1 Kings 20:43 kjv
And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.
1 Kings 20:43 nkjv
So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.
1 Kings 20:43 niv
Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria.
1 Kings 20:43 esv
And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.
1 Kings 20:43 nlt
So the king of Israel went home to Samaria angry and sullen.
1 Kings 20 43 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 16:30-33 | Ahab... did evil... more than all... took Jezebel... served Baal... | Ahab's pervasive wickedness and idolatry, setting the stage for his character. |
| 1 Ki 21:1-7 | Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard... went to his house sullen and displeased. | Echoes his reaction in 1 Ki 20:43, showing a pattern of self-pity and anger. |
| 1 Ki 21:20 | Elijah said, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" Ahab answered, "Yes, I have." | Ahab's hostility towards prophets who delivered God's challenging word. |
| 1 Ki 22:8 | Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, "There is still one man, Micaiah... I hate him." | Reveals his hatred for prophets who spoke truth and judgment against him. |
| 1 Sam 15:2-3, 9, 23 | Samuel tells Saul to utterly destroy Amalek... Saul spared... disobeyed. | Illustrates the severity of incomplete obedience and God's judgment for it. |
| 1 Sam 15:10-11 | The word of the LORD came to Samuel, "I regret that I have made Saul king." | God's sorrow over human disobedience and rejection of His commands. |
| 2 Sam 12:7-9, 13 | Nathan to David, "Why have you despised the word of the LORD?" David said, "I have sinned." | Contrast: David's repentance versus Ahab's unrepentant anger. |
| Jon 4:1-3 | Jonah was greatly displeased and angry because Nineveh was spared. | Example of a prophet's anger and sullenness over God's mercy, paralleling a negative reaction. |
| Gen 4:5-6 | Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry?" | Cain's sullen anger and displeasure leading to further sin (murder). |
| Exod 34:6-7 | The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious... yet will by no means clear the guilty. | God's nature includes both mercy and justice; disobedience has consequences. |
| Deut 17:18-20 | A king... write for himself a copy of this law... not turn aside from it. | Divine instruction for kings to diligently obey God's laws, avoiding such folly. |
| Isa 30:9-11 | This is a rebellious people... who refuse to listen to the law of the LORD; who say to the seers, "Do not see visions." | Describes the broader pattern of Israel rejecting divine revelation through prophets. |
| Jer 7:23-24 | But this command I gave them: "Obey my voice"... But they did not obey or incline their ear; but walked in their own counsels. | Highlights the persistent pattern of Israel's (and its kings') stubborn disobedience. |
| Matt 23:37-38 | O Jerusalem, Jerusalem... how often would I have gathered your children... but you would not! Your house is left to you desolate. | Illustrates God's sorrow over unrepentant rebellion leading to judgment. |
| Rom 1:21-23 | For although they knew God, they did not honor him... exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for images. | General human tendency to suppress truth and turn from God, reflecting Ahab's idolatry. |
| Heb 3:12-13, 19 | See to it, brothers, that there be not in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away... hardened by sin's deceitfulness. | Warning against hardened hearts that refuse divine correction. |
| 1 Cor 10:11 | Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written for our instruction. | The Old Testament accounts serve as warnings and lessons for believers. |
| Amos 3:7 | Surely the Lord GOD does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets. | Underscores the role of the prophets as God's messengers to warn kings. |
| Hos 8:4-6 | They make kings, but not through me... their calf is a stink; my anger burns against them. | Reflects God's judgment on the Northern Kingdom's leadership and idolatry in Samaria. |
| Mic 1:5-6 | What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? ... I will make Samaria a heap in the open country. | Prophecy against Samaria, a city associated with the wickedness of its kings like Ahab. |
1 Kings 20 verses
1 Kings 20 43 Meaning
King Ahab of Israel, upon hearing the divine judgment delivered by the prophet concerning his failure to utterly destroy Ben-Hadad, returned to his royal residence in Samaria filled with deep sullenness and intense displeasure. His reaction was not one of repentance or fear, but rather anger and resentment at being rebuked for his disobedience.
1 Kings 20 43 Context
1 Kings chapter 20 describes two distinct victories of Israel under King Ahab against Ben-Hadad, king of Aram (Syria). In both instances, God miraculously grants Ahab victory, demonstrating His power and desire to save His people, even through a wicked king like Ahab. However, after the second victory, instead of utterly destroying Ben-Hadad as implicit in the concept of herem (devotion to destruction) for hostile kings or as divine judgment (indicated by the prophetic vision and parable that follow), Ahab makes a covenant with Ben-Hadad, sparing his life for political gain and returning cities.
Following this, a prophet (later revealed to be of the "sons of the prophets") confronts Ahab. Using a parable about a man letting an assigned prisoner escape, the prophet illustrates Ahab's offense: "Thus says the LORD, 'Because you have let go the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.'" (1 Ki 20:42). Verse 43 records Ahab's immediate, petulant, and defiant reaction to this devastating prophecy, choosing resentment over repentance as he retreats to his capital.
Historically, Ahab's reign (c. 874-853 BC) was marked by unprecedented apostasy due to his marriage to Jezebel and promotion of Baal worship throughout Israel. His actions in this chapter illustrate the ongoing tension between royal authority and the word of God delivered through His prophets. His anger underscores his complete disregard for divine decrees and foreshadows his ultimate doom, demonstrating a heart hardened against God's direct revelation.
1 Kings 20 43 Word analysis
- So: Connects Ahab's reaction directly as a consequence of the prophet's words and the judgment pronounced upon him. It indicates a conclusion drawn from the preceding event.
- the king of Israel: Refers to Ahab. This title emphasizes his position of authority, which he consistently abused by disregarding divine commands and leading his people into idolatry and sin. His kingship is presented in stark contrast to God's ultimate sovereignty.
- went to his house: Signifies Ahab's retreat from the public arena and the direct confrontation with the prophet. "His house" refers to his royal palace, a place of personal authority, comfort, and perhaps plotting, away from the demanding voice of God. This action suggests a turning inward in anger, rather than turning to God in humility.
- sullen (sar, Hebrew: סַר): This Hebrew term describes a state of gloom, dark mood, ill-temper, and bitterness. It indicates not just sadness, but a brooding, resentful, and unresponsive emotional state, often rooted in frustration or thwarted desire. It carries a sense of internal festering, not healthy mourning.
- and displeased (zalaf, Hebrew: זָעֵף): This word means vexed, angry, indignant, or furious. It denotes a strong, visible manifestation of wrath or irritation. Often associated with the indignation of God (e.g., Num 22:27; Dan 11:30), here it describes Ahab's raging anger at the prophetic message, indicating a deep, almost petulant, resentment against divine intervention in his plans. This emotion prevented any move toward repentance.
- and came to Samaria: Samaria was the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel, established by Omri, Ahab's father. It had become a stronghold of Baal worship and a symbol of the Omride dynasty's power and corruption (1 Ki 16:32-33). Ahab's return to Samaria after being confronted by God's word shows him retreating to the heart of his kingdom of rebellion and sin, rather than seeking God or repentance in a more consecrated place like Bethel or Gilgal. This symbolizes his refusal to turn from his wicked ways, as his home represented the center of his apostate lifestyle.
1 Kings 20 43 Bonus section
- Echoes of Cain: Ahab's "sullen and displeased" reaction strikingly parallels Cain's response to God's rejection of his offering (Gen 4:5-6), both demonstrating resentment rather than humility when their self-determined paths were thwarted by divine revelation. This indicates a deeply ingrained human tendency towards anger when confronted with personal sin and God's righteous standards.
- King as shepherd or tyrant: Ahab's reign, encapsulated by his behavior in this verse, represents the archetype of a king who failed his God-given responsibility to lead his people righteously. Instead of being a shepherd, he acted as a self-serving tyrant who despised divine guidance.
- Prophetic authority vs. Royal power: The entire chapter, culminating in this verse, underscores the clash between the Lord's absolute authority, voiced through His prophets, and the limited, often defiant, authority of human kings. Ahab's reaction solidifies the perpetual tension found throughout the books of Kings and Chronicles between these two forces.
1 Kings 20 43 Commentary
1 Kings 20:43 presents King Ahab's telling reaction to God's severe judgment. His "sullen and displeased" demeanor is not sorrow for sin, but rather bitter resentment at having his own plans and perceived political wisdom overturned by a prophetic decree. This response reveals a profoundly hardened heart that prioritized personal desire and earthly gain over explicit divine instruction. Ahab's stubborn refusal to accept God's will, manifested through His prophet, speaks volumes about his spiritual state and his pervasive rebellion against the Lord. Returning to Samaria, the hub of his idolatry and unrighteous rule, confirms his continued commitment to a path divorced from God. This incident, read in light of Ahab's entire reign, serves as a poignant example of the danger of unrepentant anger in the face of divine truth, ultimately leading to greater sin and catastrophic consequences for both king and kingdom.