The Meaning of 1 Kings 20:31 Explained

1 Kings 20:31

KJV: And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

YLT: And his servants say unto him, 'Lo, we pray thee, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel -- that they are kind kings; let us put, we pray thee, sackcloth on our loins, and ropes on our heads, and we go out unto the king of Israel; it may be he doth keep thee alive.'

Darby: And his servants said to him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save thy life.

ASV: And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, we pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And his servants  said  unto him, Behold now, we have heard  that the kings  of the house  of Israel  [are] merciful  kings:  let us, I pray thee, put  sackcloth  on our loins,  and ropes  upon our heads,  and go out  to the king  of Israel:  peradventure he will save  thy life. 

What does 1 Kings 20:31 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 20:31-43 - Losing The Man God Put Into His Hand
Ahab's easy good-nature was criminal, and indicated the evil that was enervating and cankering his heart. Whatever may have been his private feelings and sympathy, it is plain that these had no right to control his action as king when national interests were at stake. The judge may be subject to tender compassion toward those on whom his office requires him to pass sentence, but he should be governed by consideration of the good of all. This unwise clemency on the part of Ahab resulted, in after-days, in Israel's suffering at the hand of Syria.
"Busy here and there!" It is true of us all. We are so occupied that we have hardly time to think. We do not realize the opportunities which are placed in our hands, and which, if not made immediate use of, depart never to return. The bald head of departing opportunity, said the Greeks, has not even one lock of hair by which we can catch it and drag it back. Let us be diligent in the King's business, remembering that to Him we must render an account.
1 Kings 20:1-43 - A Prosperous Nation
What a picture is here given of national contentment and prosperity! We can almost hear the gladsome voice of the myriad-peopled land, teeming with young life and laden with golden harvests. It was the summer of their national existence. The sacred scribe enumerates first the high officials of the court, then the daily provision of the king, his studies, and his fame. Abundant proof was yielded by all these circumstances to the manner in which God kept the pledges which had been made to David, his father.
Here is Solomon "in all his glory," but as we turn from him to the lowly Carpenter of Nazareth, who had nowhere to lay His head; who found His friends among the poor; and who ultimately laid down His life a ransom for many, we realize that, even apart from His divine nature, His was the nobler ideal and the richer existence. "A greater than Solomon is here." Who can measure His empire or resources? What tongue can recount His wisdom? Happy and safe are they that sit at His table, hear His words, and are joint-heirs with Him in His Kingdom! Romans 8:17. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 20

1  Ben-Hadad, not content with Ahab's homage, besieges Samaria
13  By the direction of a prophet, the Syrians are slain
22  As the prophet forewarned Ahab, the Syrians come against him in Aphek
28  By the word of the prophet, and God's judgment, the Syrians are smitten again
31  The Syrians submit; Ahab sends Ben-Hadad away with a covenant
35  The prophet, under the parable of a prisoner,
39  making Ahab judge himself, denounces God's judgment against him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 20:31 mean?

And said to him his servants Look now we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel for kings merciful are let us put please sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads and go out to the king of Israel perhaps he will spare - your life
וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֵלָיו֮ עֲבָדָיו֒ הִנֵּֽה־ נָ֣א שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ כִּ֗י מַלְכֵי֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־ מַלְכֵ֥י חֶ֖סֶד הֵ֑ם נָשִׂ֣ימָה נָּא֩ שַׂקִּ֨ים בְּמָתְנֵ֜ינוּ וַחֲבָלִ֣ים בְּרֹאשֵׁ֗נוּ וְנֵצֵא֙ אֶל־ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אוּלַ֖י יְחַיֶּ֥ה אֶת־ נַפְשֶֽׁךָ

וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָיו֮  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
עֲבָדָיו֒  his  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הִנֵּֽה־  Look 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
נָ֣א  now 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ  we  have  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
כִּ֗י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
מַלְכֵי֙  the  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
בֵּ֣ית  of  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
מַלְכֵ֥י  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
חֶ֖סֶד  merciful 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
נָשִׂ֣ימָה  let  us  put 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Cohortative, first person common plural
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
נָּא֩  please 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
שַׂקִּ֨ים  sackcloth 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: שַׂק  
Sense: mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking.
בְּמָתְנֵ֜ינוּ  around  our  waists 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, mdc, first person common plural
Root: מָתְנַיִם  
Sense: loins, hips.
וַחֲבָלִ֣ים  and  ropes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֶבֶל 
Sense: a cord, rope, territory, band, company.
בְּרֹאשֵׁ֗נוּ  around  our  heads 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְנֵצֵא֙  and  go  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual, first person common plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מֶ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אוּלַ֖י  perhaps 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אוּלַי  
Sense: perhaps, peradventure.
יְחַיֶּ֥ה  he  will  spare 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נַפְשֶֽׁךָ  your  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.