1 Kings 20:14

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.

📖 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

• 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.'

• 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.

• 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 relative was taken captive, he armed his trained men, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15 And he divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and attacked them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is north of Damascus. 16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his relative 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 a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers and lamps inside the pitchers. 17 And he said to them, Look at me, and do likewise. Behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, as I do, so shall you do. 18 When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow your trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD and of Gideon. 19 So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outside of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, and they had just set the watch, and they blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers that were in their hands. 20 And the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands and the trumpets in their right hands to blow with, and they cried, The sword of the LORD and of Gideon.
• 1 Sam 17:50 : 50 Thus David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone and struck the Philistine, and killed him. There was no sword in David's hand.
• 1 Kgs 18:44 : 44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, a little cloud arises out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say to Ahab, Prepare your chariot, and get down, that the rain does not stop you.
• 1 Cor 1:27-29 : 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, God has chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.