1 Kings 20 30

1 Kings 20:30 kjv

But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

1 Kings 20:30 nkjv

But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; then a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who were left. And Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner chamber.

1 Kings 20:30 niv

The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek, where the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

1 Kings 20:30 esv

And the rest fled into the city of Aphek, and the wall fell upon 27,000 men who were left. Ben-hadad also fled and entered an inner chamber in the city.

1 Kings 20:30 nlt

The rest fled into the town of Aphek, but the wall fell on them and killed another 27,000. Ben-hadad fled into the town and hid in a secret room.

1 Kings 20 verses

1 Kings 20 30 Meaning

1 Kings 20:30 describes the climactic outcome of the second battle between Israel and Aram. The remaining Aramaean soldiers, numbering many thousands, fled to the fortified city of Aphek after their decisive defeat. However, as they sought refuge, a miraculous event occurred: the city wall collapsed, killing twenty-seven thousand of them. Concurrently, King Ben-hadad of Aram, stripped of his might and filled with fear, desperately fled into a concealed, inner room within the city, seeking to escape capture. This verse highlights the absolute nature of Yahweh's victory and His sovereignty over nations, demonstrating that His power extends even to the destruction of physical structures and the humbling of proud kings.

1 Kings 20 30 Context

1 Kings Chapter 20 recounts two successive defeats of Ben-hadad, king of Aram, by King Ahab of Israel. Ben-hadad, backed by thirty-two allied kings and a vast army, had besieged Samaria, arrogantly demanding tribute and plunder from Ahab. Despite Israel's numerical inferiority and Ahab's spiritual failures, God sent a prophet to assure Ahab of victory, stating the reason: "You shall know that I am the Lord" (v. 13). This divine intervention was a direct polemic against the Aramean belief in national deities with limited geographical power, especially their subsequent boast that Yahweh was merely a "god of the hills" (v. 23).

The verse 1 Kings 20:30 concludes the second, more decisive battle. Having been defeated once and incorrectly attributing Yahweh's power to the terrain, Ben-hadad again gathered an immense army and returned to fight in the plain, confident their gods would grant victory there. However, God reiterated His intent to prove Himself: "Because the Arameans have said, 'The LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys,' therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, that you may know that I am the LORD" (v. 28). The immediate context shows Israel as two small flocks against a multitude of Arameans (v. 27-29). Thus, the sudden collapse of the wall upon thousands, and Ben-hadad's ignominious hiding, serves as the undeniable divine demonstration of Yahweh's universal and supreme sovereignty, humbling Aram's pride and utterly dismantling their false theological premise.

1 Kings 20 30 Word analysis

• But the rest fled to Aphek:

  • But the rest: Implies those who survived the initial slaughter in the open field (v. 29), a significant number of survivors seeking refuge.
  • fled: (Hebrew: וַיָּנֻסוּ, vayyanusu) Denotes desperate flight, an unorganized rout, signifying their complete military collapse and panic.
  • Aphek: (Hebrew: אֲפֵק, Apheq) A strategically important fortified city in the plains, often a battleground (e.g., 1 Sam 4:1; 1 Sam 29:1). Its significance lies in it being a strong point for defense, making its collapse even more profound. This specific Aphek is likely Tel Aphek in the Plain of Sharon (Antipatris region), where decisive battles often occurred. Its very strength becomes the place of ultimate defeat.

• into the city; and the wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left.

  • into the city: Refers to Aphek, the place where they thought they would find safety and regroup.
  • the wall fell: (Hebrew: וַתִּפֹּל הַחוֹמָה, vattippol ha-chomah) Vattippol is "and it fell," suggesting a sudden and immediate action. Chomah means "wall," a massive defensive structure. This event is not described as a structural defect or result of prolonged siege, but rather as a direct, instantaneous collapse upon the soldiers gathered there, similar to Jericho (Josh 6:20), indicating divine intervention and judgment. This refutes Aram's belief that their fortifications and strategy could protect them from the "God of the hills."
  • upon twenty and seven thousand: (Hebrew: עֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁבְעָה אֶלֶף, 'esrim v'shiv'ah 'eleph) The remarkably precise and enormous number (27,000) for a wall collapse is highly significant. It emphasizes the catastrophic and divinely ordained nature of the judgment, extending beyond a mere military defeat to a full annihilation of a large part of the remnant force. It demonstrates God's complete and total destruction of the arrogant enemy.
  • of the men that were left: These were the survivors who thought they had found safety; instead, they met their end, demonstrating the inescapability of God's judgment.

• And Ben-hadad fled, and came into an inner chamber in the city.

  • And Ben-hadad fled: The proud, boastful king who had just days before sent arrogant demands to Ahab is now reduced to desperate flight.
  • came into an inner chamber: (Hebrew: אֶל-חֶדֶר בְּחֶדֶר, 'el cheder b'cheder) Literally "chamber in a chamber" or "room within a room." This emphasizes deep concealment, secrecy, and utter desperation. It’s an image of a king, who had boasted and defied Yahweh, reduced to a terrified, cornered fugitive, hidden away from the world in the most private and hidden place available. It visually contrasts his initial grand entrance with his shameful defeat, fulfilling the prophetic warning against pride. This complete reversal of status underscores God's humiliation of the arrogant.

1 Kings 20 30 Bonus section

The double military defeat of Ben-hadad, culminated in 1 Kings 20:30, serves as a significant narrative for several reasons:

• Ahab's Paradoxical Deliverance: Despite Ahab's notorious wickedness and idolatry, God grants him victory. This highlights God's primary concern in this episode: vindicating His own name and revealing His universal power to the pagan nations (Aram) who challenged His supremacy, rather than simply rewarding Israel's faithfulness (which was lacking). It shows God using imperfect vessels to accomplish His divine purposes.
• The Specificity of Aphek: While there are multiple places named Aphek in the Bible, this one's identification as a significant Aramean military stronghold means its wall's collapse was a devastating blow, not merely to a random group of soldiers, but to the morale and strategic capabilities of a formidable enemy.
• Echoes of Joshua: The imagery of a wall falling (like Jericho) serves as a potent reminder of God's historical power over fortified cities and His ability to supernaturally aid His people. Yet, in this instance, it's used for the complete annihilation of the enemy, emphasizing divine judgment against pagan hubris.
• Prophetic Foretelling: The chapter also showcases the vital role of the unnamed prophet in delivering God's precise plan and purpose for the battle, solidifying the idea that these events are not random military encounters but divinely directed actions designed to teach a theological lesson.

1 Kings 20 30 Commentary

1 Kings 20:30 delivers the crushing conclusion of Yahweh's demonstration of universal sovereignty over Aram. Following their prior misattribution of Israel's victory to Yahweh being merely a local "god of the hills," the Aramaeans assembled their forces for a decisive battle on the plains. However, God, in an act that transcended conventional warfare, utterly demolished their hopes. The collapse of Aphek's city wall, miraculously killing twenty-seven thousand of their fleeing men, was a stark and visible divine act. This event served not only as physical annihilation but as an undeniable theological refutation: Yahweh controls not just the terrain, but also the very structures built by human hands, asserting His absolute rule over all creation and nations. Ben-hadad's subsequent ignominious flight into a deeply hidden chamber is the physical embodiment of his spiritual and kingly downfall, a potent image of a defiant pride brought low. This humiliation of Ben-hadad underscores the biblical principle that "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." The events confirm Yahweh's earlier declarations (vv. 13, 28) that He would demonstrate His unique identity as the sovereign God to all.