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Green's Literal Translation

1 Kings 20:18

And he said, If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come to battle, seize them alive.

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."
Geneva Bible (1587)
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.
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."
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 it happened when this word was heard, and he was drinking, he and the kings, in the booths, that he said to his servants, Set in order; and they set in order against the city. 13 And behold, a certain prophet came near to Ahab the king of Israel, and said, So says Jehovah, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold I am going to give it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am Jehovah. 14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, So says Jehovah, by the young men of the rulers of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, You. 15 Then he called up the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two; and after them he called up all the people, even all the sons of Israel, being seven thousand. 16 And they went out at noon, and Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty two kings helping him. 17 And the young men of the rulers of the provinces went out at first; and Ben-hadad sent, and they told him, saying, Men have come out of Samaria. 18 And he said, If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come to battle, seize them alive. 19 And these went out of the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20 And each struck his man, and Syria fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse, also the horsemen. 21 And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses, and the chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.

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
And Jehovah touched Pharaoh and his house with great plagues on the word of Sarai, Abram's wife.
Genesis 16:2
And Sarai said to Abram, See, now, Jehovah has kept me from bearing; go in now to my slave-girl; perhaps I may be built up from her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Genesis 20:7
And now return the wife of the man, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you shall live. And if you do not return her, know that dying you shall die, you and all that are yours.
Genesis 30:2
And Jacob's anger glowed against Rachel, and he said, Am I in God's place, who has kept back from you the fruit of the womb?
1 Samuel 1:6
And her rival provoked her even to vexation, so as to make her tremble, because Jehovah had shut up her womb.
1 Samuel 5:10
And they sent the ark of God around to Ekron. And it happened as the ark of God came into Ekron, the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought around the ark of the God of Israel to me to cause me and my people to die.

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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