1 Kings 15 20

1 Kings 15:20 kjv

So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

1 Kings 15:20 nkjv

So Ben-Hadad heeded King Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel. He attacked Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maachah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

1 Kings 15:20 niv

Ben-Hadad agreed with King Asa and sent the commanders of his forces against the towns of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel Beth Maakah and all Kinnereth in addition to Naphtali.

1 Kings 15:20 esv

And Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

1 Kings 15:20 nlt

Ben-hadad agreed to King Asa's request and sent the commanders of his army to attack the towns of Israel. They conquered the towns of Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Kinnereth, and all the land of Naphtali.

1 Kings 15 verses

1 Kings 15 20 Meaning

This verse details the successful execution of King Asa of Judah's strategic plan: Ben-hadad, king of Aram, attacked the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Following Asa's enticement, Ben-hadad launched a military campaign, striking key cities and territories in northern Israel, including Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maachah, the region of Chinneroth, and the entire land of Naphtali. This forced Israel's King Baasha to withdraw from his fortified position near Judah.

1 Kings 15 20 Context

First Kings chapter 15 narrates the reigns of Judah's King Asa and Israel's King Nadab, followed by Baasha. Asa initially began his reign with significant religious reforms and trust in God. However, when King Baasha of Israel fortified Ramah, posing a direct threat to Jerusalem, Asa's faith faltered. Instead of seeking divine help, he emptied the temple and royal treasuries of Judah's gold and silver, sending it as a bribe to Ben-hadad, the Aramean king of Damascus, urging him to break his existing treaty with Baasha and attack Israel. Verse 20 details the immediate and direct result of this controversial human strategy: Ben-hadad indeed "listened" and launched the attack. This action strategically succeeded in drawing Baasha away from Ramah (as described in the subsequent verse 21) but revealed Asa's spiritual compromise and lack of unwavering trust in the Lord.

1 Kings 15 20 Word analysis

• "So": Implies a direct consequence or result. It links back to Asa's proposal and payment to Ben-hadad in verses 18-19.
• "Ben-hadad": (בֶּן־הֲדַד, Ben-Hadad - "son of Hadad"). The name points to the Aramaic deity Hadad, a storm god. This highlights that Asa, a king dedicated to Yahweh worship (though imperfectly), chose to ally with a pagan king whose very name glorified a false god, rather than fully relying on the God of Israel. Ben-hadad I was a powerful king of Aram-Damascus.
• "listened": (שָׁמַע, shama). In Hebrew, shama implies not just hearing but also paying heed, obeying, or acting upon. Ben-hadad fully assented to Asa's request and took decisive action. This signifies the effective worldly nature of Asa's pragmatic, yet faithless, decision.
• "King Asa": (אָסָא, Asa). While previously depicted as righteous in his reforms and relying on God against the Ethiopians (2 Chron 14), his decision here demonstrates a critical spiritual lapse where expediency overshadowed trust in Yahweh. This act set a precedent of relying on foreign alliances for Judah.
• "sent": Indicates deliberate and official military deployment.
• "commanders of his armies": Denotes a significant, organized military campaign, not a mere border skirmish, showing Ben-hadad's full commitment to the alliance.
• "cities of Israel": Refers to the urban centers within the Northern Kingdom, particularly their northern reaches. This highlights the invasion's target was Israel, Ben-hadad's previous ally.
• "attacked": A clear action of war and conquest, consistent with the destructive nature of military invasion.
• "Ijon": (עִיּוֹן, Iyon). A city in the territory of Naphtali, located in a valley important for strategic control in northern Galilee.
• "Dan": (דָּן, Dan). The northernmost city of Israel ("from Dan to Beersheba"). It was infamous for being one of the two sites (along with Bethel) where Jeroboam established a golden calf cult (1 Ki 12:29-30), making it a significant center of idolatry. Its capture carried symbolic weight regarding God's judgment.
• "Abel-beth-maachah": (אָבֵל בֵּית מַעֲכָה, Abel Beth Ma'akha). A fortified city in northern Naphtali, strategically located in a fertile plain, often serving as a significant administrative or military outpost.
• "Chinneroth": (כִּנְרוֹת, Kinna’rot). This refers to the region surrounding the Sea of Galilee, whose ancient name was "Sea of Chinneroth" (Num 34:11; Josh 12:3), or possibly the sea itself. It indicates a deep penetration into the fertile and populated areas of northern Israel.
• "all the land of Naphtali": A major tribal territory in the northern part of Israel, encompassing valuable agricultural lands and strategic routes. Its full occupation by Aram implies extensive devastation and displacement for the inhabitants.

1 Kings 15 20 Bonus section

• The Aramaic invasion, facilitated by Asa, set a precedent for later negative interactions between Judah/Israel and Aram. In subsequent generations, Aram-Damascus would become a frequent oppressor of both Israel and Judah, directly resulting from the growing power fostered through such alliances.
• The narrative aligns with the Deuteronomistic theology prevalent in Kings, where the reign of a king is evaluated based on their faithfulness to God and the covenant. Asa's decision to trust Ben-hadad marked a significant departure from God-centered governance and established a pattern of future Judean kings making similar foreign alliances.
• Though effective for Judah, this policy of "paying off" a stronger nation had no moral high ground and ultimately harmed a fellow covenant nation, Israel, albeit Israel was under judgment for its own sins. This reflects the complex interwoven judgments of God on both kingdoms.

1 Kings 15 20 Commentary

1 Kings 15:20 describes the effective, though spiritually problematic, outcome of Asa's strategic alliance with Ben-hadad. This verse encapsulates the successful execution of an earthly, cynical plan rooted in a lack of faith in God. While the invasion achieved Asa's immediate objective of forcing Baasha to retreat from Ramah, it underscores a pivotal moment where Asa chose human cunning and foreign military might over divine reliance. The destruction wrought on northern Israel, hitting significant and even idolatrous cities like Dan, reveals a grim irony. God could have dealt with Baasha or allowed him to be defeated without Asa resorting to unholy alliances. This action would later draw a severe prophetic rebuke from Hanani (2 Chron 16:7-9), exposing the inherent spiritual cost of such "victories." The verse serves as a cautionary tale: human strategies, even if outwardly successful, are inherently flawed when they bypass divine trust, leading to negative spiritual and even long-term political repercussions for God's people.