The Meaning of 1 Kings 15:20 Explained

1 Kings 15:20

KJV: So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

YLT: And Ben-Hadad hearkeneth unto king Asa, and sendeth the heads of the forces that he hath against cities of Israel, and smiteth Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-Beth-Maachah, and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali;

Darby: And Ben-Hadad hearkened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his forces against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-Beth-Maachah, and all Kinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

ASV: And Ben-hadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So Benhadad  hearkened  unto king  Asa,  and sent  the captains  of the hosts  which he had against the cities  of Israel,  and smote  Ijon,  and Dan,  and Abelbethmaachah,  and all Cinneroth,  with all the land  of Naphtali. 

What does 1 Kings 15:20 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 15:16-34 - Warring Brethren
We obtain a fuller view of the events described in the earlier part of this passage by reference to 2 Chronicles 16:1-6. Asa's early piety, which shone out in his drastic purging of idolatry and the corruptions which sprang up like fungi on a damp soil, cannot be questioned. Strange that such a man, who, by faith in God, had driven back Zerah's formidable invasion, should in later years succumb to the craven methods of mere expediency in his conflict with Baasha.
This league with Ben-hadad arose from unbelief. Even true believers are sometimes hard pressed to maintain their integrity, because the trials of faith tend to increase. When Peter looked at the rising billows, his heart became troubled and he began to sink. To Asa's alliance with this heathen king may be traced the beginning of the downfall of both kingdoms-of the ten tribes and of Judah. Palestine was no longer a neutral state, but became involved in the political combinations of the time. Those that honor God are honored, 1 Samuel 2:30; those that put their trust elsewhere rue it all their days. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 15

1  Abijam's wicked reign
7  Asa succeeds him
9  Asa's good reign
16  The war between Baasha and him causes him to make a league with Ben-Hadad
23  Jehoshaphat succeeds Asa
25  Nadab's wicked reign
27  Baasha conspiring against him, executes Ahijah's prophecy
31  Nadab's acts and death
33  Baasha's wicked reign

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 15:20 mean?

So heeded in Ben-hadad unto King Asa and sent and the captains of armies that his against the cities of Israel He attacked and Ijon and Dan and - in Abel Beth Maachah and all Chinnereth with the land of Naphtali
וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע בֶּן־ הֲדַ֜ד אֶל־ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ אָסָ֗א וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח אֶת־ שָׂרֵ֨י הַחֲיָלִ֤ים אֲשֶׁר־ לוֹ֙ עַל־ עָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־ עִיּ֣וֹן וְאֶת־ דָּ֔ן וְאֵ֖ת אָבֵ֣ל בֵּֽית־ מַעֲכָ֑ה וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ כִּנְר֔וֹת עַ֖ל אֶ֥רֶץ נַפְתָּלִֽי

וַיִּשְׁמַ֨ע  So  heeded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
הֲדַ֜ד  Ben-hadad 
Parse: Preposition
Root: בֶּן־הֲדַד  
Sense: the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אָסָ֗א  Asa 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָסָא  
Sense: king of Judah, son of Abijam, father of Jehoshaphat.
וַ֠יִּשְׁלַח  and  sent 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
שָׂרֵ֨י  the  captains 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: סָרַר 
Sense: prince, ruler, leader, chief, chieftain, official, captain.
הַחֲיָלִ֤ים  of  armies 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לוֹ֙  his 
Parse: Preposition
עַל־  against 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עָרֵ֣י  the  cities 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וַיַּךְ֙  He  attacked 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
עִיּ֣וֹן  Ijon 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: עִיּׄון  
Sense: a place in the north of Palestine belonging to the tribe of Naphtali.
דָּ֔ן  Dan 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Direct object marker
Root: דָּן 
Sense: the 5th son of Jacob, the st of Bilhah, Rachel’s handmaid.
אָבֵ֣ל  - 
Parse:
מַעֲכָ֑ה  Abel  Beth  Maachah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אָבֵל בֵּית מַעֲכָה  
Sense: city in northern Israel near Beth Maachah.
כִּנְר֔וֹת  Chinnereth 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כִּנְרֹות 
Sense: the early name of the Sea of Galilee.
אֶ֥רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
נַפְתָּלִֽי  of  Naphtali 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַפְתָּלִי  
Sense: the 5th son of Jacob and the 2nd by Bilhah the handmaid of Rachel.