1 Kings 20:21 kjv
And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
1 Kings 20:21 nkjv
Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
1 Kings 20:21 niv
The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans.
1 Kings 20:21 esv
And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.
1 Kings 20:21 nlt
However, the king of Israel destroyed the other horses and chariots and slaughtered the Arameans.
1 Kings 20 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 14:14 | "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." | God's direct intervention in battle. |
| Deut 20:1-4 | "When you go out to war...do not be afraid...For the LORD your God is with you, who goes with you to fight for you..." | God's assurance of His presence and fighting for His people. |
| Judg 4:15 | "The LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army..." | God's power over chariots in battle. |
| Judg 7:7 | "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand..." | God grants victory through a small, seemingly weak army. |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | "And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear..." | Victory comes from the Lord, not human strength or weaponry. |
| Ps 20:7 | "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." | Emphasizes reliance on God over military might. |
| Ps 33:16-17 | "No king is saved by the size of his army...A horse is a vain hope for deliverance..." | Human strength and war animals are inadequate for salvation. |
| Prov 16:18 | "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." | Ben-Hadad's arrogance leading to his defeat. |
| Isa 31:1 | "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help...who trust in chariots..." | Warning against trusting human alliances and military assets over God. |
| Isa 42:13 | "The LORD goes out like a mighty man, like a warrior he stirs up his zeal..." | God depicted as a powerful warrior. |
| Jer 1:12 | "Then the LORD said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.'" | God's faithfulness to fulfill His prophecies. |
| Ezek 38:23 | "Thus will I magnify myself and sanctify myself...then they will know that I am the LORD." | God reveals His power and sovereignty to nations. |
| Hos 1:7 | "But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and will save them by the LORD their God, and I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen." | God provides salvation independent of military means. |
| Zech 4:6 | "Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts." | Emphasizes spiritual power over physical strength in God's work. |
| Zech 9:10 | "I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem..." | Prophecy of a future where God removes implements of war. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?" | God's unwavering faithfulness to His word and promises. |
| Deut 1:30 | "The LORD your God who goes before you will himself fight for you..." | Reassurance of God's active presence in leading and fighting for Israel. |
| Neh 4:20 | "Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us." | Conviction of God fighting for His people in times of conflict. |
| Ps 76:6 | "At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, both rider and horse lay fast asleep." | God's overwhelming power that can neutralize enemy forces instantly. |
| 1 Chr 5:20 | "...they cried to God in the battle...he granted their plea because they trusted in him." | Victory as a result of trusting and crying out to God. |
| Rom 9:15-16 | "For he says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I have mercy...' So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." | God's sovereign choice and power, applicable to His interventions. |
1 Kings 20 verses
1 Kings 20 21 Meaning
1 Kings 20:21 describes the decisive military engagement where the Israelite army, under King Ahab, launched a direct attack on the Aramean forces and their critical military assets—horses and chariots—inflicting a substantial defeat upon them. This action marked a complete reversal of the initial siege of Samaria and served as a clear fulfillment of God's prior prophecy that He would deliver the Aramean army into Israel's hand, thereby demonstrating His identity and power.
1 Kings 20 21 Context
This verse is situated after a remarkable series of events in 1 Kings 20. Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, had besieged Samaria, the capital of Israel, with a massive army and chariots, displaying immense arrogance and demanding Ahab's treasures and wives. Ahab, in desperation, initially complied, but when Ben-Hadad's demands escalated, a prophet of the Lord suddenly appeared and delivered a divine message to Ahab: "Thus says the LORD, 'Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will give it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD'" (1 Ki 20:13). Despite Ahab's notorious wickedness, God chose to deliver Israel to uphold His own name and demonstrate His sovereignty to the surrounding nations and to Israel itself. This verse describes the decisive outcome of the ensuing battle, a complete rout of the technologically superior Aramean forces by a numerically inferior Israelite army, validating the prophecy and God's power. The immediate aftermath sees Ben-Hadad fleeing and Ahab, in a fatal mistake, making a covenant with him, which incurs God's displeasure, setting the stage for future conflict and Ahab's demise.
1 Kings 20 21 Word analysis
But the king of Israel went out: This marks a turning point from the siege mentality to decisive action. The "king of Israel" refers to Ahab. It's crucial to note that this victory is not an endorsement of Ahab's character but an act of God's grace for His covenant people and a demonstration of His sovereignty (1 Ki 20:13, 28). Ahab, despite his wickedness, was the instrument God used.
and attacked: The Hebrew term is "vayyakkēh" (וַיַּכֵּה), meaning "and he struck" or "smote." This term often carries the sense of a decisive and devastating blow in military contexts. It indicates a powerful, effective counter-assault.
the horses and chariots: Hebrew: "hasusim v'et-harechev" (הַסּוּסִים֙ וְאֶת־הָרֶכֶב֒). In ancient warfare, chariots were the pinnacle of military technology, akin to modern tanks. They were symbols of power, speed, and overwhelming force. By explicitly targeting and defeating the horses and chariots, the narrative highlights that Israel's God triumphed over the Arameans' most formidable assets, proving His superiority over all perceived human or national strength. This directly challenged the regional worldview that military might (especially chariotry) guaranteed victory.
and killed many of the Syrians: Hebrew: "vayyakka baAram makkah gedolah" (וַיַּכָּ֖ה בַּאֲרָם֙ מַכָּ֣ה גְדוֹלָה). This literally translates to "and he struck among Aram a great blow/slaughter." The phrase "great blow" or "great slaughter" underscores the scale and decisiveness of the victory. It implies a widespread rout and significant casualties for the Arameans, making the defeat undeniable and total in that moment. It's not just a minor skirmish but a shattering of the enemy's strength.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "But the king of Israel went out and attacked...": This sequence emphasizes the initiation of the counter-offensive by the Israelite side. After the initial posture of submission by Ahab, God's intervention prompted this aggressive, decisive action, transforming passive acceptance into triumphant engagement. The "but" signifies a direct contrast to Ben-Hadad's earlier arrogance and perceived invincibility.
- "...the horses and chariots and killed many of the Syrians.": This phrase captures the scope and impact of the Israelite victory. The direct targeting of the primary military strength (horses and chariots) indicates a strategic and devastating blow, leading to the massive "slaughter" of the enemy. It concretely demonstrates the fulfillment of God's promise to hand over the "great multitude." The choice to specify "horses and chariots" over just "the army" or "the men" focuses on the supernatural aspect of this victory; it was not a typical military victory of superior strength but God's overcoming of the symbols of earthly power.
1 Kings 20 21 Bonus section
The decisive nature of this victory also serves as a polemic against the regional deities of warfare, demonstrating that Yahweh's dominion extends over all domains and terrains, contrary to the Arameans' limited understanding of Him as a "god of the hills" vs. "gods of the valleys." God orchestrates history and triumphs to assert His unique identity and unmatched power, even using events that are surprising or unexpected to fulfill His purpose. This episode highlights God's patience and grace towards His people, Israel, providing deliverance even when their king (Ahab) was profoundly unrighteous. God's ultimate concern here was the revelation of His own identity as the LORD, before whom no power stands.
1 Kings 20 21 Commentary
This verse encapsulates the immediate and undeniable fulfillment of God's prophetic word through His anointing of an obscure young officer as commander, even to a disobedient king like Ahab. It underscores Yahweh's absolute sovereignty and power over all nations and their boasted military strength. The victory was specifically designed to demonstrate to both Israel and Aram that Yahweh, not their gods, nor chariots, nor sheer numbers, determines the outcome of battle. It served as a stark refutation of the Aramean belief that Yahweh was merely "a god of the hills" (1 Ki 20:23). God, in His gracious faithfulness to His covenant, used a flawed vessel (Ahab) to perform a mighty work for His own glory, reaffirming His omnipotence even in the face of widespread apostasy in Israel. The immediate effect of this crushing defeat on the arrogant Ben-Hadad was a total retreat.Example: This battle illustrates that the mightiest human power, even when boasting technologically advanced weaponry like chariots, is inconsequential against the power of God. Just as a small boat cannot withstand a tidal wave, no army can stand against the Lord of Hosts.