1 Kings 20:33 kjv
Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
1 Kings 20:33 nkjv
Now the men were watching closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they quickly grasped at this word and said, "Your brother Ben-Hadad." So he said, "Go, bring him." Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot.
1 Kings 20:33 niv
The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. "Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!" they said. "Go and get him," the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
1 Kings 20:33 esv
Now the men were watching for a sign, and they quickly took it up from him and said, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go and bring him." Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
1 Kings 20:33 nlt
The men took this as a good sign and quickly picked up on his words. "Yes," they said, "your brother Ben-hadad!" "Go and get him," the king of Israel told them. And when Ben-hadad arrived, Ahab invited him up into his chariot.
1 Kings 20 33 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 20:32 | Then they put sackcloth... saying, "Your servant Ben-Hadad says..." | Context of envoys seeking mercy from Ahab. |
| 1 Kgs 20:34 | "I will give you back the cities... make pacts for yourself in Damascus." | Ahab's covenant and Ben-Hadad's shrewd demands. |
| 1 Kgs 20:42 | "Because you have let go... therefore your life shall go for his life..." | Divine judgment on Ahab for sparing Ben-Hadad. |
| 1 Sam 15:3 | "Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have..." | God's command for total destruction of enemies. |
| 1 Sam 15:9 | "But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep..." | Saul's disobedience and leniency with Agag. |
| 1 Sam 15:23 | "For rebellion is as the sin of divination... for rejecting the word..." | Saul's rejection of God's command leads to rejection. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD..." | God's sovereignty over kings' decisions. |
| Ps 75:6-7 | "For exaltation comes neither from the east... But God is the Judge..." | God brings low and lifts up, not human strategy. |
| Jer 48:10 | "Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD with slackness..." | Consequence for failing to execute divine judgment. |
| Judg 2:2-3 | "...You shall make no covenant... but you have not obeyed my voice." | Consequences of covenanting with enemies. |
| Josh 9:15 | Joshua made peace with them... And made a covenant with them..." | Gibeonites' deceit led to a binding covenant. |
| Isa 46:10 | "Declaring the end from the beginning... My counsel shall stand..." | God's unchangeable plan and sovereignty. |
| 2 Sam 5:24 | "...then bestir yourself, for then the LORD has gone out before you..." | God provides a "sign" for military action. |
| Gen 30:27 | Laban said to him, "Please stay... I have learned by divination that..." | Use of nachash (watching/learning) in a context. |
| 1 Kgs 20:12 | "Ahab replied, "Tell him, ‘Let not him who puts on his armor boast..." | Ben-Hadad's previous arrogance towards Ahab. |
| Jer 48:7 | "...Moab shall be captured... also Chemosh shall go into exile..." | Judgment on nations for their defiance. |
| Lk 16:8 | "The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own..." | The shrewdness of worldly people in seizing opportunities. |
| Eph 5:16 | "making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." | Believers urged to be opportunistic for good. |
| Matt 12:37 | "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will..." | The power and implications of spoken words. |
| Prov 18:21 | "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." | The profound impact of human speech. |
1 Kings 20 verses
1 Kings 20 33 Meaning
This verse describes the immediate and opportunistic reaction of King Ben-Hadad's envoys to a crucial statement made by King Ahab. Having been keenly observing Ahab's demeanor and words for any indication of clemency, they swiftly seized upon his mention of "my brother Ben-Hadad" as a definitive sign of favor. They instantly affirmed Ahab's words, effectively securing Ben-Hadad's status as an equal, a gesture of remarkable mercy that Ahab inadvertently granted to his defeated enemy.
1 Kings 20 33 Context
The events of 1 Kings chapter 20 describe a conflict between Israel under King Ahab and Aram under King Ben-Hadad. Ben-Hadad besieged Samaria with a vast army, issuing insolent demands (1 Kgs 20:1-6). God, through an unnamed prophet, promised Ahab victory to demonstrate His sovereignty over foreign gods (1 Kgs 20:13, 28). Ahab, against overwhelming odds, won both the initial battle and a second engagement where Ben-Hadad's forces were utterly defeated. Ben-Hadad's servants, seeking to spare their king's life, approached Ahab in abject humility, expecting possibly harsh terms or even execution. Verse 33 is a pivotal moment in this desperate negotiation. It reveals Ahab's personal choice to extend extraordinary leniency, driven perhaps by a desire for political alliance or reputation, by referring to Ben-Hadad as "my brother." This decision, captured in the envoys' swift response, was directly condemned by the Lord as a failure to execute divine judgment, sealing Ahab's eventual fate. Historically, such mercy could sometimes be a strategic move for future alliance or tribute, but here it defied God's expressed will for the defeat of an enemy who defied Him and threatened His people.
1 Kings 20 33 Word analysis
- Now the men: Refers to Ben-Hadad's officials and servants who came seeking clemency for their defeated king (from 1 Kgs 20:32). They are shrewd and tactical in their approach.
- had been watching for a sign: The Hebrew term is menahashim (מְנַחֲשִׁים), a participle from nachash (נָחַשׁ). While nachash often relates to divination or enchantment, here it signifies "keen observation," "careful watching," or "eagerly seeking a favorable omen or opportunity." It indicates their extreme attentiveness to Ahab's words for any hint of a positive outcome. They were desperately searching for any slight change in Ahab's tone or phrasing that could be leveraged.
- and hastily catching at his words: This combines two significant Hebrew verbs: vaymaharu (וַיְמַהֲרוּ) meaning "they hurried" or "they hastened," and vayyachleṭu (וַיַּחְלְטוּ) from chalaṭ (חָלַט) meaning "to seize," "to snatch," "to grasp," or "to intercept quickly." They did not merely hear; they instantly recognized the profound significance of Ahab's statement and reacted with immediate alacrity. It indicates their quick discernment and opportunism. Ahab's words were effectively "snatched out of his mouth" before he could retract or qualify them.
- they said: Signifies their prompt and eager verbal affirmation, solidifying the advantageous turn of events.
- "Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad.": This is their immediate, almost echoic, confirmation. The "Yes" (implied, or an emphatic "Indeed!") conveys their triumphant acceptance of Ahab's unexpected designation. "Your brother Ben-Hadad" (אָחִיךָ בֶּן הֲדָד - achikha Ben-Hadad) repeats Ahab's own prior phrase from 1 Kgs 20:32 ("Is he still alive? He is my brother."). This term, "brother," for a vanquished enemy king, implies a peer relationship, equality, and a bond for future peace or alliance rather than continued hostilities or subjugation. It elevated Ben-Hadad from a position of utter defeat and vulnerability to one of honor and restored status, completely contradicting the Lord's expectation of total victory over Israel's adversaries.
1 Kings 20 33 Bonus section
- The shrewdness displayed by Ben-Hadad's envoys is often contrasted with Ahab's own spiritual dullness and foolishness in this narrative. They recognize and capitalize on opportunity in the human sphere far better than Ahab recognizes God's will in the divine sphere.
- This instance illustrates the powerful and binding nature of spoken words, especially from a king. Once Ahab designated Ben-Hadad as "brother," he was ethically bound (by the customs of the time) to treat him as such, irrespective of his divine mandate.
- The incident highlights a polemic against common Near Eastern political practices of forming alliances with defeated enemies when God explicitly commanded otherwise. Israel was meant to be distinct, not follow the diplomatic norms of surrounding nations when it meant compromising divine instruction.
- Ahab's "mercy" towards Ben-Hadad echoes Saul's sparing of Agag in 1 Samuel 15, both leading to divine judgment due to disobedience to God's clear command for complete destruction of designated enemies.
1 Kings 20 33 Commentary
1 Kings 20:33 is a critical turning point that reveals both human shrewdness and the grave implications of defying divine decree. Ben-Hadad's desperate envoys, finely tuned to the dynamics of power and negotiation, demonstrate astute psychological awareness. They patiently observe King Ahab, waiting for the merest crack in his resolve or any hint of clemency. When Ahab, perhaps driven by ego or a desire for a politically expedient peace, casually refers to Ben-Hadad as "my brother," they pounce immediately. This word, "brother," transformed Ben-Hadad from a humbled servant pleading for life to an honored peer in Ahab's eyes. The envoys "hastily catching" at this single word solidified a pact Ahab seemingly made impulsively, binding him to a leniency God abhorred. This brief interaction, a testament to quick thinking and persuasive affirmation, seals Ahab's tragic fate, foreshadowed by the unnamed prophet's judgment. It underscores the contrast between the shrewdness of men in earthly matters and Ahab's lack of spiritual discernment in following God's absolute commands, showing his focus on political gain rather than divine will.