1 Kings 20:14

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

Then Ahab asked, 'By whom will this be accomplished?' The prophet replied, 'This is what the LORD says: By the young men of the provincial leaders.' Ahab further asked, 'Who will start the battle?' The prophet answered, 'You will.'

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ בְּמִ֔י וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנַעֲרֵ֖י שָׂרֵ֣י הַמְּדִינ֑וֹת וַיֹּ֛אמֶר מִֽי־יֶאְסֹ֥ר הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אָֽתָּה

Transliteration

And yōʾmer ʾAḥʾāb, "By-whom?" And yōʾmer, "Thus-ʾāmar YHWH, By-naʿărê śārê the-mədînôt." And yōʾmer, "Who-yeʾsōr the-milḥāmāh?" And yōʾmer, "You"

Grammar Details

• *yōʾmer*: verb, qal imperfect consecutive, 3rd person masculine singular - 'said'
• *ʾAḥʾāb*: proper noun, masculine - 'Ahab'
• *ʾāmar*: verb, qal perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - 'said'
• *YHWH*: proper noun - divine name
• *naʿărê*: noun, masculine, plural construct - 'young men of'
• *śārê*: noun, masculine, plural construct - 'princes/officials of'
• *mədînôt*: noun, feminine, plural with definite article - 'the provinces'
• *yeʾsōr*: verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - 'will begin/bind'
• *milḥāmāh*: noun, feminine, singular with definite article - 'the battle'

Word Meanings

• *naʿărê*: young men/servants/attendants
• *śārê*: princes/officials/commanders
• *yeʾsōr*: will begin/bind/tie/order
• *milḥāmāh*: battle/war/fighting

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus says the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall arrange the battle? And he answered, You.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Achab sayde: By whom? He sayde: Thus sayeth the LORDE: Euen by the yonge men of the rulers of the londe. He sayde: Who shal order the battayl? He sayde: Thou.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  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.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Ahab sayd: By whom? He sayde: Thus sayth the Lorde, euen by the seruauntes of the gouernours of ye shyres. He sayd againe: who shall order the battayle? And he aunswered: Thou.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, [Even] by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Ahab said, By whom? He said, Thus says Yahweh, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? He answered, You.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And Ahab saith, `By whom?' and he saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By the young men of the heads of the provinces;' and he saith, `Who doth direct the battle?' and he saith, `Thou.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, The Lord says, By the servants of the chiefs who are over the divisions of the land. Then he said, By whom is the fighting to be started? And he made answer, By you.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Ahab said, "By whom?" He said, "Thus says Yahweh, 'By the young men of the princes of the provinces.'" Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?" He answered, "You."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Ahab asked,“By whom will this be accomplished?” He answered,“This is what the LORD has said,‘By the servants of the district governors.’” Ahab asked,“Who will launch the attack?” He answered,“You will.”

Referenced Verses

• Gen 14:14-16 : 14 When Abram heard that his kinsman had been taken captive, he mustered the 318 trained men born in his household and pursued them as far as Dan. 15 He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and attacked them. He pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and also brought back his kinsman Lot, along with his possessions, the women, and the other people.
• Judg 7:16-20 : 16 Gideon divided the three hundred men into three groups. He placed trumpets and empty jars, with torches inside the jars, into the hands of all of them. 17 He said to them, "Watch me and do as I do. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then you also blow your trumpets all around the camp and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon!'" 19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after the guards had been changed. They blew their trumpets and smashed the jars in their hands. 20 The three groups blew their trumpets and broke the jars. Holding the torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"
• 1 Sam 17:50 : 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone. Without a sword in his hand, he struck down the Philistine and killed him.
• 1 Kgs 18:44 : 44 On the seventh time, the servant reported, "Behold, a small cloud, as small as a man’s hand, is rising from the sea." So Elijah said, "Go and tell Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.'"
• 1 Cor 1:27-29 : 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 So that no one may boast before him.