1 Kings 20:39

As the king passed by, he cried to the king, and he said, “Your servant went out into the middle of the battle; and behold, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man! If by any means he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’

World English Bible Classic

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 departed and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes.

40As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be. You yourself have decided it.”

Read all of 1 Kings 20

Cross References

Judges 9:7When they told it to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim and lifted up his voice, cried out, and said to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, that God may listen to you.

2 Samuel 14:5The king said to her, “What ails you?” She answered, “Truly I am a widow, and my husband is dead.

2 Kings 10:24So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men outside, and said, “If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he who lets him go, his life shall be for the life of him.”

Psalms 49:7none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

Proverbs 13:8The ransom of a man’s life is his riches, but the poor hear no threats.

1 Peter 1:18knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things like silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers,

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