1 Kings 20:39

And when the king went by, crying out to him he said, Your servant went out into the fight; and a man came out to me with another man and said, Keep this man: if by any chance he gets away, your life will be the price of his life, or you will have to give a talent of silver in payment.

Bible in Basic English

In The King James Version

And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

In Context

38So the prophet went away, and pulling his head-band over his eyes to keep his face covered, took his place by the road waiting for the king.

40But while your servant was turning this way and that, he was gone. Then the king of Israel said to him, You are responsible; you have given the decision against yourself.

Read all of 1 Kings 20

Cross References

Judges 9:7Now Jotham, on hearing of it, went to the top of Mount Gerizim, and crying out with a loud voice said to them, Give ear to me, you townsmen of Shechem, so that God may give ear to you.

2 Samuel 14:5And the king said to her, What is your trouble? And her answer was, Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

2 Kings 10:24Then they went in to make offerings and burned offerings. Now Jehu had put eighty men outside, and said to them, If any man whom I give into your hands gets away, the life of him who lets him go will be the price of his life.

Psalms 49:7\49:6\Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores.

Proverbs 13:8A man will give his wealth in exchange for his life; but the poor will not give ear to sharp words.

1 Peter 1:18Being conscious that you have been made free from that foolish way of life which was your heritage from your fathers, not through a payment of things like silver or gold which come to destruction,

Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 20:32-43

31 And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life. 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother. 33 Now the men did diligently observe… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study 1 Kings 20:39