1 Kings 20:19 kjv
So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.
1 Kings 20:19 nkjv
Then these young leaders of the provinces went out of the city with the army which followed them.
1 Kings 20:19 niv
The junior officers under the provincial commanders marched out of the city with the army behind them
1 Kings 20:19 esv
So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them.
1 Kings 20:19 nlt
But Ahab's provincial commanders and the entire army had now come out to fight.
1 Kings 20 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 17:45 | Then David said to the Philistine... I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts... | Reliance on God's name for battle |
| 2 Chron 20:15 | ...“Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God’s." | God fights battles, not man |
| Zech 4:6 | Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. | Victory is from God's Spirit, not human strength |
| Psa 20:7 | Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. | Trust in God over military might |
| Josh 6:20 | So the people shouted... and the wall fell down flat... | Obedience to God's specific commands brings victory |
| Judg 7:7 | The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand..." | God uses few to defeat many |
| Deut 20:4 | For the LORD your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. | God accompanies His people in battle |
| Isa 30:15 | For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength." | Strength comes from trusting God |
| Rom 10:17 | So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. | Action flows from hearing God's word |
| Heb 11:30 | By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. | Faith leads to outward acts of obedience |
| Jer 17:5 | Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength..." | Curses for trusting in human strength |
| 1 Kings 20:13-14 | ...A prophet came near to Ahab... “Thus says the LORD, I will give it into your hand this day.”... Then Ahab said, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says the LORD, By the young men..." | Prophetic command initiates the action |
| 1 Sam 14:6 | Jonathan said to his young armor-bearer, “Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised... For nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.” | God's ability to save despite numbers |
| Matt 17:20 | ...If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move..." | Faith empowers seemingly impossible acts |
| Eph 6:11-13 | Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil... | Spiritual battle requiring divine armor |
| Psa 33:16-17 | The king is not saved by his great army... The war horse is a false hope for salvation... | Salvation not found in earthly armies |
| 2 Chr 14:11 | Asa cried to the LORD... “O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak..." | God helps against all odds |
| Acts 5:29 | But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men." | Priority of obeying God's command |
| Luke 14:31-32 | Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? If not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. | Conventional warfare logic contrasted with divine strategy |
| Heb 11:8 | By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance... | Obedience to God's call to go out |
1 Kings 20 verses
1 Kings 20 19 Meaning
1 Kings 20:19 describes the decisive action taken by the Israelite forces, specifically the "young men" and subsequently the main army, as they exited Samaria. This seemingly simple statement signifies their obedience to the prophet's instruction, acting upon the divine promise of victory over the vast Aramean army led by Ben-Hadad. It marks the commencement of a military maneuver directly guided by God, setting the stage for a miraculous triumph against overwhelming odds, demonstrating God's power and faithfulness.
1 Kings 20 19 Context
1 Kings 20 chronicles Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, laying siege to Samaria, the capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He makes extravagant and humiliating demands upon King Ahab. Despite Ahab's initial acquiescence, Ben-Hadad's continued aggression and hubris lead to Ahab seeking counsel. A prophet of the Lord then miraculously appears, not from Ahab's initiative, but directly sent by God, to deliver a message of certain victory. The prophet declares that God will deliver the great multitude into Ahab's hand, specifically "by the young men of the commanders of the districts" (v. 14). This is a test of faith for Ahab, as this small contingent is commanded to lead the charge against the overwhelming Aramean force (32 kings and their armies, v. 1). Verse 19 describes the direct consequence of Ahab's decision to obey this seemingly absurd divine instruction. It initiates the actual military engagement which results in a stunning defeat for Aram, demonstrating God's sovereign power over pagan kings and highlighting the consequence of either faith or defiance.
1 Kings 20 19 Word analysis
- So: (וַיֵּצְאוּ - Vayyētṣĕʾū - "And they went out/came out") This conjunction signals a direct consequence, a logical follow-up to the prophet's command in verse 14 and Ahab's subsequent assembly of forces in verses 15-18. It underscores the immediacy of their obedience.
- they: Refers collectively to "the young men of the commanders of the districts" (v. 15) and subsequently the entire army (seven thousand in v. 15), as instructed by the prophet (v. 14). This collective action signifies united obedience, even in the face of daunting odds.
- went out: (יָצָא - yatsa’) The verb implies an intentional, decisive departure or egress. It signifies a movement from a state of being besieged and confined within city walls to actively confronting the enemy in the open. This action is born out of faith and obedience to divine instruction, rather than conventional military wisdom. It represents the bold step of confronting overwhelming power, trusting in a divine promise.
- of the city: (מִן־הָעִיר֙ - min-hāʿîr - "from the city") "The city" is explicitly Samaria, the capital of Israel, currently under siege. The act of "going out of the city" under siege is highly significant; it means abandoning defensive fortifications to engage a superior enemy directly. This movement exposes them to direct confrontation, demonstrating immense trust in the divine promise rather than relying on their strategic position or numerical strength. It highlights their vulnerable but faith-filled position.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "So they went out": This phrase captures the immediate and compliant response of the Israelite army. The prompt execution of the prophetic command is crucial. It’s an act of faith-filled obedience, a military sally prompted by a divine word rather than typical tactical advantage or overwhelming force. This immediate 'going out' is key to demonstrating Israel's reliance on God for victory.
- "out of the city": This emphasizes the strategic context – Samaria was under siege. Their departure from the relative safety of the fortified city walls to meet the vastly superior Aramean forces on open ground demonstrates their adherence to a divine strategy that defied human military logic. It marked a radical shift from defensive posture to aggressive offense, relying solely on God's declared power.
1 Kings 20 19 Bonus section
The seemingly trivial act of "going out" from the city's confines carries profound spiritual resonance beyond the immediate military context. It mirrors the call for believers throughout Scripture to "go out" in faith, often from positions of comfort or perceived security, to fulfill God's purposes. This principle is seen in Abraham "going out" from Ur (Gen 12:1), Moses leading Israel "out" of Egypt (Exod 13:3), and Christ commissioning His disciples to "go out" into all the world (Matt 28:19). In each case, the "going out" signifies a divestment of self-reliance and an embarkation on a journey wholly dependent on God's leading and power. In 1 Kings 20, the act was specifically a movement to engage an enemy, revealing God's strategy not merely as defense, but as active engagement, often counter-intuitive, against opposing forces.
1 Kings 20 19 Commentary
1 Kings 20:19 is a deceptively simple verse, yet it marks the pivotal moment in the divine intervention during Ben-Hadad's siege of Samaria. Following a direct command from a prophet of the Lord, Israel's forces, particularly the divinely designated "young men," courageously sally forth from the city. This act of "going out" is not a desperate last stand based on human might, but a bold, obedient step of faith. It represents a fundamental theological truth: God orchestrates battles, and victory belongs to Him. The human participants' role is primarily one of obedience, regardless of how illogical or vulnerable the action might appear by worldly standards. This verse is the precursor to a remarkable demonstration of God's power, showing that He is the true ruler over nations and armies, willing to humble arrogant kings like Ben-Hadad and reinforce His covenant with His people, even through a morally compromised king like Ahab.
- Example 1: Like the march around Jericho, Israel's "going out" was an act of obedient faith, not military genius.
- Example 2: Their seemingly foolish vulnerability (leaving safety) showcased God's strength perfected in their weakness.