1 Kings 20 29

1 Kings 20:29 kjv

And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.

1 Kings 20:29 nkjv

And they encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day.

1 Kings 20:29 niv

For seven days they camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle was joined. The Israelites inflicted a hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean foot soldiers in one day.

1 Kings 20:29 esv

And they encamped opposite one another seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle was joined. And the people of Israel struck down of the Syrians 100,000 foot soldiers in one day.

1 Kings 20:29 nlt

The two armies camped opposite each other for seven days, and on the seventh day the battle began. The Israelites killed 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers in one day.

1 Kings 20 verses

1 Kings 20 29 Meaning

The verse describes a decisive moment in the war between Israel and Aram, initiated by Ben-Hadad. After a seven-day standoff where both armies encamped opposite each other, the battle commenced on the seventh day. In a swift and devastating blow, the Israelite army, empowered by God, annihilated 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers in a single day. This catastrophic defeat directly challenged Aram's false belief that their gods were confined to hills and unable to contend with Israel's God in the plains, proving the omnipotence and omnipresence of the Lord.

1 Kings 20 29 Context

This verse is situated in 1 Kings chapter 20, which recounts two distinct wars between Ahab, king of Israel, and Ben-Hadad, king of Aram. The previous conflict saw God miraculously deliver Israel from a numerically superior Aramean force, prompting Ben-Hadad to mistakenly conclude that the Lord was merely a "god of the hills" (1 Kgs 20:23) and therefore could be defeated on flat ground. Verse 20:29 immediately follows God's prophetic declaration through an unnamed man of God, explicitly stating that because of Aram's theological miscalculation, God would deliver their vast army into Israel's hands, so that they "shall know that I am the Lord" (1 Kgs 20:28). This context establishes the battle's purpose: it is not merely a geopolitical clash but a divine demonstration of God's universal sovereignty, intended to refute pagan theology and glorify His name.

1 Kings 20 29 Word analysis

• So they encamped opposite one another (וַיַּחֲנוּ אִשָּׁה אֶל-אֲשָׁה, vayyachanun ishah el-ashah): "They encamped" signifies positioning for battle. "Opposite one another" literally means "man to man" or "one to the other," an idiomatic expression for being directly across, facing each other, implying a tense standoff.
• for seven days (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, shiv'at yamim): The number 'seven' often carries theological significance in Scripture, representing completeness, perfection, or a period of divine timing. This prolonged wait built tension and potentially allowed divine counsel or strategic positioning, highlighting a period of patience before God's decisive intervention.
• And on the seventh day (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, bayyom hash'vi'i): This specific timing reinforces the divine orchestration. The seventh day, frequently associated with creation, Sabbath rest, or culmination, suggests God's sovereign control over the timing of the battle and its outcome. It mirrors instances like the fall of Jericho after seven days of circling (Josh 6:15-16).
• the battle was joined (וַתִּקְרַב הַמִּלְחָמָה, vatikrav hammilchamah): This phrase means "the war approached" or "drew near." The passive phrasing subtly emphasizes that the battle was not merely initiated by human will but seemed to move towards its appointed time, suggesting divine propulsion.
• and the sons of Israel (וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, u'bnei Yisra'el): "Sons of Israel" emphasizes their identity as the covenant people of God, even when their king (Ahab) was disobedient. The victory is not attributed to Ahab's wisdom or Israel's military strength but to God's intervention on behalf of His chosen nation.
• struck down (הִכּוּ, hikku): From the root נָכָה (nakah), meaning "to strike, smite, kill." This strong verb denotes a decisive, destructive blow, indicating total defeat and severe loss of life.
• 100,000 (מֵאָה אֶלֶף, me'ah elef): This is a staggering number, pointing to an overwhelmingly catastrophic defeat for Aram. While some scholars debate if such numbers are always literal, in a biblical narrative, it underscores the completeness and totality of God's victory and judgment, especially when comparing the relatively small Israelite force mentioned earlier in the chapter.
• foot soldiers (רַגְלִי, ragli): Specifies infantry, indicating the vast majority of the Aramean army. This further highlights the devastating loss to their main fighting force.
• of the Arameans (אֲרָם, Aram): Refers to the people of Aram (Syria), Israel's northern neighbor and frequent adversary. Their defeat here is crucial to establishing God's sovereignty over pagan deities.
• in one day (בְּיוֹם אֶחָד, b'yom echad): This phrase emphasizes the swiftness, suddenness, and decisiveness of the victory. The battle was not a prolonged conflict but a sudden, devastating rout, again underscoring the divine power at work rather than human strategy or endurance.

• Words-group analysis: "So they encamped opposite one another for seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined." This passage sets up the divine appointment. The week-long wait is a period of anticipation, culminating on the seventh day, which carries a sacred or perfect timing motif, typical of God's deliberate and sovereign actions. It underscores that the outcome was predetermined by God, not by any human factor.
• Words-group analysis: "the sons of Israel struck down 100,000 foot soldiers of the Arameans in one day." This group of words describes the result of divine intervention. It highlights the vast discrepancy in numbers from Israel's small initial force (1 Kgs 20:27) compared to the massive casualties inflicted upon the Arameans, emphasizing the supernatural scale of the victory. The "one day" swiftness underlines God's irresistible power.

1 Kings 20 29 Bonus section

The prolonged seven-day encampment may also have served as a period of judgment and mounting tension for the Arameans, culminating in God's sudden act of retribution. This defeat was so severe that it not only crippled Aram's fighting force but also paved the way for the prophet's immediate further judgment on King Ahab (1 Kgs 20:42), highlighting that while God uses Israel, He also holds His own king accountable for disobedience even amidst divine victory. This particular incident stands as a profound theological statement, asserting monotheism against the prevalent polytheism and local deities of the ancient Near East.

1 Kings 20 29 Commentary

1 Kings 20:29 narrates a climactic moment that directly refutes the Aramean claim that Israel's God was limited to hills and could not act in valleys. The seven-day standoff highlights divine patience and the timing of God, whose intervention arrives precisely "on the seventh day"—a period symbolic of completeness and divine appointment. The overwhelming victory, resulting in 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers struck down in a single day by the "sons of Israel," underscores that this was not a human military achievement but a powerful demonstration of the Lord's universal sovereignty and power. God's act proved Himself the true God over all creation, regardless of terrain, fulfilling His prophetic word and ensuring that Aram would "know that I am the Lord." The sheer number of casualties and the speed of the defeat solidify this point: God alone commands armies and determines outcomes. This act served as a witness to both Israel (despite Ahab's wickedness) and the surrounding nations of His supreme authority.