1 Kings 20 15

1 Kings 20:15 kjv

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.

1 Kings 20:15 nkjv

Then he mustered the young leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel?seven thousand.

1 Kings 20:15 niv

So Ahab summoned the 232 junior officers under the provincial commanders. Then he assembled the rest of the Israelites, 7,000 in all.

1 Kings 20:15 esv

Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand.

1 Kings 20:15 nlt

So Ahab mustered the troops of the 232 provincial commanders. Then he called out the rest of the army of Israel, some 7,000 men.

1 Kings 20 verses

1 Kings 20 15 Meaning

1 Kings 20:15 details the mustering of King Ahab's small army against the vast Aramean forces besieging Samaria. It records two distinct groups: an initial contingent of 232 "young men of the provincial commanders," followed by the main body comprising "all the people, all the sons of Israel," numbering 7,000. This numerical sparsity emphasizes Israel's human weakness, setting the stage for God's miraculous intervention and demonstration of His sovereignty over military strength.

1 Kings 20 15 Context

1 Kings chapter 20 begins with Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, besieging Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel under King Ahab. Ben-Hadad makes outrageous demands, to which Ahab reluctantly agrees initially. However, when the Aramean king escalates his demands to include pillaging the city, Ahab consults the elders and refuses. At this critical juncture, a prophet of Yahweh appears to Ahab, delivering a divine message: despite Aram's overwhelming power, God will deliver them into Ahab's hand. This victory is specifically ordained so that Ahab and Israel may know that Yahweh is the Lord, directly challenging the prevailing pagan beliefs about gods of "hills" and "valleys" (as seen later in the chapter, 1 Kgs 20:23, 28). Verse 15 marks the moment of obediently following the prophetic instruction to muster Israel's military force, a significantly small contingent compared to the besieging army, thus setting the stage for a dramatic display of divine intervention.

1 Kings 20 15 Word analysis

• Then he mustered: (וַיִּפְקֹד – vayifkod) From the Hebrew verb paqad, meaning to visit, inspect, count, or summon for service. It implies a formal and precise act of military review or mobilization initiated by the king.
• the young men: (נַעֲרֵי – na'arey) Plural of na'ar, commonly translated as 'youth' or 'young man.' In military contexts, it can denote able-bodied fighting men, possibly vigorous, agile, or serving as personal attendants or a special elite guard. Here, it signifies a specific, select group rather than the general populace.
• of the provincial commanders: (שָׂרֵי הַמְּדִינוֹת – sarei hamedinot) Sar means 'commander' or 'prince,' and medinot refers to 'provinces' or administrative districts. These were leaders governing specific regions within Israel, and their 'young men' likely represented their personal retinue, household guards, or a distinct, high-status contingent of their provincial levies.
• and there were 232: This precise, small number emphasizes the limited strength of this elite advance guard. It stands in stark contrast to the vast host of Ben-Hadad, highlighting Israel's inherent military inferiority and foreshadowing a supernatural victory.
• and after them: Indicates a chronological or hierarchical sequence in the assembly, with this larger force forming the main body or rear-guard.
• he mustered all the people: (כָּל הָעָם – kol ha'am) Signifies the general muster, representing the full body of the Israelite populace capable of military service.
• all the sons of Israel: (כָּל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל – kol benei Yisrael) A comprehensive, collective term for the nation of Israel, stressing that this was their total available fighting force, underscoring their relative weakness against a major regional power.
• 7,000: This specific number, the final count of Israel's main army, is highly significant. While numerically substantial on its own, it is militarily negligible compared to a typical Aramean army, which would have consisted of tens of thousands, including numerous chariots and horsemen. Biblically, the number seven often denotes completion or perfection. Notably, 1 Kings 19:18 and Romans 11:4-5 refer to 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal, a symbolic representation of God's faithful remnant. While the contexts differ (military muster vs. spiritual fidelity), the recurring number can resonate with God's principle of working through a chosen, limited group, ensuring the victory is solely attributed to Him. In this instance, it strongly emphasizes Israel's total reliance on divine power rather than human might.

• "Then he mustered the young men of the provincial commanders, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, all the sons of Israel, 7,000.": The juxtaposition of these two groups, particularly the extremely small initial contingent, highlights the numerical inferiority of Ahab's army. This literary and military setup is deliberate; it's a dramatic counterpoint to the impending, overwhelming victory. The prophet's instruction for this specific muster serves to demonstrate that the victory would not come through Israel's military prowess, but purely through God's power (as explicitly stated in 1 Kgs 20:28), humbling both Israel and the Arameans.

1 Kings 20 15 Bonus section

• The account implicitly carries a polemic against pagan deities by demonstrating that Yahweh alone is the Lord, active in specific battles and not confined by geography or specific military power dynamics. The enemy, Ben-Hadad, relies on numerical superiority and pride, contrasting sharply with Yahweh's strategy through humility and faith.
• The military tactics implied by mustering a small, distinct "young men" unit first could suggest a "shock troop" or a highly mobile skirmishing force, which, while militarily plausible in some contexts, takes on divine significance here given its prescribed number.
• This verse acts as a bridge, connecting the divine prophecy (1 Kgs 20:13) with its miraculous fulfillment (1 Kgs 20:20-21). The very weakness it describes is essential to the theological impact of the subsequent victory.

1 Kings 20 15 Commentary

1 Kings 20:15 describes the surprising and deliberate assembly of Ahab's numerically weak Israelite army, acting under the prophet's unique instruction. The small contingent of 232, followed by the main force of 7,000, clearly signals that any forthcoming victory would not be attributed to human strength or strategic brilliance. This limited muster, especially against a powerful and arrogant foe like Ben-Hadad, serves a foundational theological purpose: to highlight Yahweh's absolute sovereignty over human affairs, including military conflicts. It is a tangible demonstration that God "does not save by many or by few" (1 Sam 14:6) and that triumph comes "not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit" (Zec 4:6). The choice of numbers further emphasizes Israel's dependence and God's intentional use of weakness to display His glory and reinforce the covenant truth that He is the God of Israel. This scenario exemplifies God working through seemingly insignificant means to achieve mighty ends, ensuring that only His name is glorified.