1 Kings 20:14

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.

📖 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

Referenced Verses

• Gen 14:14-16 : 14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan. 15 And he divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
• Judg 7:16-20 : 16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put into the hands of all of them trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the pitchers. 17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outermost part of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, For Jehovah and for Gideon. 19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outermost part of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake in pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands wherewith to blow; and they cried, The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon.
• 1 Sam 17:50 : 50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.
• 1 Kgs 18:44 : 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Make ready [thy chariot], and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
• 1 Cor 1:27-29 : 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 28 and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, [yea] and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: 29 that no flesh should glory before God.