1 Kings 20 17

1 Kings 20:17 kjv

And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

1 Kings 20:17 nkjv

The young leaders of the provinces went out first. And Ben-Hadad sent out a patrol, and they told him, saying, "Men are coming out of Samaria!"

1 Kings 20:17 niv

The junior officers under the provincial commanders went out first. Now Ben-Hadad had dispatched scouts, who reported, "Men are advancing from Samaria."

1 Kings 20:17 esv

The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, "Men are coming out from Samaria."

1 Kings 20:17 nlt

the troops of the provincial commanders marched out of the city as the first contingent. As they approached, Ben-hadad's scouts reported to him, "Some troops are coming from Samaria."

1 Kings 20 verses

1 Kings 20 17 Meaning

This verse recounts the report delivered to Ben-Hadad, King of Aram, stating that a specific contingent of Israelite soldiers, described as "the young men of the provincial commanders," had emerged from the besieged city of Samaria. It signals the beginning of the divinely orchestrated counter-attack against Ben-Hadad's vastly superior forces, an unusual and seemingly unimpressive choice of vanguard that would underscore God's hand in the ensuing victory.

1 Kings 20 17 Context

1 Kings chapter 20 details the first of two wars between King Ahab of Israel and King Ben-Hadad of Aram. Ben-Hadad, with thirty-two allied kings, besieges Samaria, Israel's capital. Initially, Ahab submits to Ben-Hadad's humiliating demands, but when the demands become even more outrageous, Ahab consults with the elders and rejects them, preparing for battle. The crucial turning point comes when a prophet of the Lord appears to Ahab, assuring him of victory over the vast Aramean army. This divine promise explicitly states that the victory will be achieved through the "young men of the provincial commanders." Verse 17 directly describes the crucial moment when Ben-Hadad's intelligence network reports the appearance of this specific, seemingly insignificant Israelite force, setting the stage for God to demonstrate His power against overwhelming odds. The historical context includes constant regional conflicts and the superiority of larger, organized armies, making Israel's unconventional force choice stand out. The narrative implicitly acts as a polemic against the Aramean belief in their gods (likely Hadad), and against any notion that Yahweh's power is limited, demonstrating His sovereignty over all nations and military might.

1 Kings 20 17 Word analysis

• And Ben-Hadad (וּבֶן־הֲדַד, ūven-hadad): Literally "son of Hadad." Hadad was a prominent Aramean storm and fertility deity, the chief god of Damascus. This name highlights the lineage or title of the king of Aram, emphasizing his pagan allegiance, which stands in contrast to the Lord God of Israel.
• sent (שָׁלַח, shalach): Dispatched, released. This implies the immediate and organized sending out of observers or messengers, indicative of military protocol in monitoring enemy movements.
• and they told him (וַיַּגִּידוּ לוֹ, vayyaggîdū lô): "And they caused to report to him." This construction emphasizes that the information was directly relayed and significant enough to warrant immediate notification to the king, highlighting the effectiveness of Ben-Hadad's intelligence gathering.
• saying, (לֵאמֹר, lēʼmor): A common Hebrew particle indicating the commencement of direct speech or quotation.
• “The young men” (הַנְּעָרִים, hannə‘ārîm): From na'ar, referring to lads, youths, or servants. In this military context, it denotes a group that is typically not the most experienced, highly trained, or prestigious. Their "youth" and potential lack of combat seasoning make their emergence as the vanguard exceptionally surprising and militarily counterintuitive from Ben-Hadad's perspective.
• “of the provincial commanders” (שָׂרֵי הַמְּדִינוֹת, sārey hamməḏînôt):
  • commanders (sārey): Officers, princes, or chiefs. These were leaders.
  • provinces (hamməḏînôt): From mĕdînâh, referring to administrative districts or regions outside the main capital city. This group represents troops from outlying areas, not necessarily the elite royal guard or main standing army typically used for frontal assaults. Their "provincial" nature further emphasizes that this was not Ahab's main, most formidable force.
• “have come out.” (יָצְאוּ, yāṣeʼū): They have sallied forth, gone out, emerged. This indicates an aggressive offensive movement, a departure from the defensive posture expected of a besieged army, signaling an immediate military engagement.

Words-group analysis:

• "The young men of the provincial commanders": This precise phrase, mentioned in both God's prophecy (1 Kgs 20:14) and the enemy's report, is critical. It defines a military contingent that would not normally lead a counter-attack. The youthfulness suggests inexperience or junior status, and their provincial origin implies less training or equipment compared to elite city guards. The combined effect is to emphasize that this seemingly insignificant force, by emerging first, perfectly embodies the unlikely instrument God chose to deliver Israel, thereby ensuring the victory would be clearly attributed to divine intervention rather than human strength.
• "And Ben-Hadad sent, and they told him, saying, '...have come out.'": This sequence highlights swift intelligence gathering and reporting within the Aramean camp. Ben-Hadad receives real-time information about Israel's unexpected and peculiar military deployment. This prompt communication sets up the antagonist's immediate assessment and subsequent strategic miscalculation based on human military logic rather than recognition of divine intervention.

1 Kings 20 17 Bonus section

The narrative of 1 Kings 20, commencing with this reconnaissance report, stands as a profound theological lesson on the nature of God's power and sovereignty in battle. It serves as a strong rebuttal to the common ancient Near Eastern belief that deities were confined to specific geographical domains or were stronger in certain terrains. By defeating Ben-Hadad, not in the mountains but outside Samaria's city walls and then again later in the plain, Yahweh utterly dismantles such polytheistic notions, demonstrating His universal power. Furthermore, Ben-Hadad's casual and dismissive response to this initial report in the following verses (1 Kgs 20:18) reinforces his hubris and complete underestimation of the power that stands with Israel, regardless of the apparent weakness of its initial attacking force. This theme of God using the weak and foolish to confound the strong and wise resonates throughout Scripture, reminding believers that divine victory often manifests through unconventional means.

1 Kings 20 17 Commentary

1 Kings 20:17 is a pivotal verse, marking the fulfillment of God's prophetic word through an unnamed prophet to King Ahab (1 Kgs 20:13-14). Ben-Hadad's intelligence report, specifically mentioning "the young men of the provincial commanders," confirms that Israel has deployed precisely the seemingly unimpressive force that God designated for victory. This choice of a vanguard – young and provincial troops rather than seasoned warriors or royal guards – was divinely intended to eliminate any possibility of human boast or attributing the coming victory to Israel's military prowess. Instead, the triumph over a numerically superior and boastful enemy would unequivocally demonstrate the Lord God's sovereignty and His ability to deliver His people, even through what appears militarily weak. The scene sets up the grand divine reversal: Ben-Hadad's pride, fueled by overwhelming numbers, will be shattered by a humble force empowered by the Lord, underscoring the spiritual truth that "the battle is the Lord's."