Whether they be come out for…
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace i.e., to negociate or to submit, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. We may trace in these words, possibly the influence of wine, but certainly the exasperation which Ahab"s last message had occasioned the king. So incensed is he that he will not respect the rights of ambassadors, and he is afraid lest belligerents should be slain before he can arraign them before him. Possibly he meant that they should be tortured or slain before his face.
There came a prophet" O altitudo! For years past the prophets have been proscribed, hunted, harried to death. Yet in his darkest hour, when other refuge fails him, Ahab finds a prophet at his side. God bears no grudges. It is sufficient to give us a claim upon His help that we are helpless (Psa_68:5; Hos_14:8) He "comforteth" (i.e. , strengtheneth, con fortis) "those that are cast down. (2Co_7:6) "Who can wonder enough at this unweariable mercy of God? After the fire and rain, fetched miraculously from heaven, Ahab had promised much, performed nothing, yet God will again bless and solicit him with victory; one of those prophets whom he persecuted shall comfort his dejection with the news of deliverance and triumph." This act of grace should have proved that the Lord was God, and that the prophet was His messenger. It is not in man to act thus. Thou shalt know that I am the Lord." "Not for thy righteousness or the uprightness of thine heart dost thou go in to possess their land, but for the wickedness of these nations," etc. (Deu_9:4, Deu_9:5) The drought, the fire, the great rain, none of these had convinced the king and queen. Will deliverance from the jaws of death move them? Will they believe in a God of battles? Will they recognize HIS finger in a superhuman victory?
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Take them alive." "Security is the certain usher of destruction. We have never so much cause to fear as when we fear nothing" (cf. Dan_5:1, Dan_5:30; Luk_17:27; 1Th_5:3)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Ben Hadad said
Ben Hadad said
It is understood that Ben Hadad is speaking to his soldiers. AT: "Ben Hadad said to his soldiers" (See: Ellipsis)
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Whether they have ... take them
Here "they" and "them" refer to the Israelite army.
So the young officers ... the army followed
"The young Israelite officers ... the Israelite army followed"
translationWords
peace
life
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.