The Meaning of 1 Kings 22:11 Explained

1 Kings 22:11

KJV: And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

YLT: And Zedekiah son of Chenaanah maketh for himself horns of iron, and saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, By these thou dost push the Aramaeans till they are consumed;'

Darby: And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, Thus saith Jehovah: With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have exterminated them.

ASV: And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until they be consumed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Zedekiah  the son  of Chenaanah  made  him horns  of iron:  and he said,  Thus saith  the LORD,  With these shalt thou push  the Syrians,  until thou have consumed  them. 

What does 1 Kings 22:11 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 22:1-12 - Entering Into A New Partnership
It seems strange that so good a man as the king of Judah should have entered into such an alliance. It began with the marriage of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, and Athaliah, Ahab's daughter; but it was a terrible descent from the high standing of a servant of Jehovah for Jehoshaphat to say to a practically heathen king: "I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses." Partnerships like this, either in marriage or in business, are not only absolutely forbidden, but they are disastrous, in their ultimate outworking. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers," 2 Corinthians 6:14.
Micaiah stands out in splendid contrast. His was the proud honor of being hated by Ahab, as was John the Baptist by Herod. But the prophet in his dungeon, with the bread and water of affliction, was a happier man by far than the king, though clad in royal robes and held in high respect. Is it not clear that Ahab, in his heart of hearts, feared this man of God? We shall see that he put off his royal robes and dressed in a common uniform, that he might evade the death that Micaiah predicted as his fate. Of course it did not avail. God cannot be evaded in that way. His purpose is irresistible.
1 Kings 22:1-53 - 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 22

1  Ahab, seduced by false prophets, by Michaiah's word, is slain at Ramoth Gilead
37  The dogs lick up his blood, and Ahaziah succeeds him
41  Jehoshaphat's good reign
45  His acts
46  Jehoram succeeds him
51  Ahaziah's evil reign

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 22:11 mean?

And had made for himself Zedekiah son of Chenaanah horns of iron and he said thus says Yahweh with these you shall gore - Syria until they are destroyed
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ ל֛וֹ צִדְקִיָּ֥ה בֶֽן־ כְּנַעֲנָ֖ה קַרְנֵ֣י בַרְזֶ֑ל וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ כֹּֽה־ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּאֵ֛לֶּה תְּנַגַּ֥ח אֶת־ אֲרָ֖ם עַד־ כַּלֹּתָֽם

וַיַּ֥עַשׂ  And  had  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
ל֛וֹ  for  himself 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
צִדְקִיָּ֥ה  Zedekiah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: צִדְקִיָּה 
Sense: the last king of Judah renamed from ‘Mattaniah’ by Nebuchadnezzar; son of Josiah by wife Hamutal; placed on the throne by Nebuchadnezzar when he carried his nephew Jehoiakim in captivity.
בֶֽן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
כְּנַעֲנָ֖ה  of  Chenaanah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּנַעֲנָה  
Sense: father of Zedekiah the false prophet of Ahab.
קַרְנֵ֣י  horns 
Parse: Noun, fdc
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.
בַרְזֶ֑ל  of  iron 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּרְזֶל  
Sense: iron.
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  and  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֔ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בְּאֵ֛לֶּה  with  these 
Parse: Preposition-b, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
תְּנַגַּ֥ח  you  shall  gore 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָגַח  
Sense: to push, thrust, gore.
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.
אֲרָ֖ם  Syria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרָם 
Sense: Aram or Syria the nation.
עַד־  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
כַּלֹּתָֽם  they  are  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.