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Geneva Bible

1 Kings 20:18

And he sayde, Whether they be come out for peace, take them aliue: or whether they bee come out to fight, take them yet aliue.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Prophecy;   Thompson Chain Reference - Benhadad;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Samaria, Ancient;   Syria;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Samaria;   Wine;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ben-hadad;   Samaria, samaritans;   Syria;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Samaria;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   District;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ben-Hadad;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Benhadad ;   Samaria ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Samaria;   Smith Bible Dictionary - A'hab;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Joel (2);   Samaria, City of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Benhadad;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So he said, “If they have marched out in peace, take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”
Hebrew Names Version
He said, Whether they are come out for shalom, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive.
King James Version
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
English Standard Version
He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive."
New Century Version
Ben-Hadad said, "They may be coming to fight, or they may be coming to ask for peace. In either case capture them alive."
New English Translation
He ordered, "Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive."
Amplified Bible
And he said, "Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive."
New American Standard Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive as well."
Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."
Contemporary English Version
"Take them alive!" Benhadad ordered. "I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender."
Complete Jewish Bible
He said, "Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive."
Darby Translation
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Ben-Hadad said, "They might be coming to fight or they might be coming to ask for peace. Capture them alive."
George Lamsa Translation
And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.
Good News Translation
He ordered, "Take them alive, no matter whether they are coming to fight or to ask for peace."
Lexham English Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come out for war, seize them alive."
Literal Translation
And he said, If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come to battle, seize them alive.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde: Take them alyue, whether they be come forth for peace, or for warre.
American Standard Version
And he said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.
Bible in Basic English
And he said, If they have come out for peace, take them living, and if they have come out for war, take them living.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He sayde: Whether they be come out for peace, take them alyue: or whether they be come out to fight, take them yet alyue.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.'
King James Version (1611)
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them aliue: or whether they be come out for warre, take them aliue.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Arise, and go down to meet Achaab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, for he is in the vineyard of Nabuthai, for he has gone down thither to take possession of it.
English Revised Version
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
Berean Standard Bible
"If they have marched out in peace," he said, "take them alive. Or if they have marched out for war, take them alive."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide, Whether thei comen for pees, take ye hem quyke; whether to fiyte, take ye hem quyke.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, `If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.'
Update Bible Version
And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.
World English Bible
He said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive.
New King James Version
So he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take them alive."
New Living Translation
"Take them alive," Ben-hadad commanded, "whether they have come for peace or for war."
New Life Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive."
New Revised Standard
He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said - If, peaceably, they have come, take them alive, - or, if, fighting, they have come, alive, take ye them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or whether they come to fight, take them alive.
Revised Standard Version
He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."
THE MESSAGE
He said, "If they've come in peace, take them alive as hostages; if they've come to fight, the same—take them alive as hostages."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."

Contextual Overview

12 And when he heard that tidings, as he was with the Kings drinking in the pauilions, he sayd vnto his seruants, Bring forth your engines, and they set them against the citie. 13 And beholde, there came a Prophet vnto Ahab King of Israel, saying, Thus sayeth the Lorde, Hast thou seene all this great multitude? beholde, I will deliuer it into thine hande this day, that thou mayest knowe, that I am the Lorde. 14 And Ahab sayd, By whome? And he sayde, Thus sayth the Lord, By the seruants of the princes of the prouinces. He sayde againe, Who shall order the battel? And he answered, Thou. 15 Then he nombred the seruantes of the princes of the prouinces, and they were two hundreth, two and thirtie: and after them he nombred the whole people of all the children of Israel, euen seuen thousand. 16 And they went out at noone: but Ben-hadad did drinke till he was drunken in the tentes, both he and the Kings: for two and thirtie Kings helped him. 17 So the seruants of the princes of the prouinces went out first: and Ben-hadad sent out, & they shewed him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria. 18 And he sayde, Whether they be come out for peace, take them aliue: or whether they bee come out to fight, take them yet aliue. 19 So they came out of the citie, to wit, the seruants of the princes of the prouinces, and the hoste which followed them. 20 And they slew euery one his enemie: and the Aramites fled, and Israel pursued them: but Ben-hadad ye King of Aram escaped on an horse with his horsemen. 21 And the King of Israel went out, & smote the horses and charets, and with a great slaughter slew he the Aramites.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Samuel 2:3, 1 Samuel 2:4, 1 Samuel 14:11, 1 Samuel 14:12, 1 Samuel 17:44, 2 Kings 14:8-12, Proverbs 18:12

Reciprocal: Judges 9:40 - he fled before 1 Samuel 17:42 - disdained 1 Kings 12:18 - flee to Jerusalem 2 Kings 10:14 - Take them alive 2 Kings 18:23 - I will deliver Nehemiah 4:3 - Tobiah Proverbs 14:16 - the fool Isaiah 36:8 - and I Jeremiah 46:17 - Pharaoh

Cross-References

Genesis 12:17
But the Lorde plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai Abrams wife.
Genesis 16:2
And Sarai said vnto Abram, Beholde now, the Lorde hath restrained me from childe bearing. I pray thee goe in vnto my maide: it may be that I shall receiue a childe by her. And Abram obeyed the voyce of Sarai.
Genesis 20:7
Now then deliuer the man his wife againe: for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee that thou mayest liue: but if thou deliuer her not againe, be sure that thou shalt die the death, thou, and all that thou hast.
Genesis 30:2
Then Iaakobs anger was kindled against Rahel, and he sayde, Am I in Gods steade, which hath withholden from thee the fruite of the wombe?
1 Samuel 1:6
And her aduersarie vexed her sore, forasmuch as she vpbraided her, because the Lorde had made her barren.
1 Samuel 5:10
Therefore they sent the Arke of God to Ekron: and assoone as the Arke of God came to Ekron, the Ekronites cryed out, saying, They haue brought the Arke of the God of Israel to vs to slay vs and our people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, whether they be come out for peace,.... To propose terms of peace:

take them alive; make them prisoners, which was contrary to the laws of nations:

or whether they be come out for war, take them alive; he made no doubt of their being easily taken; but he would not have them be put to death, that he might examine them, and know the state of things in Samaria, and what Ahab intended to do, that he might take his measures accordingly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 20:18. Take them alive. — He was confident of victory. Do not slay them; bring them to me, they may give us some useful information.


 
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