1 Kings 20:38 kjv
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.
1 Kings 20:38 nkjv
Then the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes.
1 Kings 20:38 niv
Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes.
1 Kings 20:38 esv
So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.
1 Kings 20:38 nlt
The prophet placed a bandage over his eyes to disguise himself and then waited beside the road for the king.
1 Kings 20 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 13:1-5 | And behold, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel... | Prophet confronts King Jeroboam. |
| 2 Sam 12:1-15 | Nathan came to David and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city..." | Prophet Nathan confronts David with a parable. |
| Isa 7:3 | Then the LORD said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz... and say to him..." | Prophet confronts King Ahaz. |
| Jer 22:1-5 | Thus says the LORD: Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word... | Prophet Jeremiah confronts King Jehoiakim. |
| 1 Ki 20:41-42 | Then the prophet quickly took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him to be one of the prophets... | The revealing of the prophet's identity. |
| Isa 20:2-4 | at that time the LORD spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your loins and take off your sandals from your feet...” | Prophet Isaiah performs symbolic act. |
| Jer 13:1-7 | Thus the LORD said to me, “Go and buy a linen waistband and put it around your loins..." | Prophet Jeremiah performs symbolic act. |
| Ezek 4:1-17 | “And you, O son of man, take a brick and place it before you, and portray on it a city, even Jerusalem...” | Prophet Ezekiel performs symbolic siege act. |
| Ezek 12:3-7 | “You, son of man, prepare for yourself exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight..." | Prophet Ezekiel performs symbolic exile act. |
| Hos 1:2-3 | When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of harlotry..." | Prophet Hosea performs symbolic marriage act. |
| 1 Sam 28:8 | So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and went... | Disguise used for concealment (Saul visiting witch). |
| 1 Ki 22:30 | “And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes...” | Disguise used by Ahab for battle. |
| Josh 9:3-6 | When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they on their part acted with cunning... | Deceptive use of disguise by Gibeonites. |
| Gen 38:14 | she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, and wrapped herself up... | Tamar's disguise for a specific purpose. |
| 1 Sam 15:17-23 | And Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel...” | Saul's disobedience in sparing Agag. |
| Num 33:55 | “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes..." | Command to utterly remove enemies. |
| Deut 20:16-17 | “But in the cities of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes..." | Divine command for total destruction of enemies. |
| Lk 8:10 | and he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.” | Use of parables to conceal truth. |
| Isa 6:9-10 | And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’” | Spiritual blindness in relation to God's word. |
| Mk 4:11-12 | And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables..." | Parables to reveal or conceal, similar to sign-acts. |
| Mt 13:13-15 | This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand... | Speaking in parables and spiritual understanding. |
1 Kings 20 verses
1 Kings 20 38 Meaning
The prophet, sent by God, left to strategically position himself along the road where King Ahab was returning. He deliberately concealed his true identity and the prophetic nature of his presence by wrapping a bandage over his eyes, appearing as if he were a wounded soldier returning from battle. This disguise was a crucial element in delivering God's judgment to the king through a staged interaction.
1 Kings 20 38 Context
The events of 1 Kings 20 describe King Ahab's military victories over Ben-Hadad, king of Syria. God, through a prophet (implied to be this same prophet from 1 Ki 20:13, 22), had previously delivered Ben-Hadad into Ahab's hand, signaling His protection over Israel. However, contrary to divine expectations that likely included complete judgment on the enemy, Ahab foolishly made a covenant with Ben-Hadad, sparing his life and restoring cities, thus showing leniency towards one who was an adversary of God's people. This specific prophet is now sent to confront Ahab for this disobedience, delivering a strong message of divine displeasure and judgment directly to the king upon his return from battle. The disguise serves to set up a powerful parabolic demonstration that Ahab unwittingly condemns himself through.
1 Kings 20 38 Word analysis
- So the prophet: Refers to an unnamed "man of God," (אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים, ish ha'Elohim) signifying someone divinely appointed and empowered, not merely a diviner. He previously delivered God's word (1 Ki 20:13, 22, 28) and now confronts the king. The Hebrew term for prophet (naví) signifies one who speaks forth or proclaims God's message.
- departed: (וַיֵּלֶךְ, vayyelech). A simple past tense verb "went." Indicates deliberate movement, a purposeful action in accordance with divine instruction.
- and waited: (וַיְיַחֵל, vayyihël) This root implies waiting with hope or expectation. It shows the prophet’s determined preparation to meet Ahab. The Septuagint reads "he waited patiently," emphasizing the deliberate nature of his posture.
- for the king: (לַמֶּלֶךְ, lammelech). Directly targets Ahab, emphasizing the confrontation is specific and divinely ordained for the head of the nation.
- by the road: (עַל־הַדֶּרֶךְ, ‘al-haderech). Indicates a public thoroughfare, the anticipated return route of the king's procession. This public setting enhances the significance and visibility of the prophetic act, placing it in the realm of open confrontation.
- disguising himself: (וַיִּתְחַפֵּשׂ, vayyitchappes). From the root חפש (chapash), meaning "to search, seek, examine." In the Hitpael stem, it means "to disguise oneself," implying a deliberate and effective alteration of appearance. This is a rare word for disguise, also found with Saul at Endor (1 Sam 28:8) and Ahab in battle (1 Ki 22:30). It underscores the intentional deceit to achieve a specific end, in this case, a prophetic one.
- with a bandage: (בַּאֲפֵר, ba’aper). The Hebrew word אֲפֵר (a’per) refers to a "band," "fillet," or "covering." This specifies the nature of the disguise, implying it was worn to obscure the eyes, similar to how a wound might be dressed, rather than a full body covering.
- over his eyes: (עַל־עֵינָיו, ‘al-‘eynav). Explicitly states the location of the bandage. It directly suggests an appearance of being wounded, making the prophet resemble a soldier returning from the recent battle, which allows him to approach Ahab under this false pretense and deliver his parable from a relatable standpoint. This also contrasts with spiritual blindness, a common theme in God's judgment against Israel's leadership.
Words-Group analysis:
- So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the road: This phrase establishes the strategic and premeditated nature of the prophetic encounter. It was not a chance meeting but a divinely orchestrated confrontation designed to intercept Ahab immediately upon his return.
- disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes: This entire phrase describes the specific method of the prophet's deception. The disguise of a wounded soldier enables the prophet to narrate a relatable tale, appearing as one personally impacted by the war. This direct experience allows him to elicit a specific judgment from Ahab, which then turns back on the king himself. This act is a "sign-act," a prophetic performance meant to convey a deeper spiritual truth through a tangible, dramatic presentation.
1 Kings 20 38 Bonus section
The Hebrew word for "bandage" (a'per) appears only here and in verse 41. Its rarity might emphasize its unique role in this specific prophetic encounter. The choice of appearing "wounded" also aligns with the broader biblical principle that disobedience wounds one's relationship with God and brings consequences. The entire narrative here emphasizes the prophetic call to deliver God's unfiltered word, even when it is confrontational and uncomfortable for leadership. It underscores the severity of direct disobedience to God's explicit commands, particularly concerning holy war or the treatment of enemies dedicated for destruction.
1 Kings 20 38 Commentary
The act described in 1 Kings 20:38 is a quintessential example of prophetic symbolic action. The prophet's disguise is not merely to evade detection but to set the stage for a dramatic parabolic interaction with King Ahab. By appearing as a wounded soldier from the very battle Ahab has just fought, the prophet establishes immediate rapport and credibility for his upcoming "testimony." The bandage over the eyes cleverly allows the prophet to appear in a vulnerable, suffering state, invoking pity, but it also physically conceals his prophetic identity, ensuring that Ahab initially engages with a perceived "common soldier." This method allowed the prophet to elicit a self-condemnation from Ahab regarding the handling of a captive, subtly mirroring Ahab's own sin of sparing Ben-Hadad, a man whom God intended for destruction. This act served to highlight God's righteous anger over Ahab's disobedience and misplaced mercy, ultimately revealing the king's spiritual blindness.