The Meaning of 1 Kings 20:33 Explained

1 Kings 20:33

KJV: Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

YLT: And the men observe diligently, and hasten, and catch it from him, and say, 'Thy brother Ben-Hadad;' and he saith, 'Go ye in, bring him;' and Ben-Hadad cometh out unto him, and he causeth him to come up on the chariot.

Darby: And the men took it as a good omen, and hastened to catch what came from him, and they said, Thy brother Ben-Hadad. ... And he said, Go, bring him. And Ben-Hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

ASV: Now the men observed diligently, and hasted to catch whether it were his mind; and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now the men  did diligently observe  whether [any thing would come] from him, and did hastily  catch  [it]: and they said,  Thy brother  Benhadad.  Then he said,  Go  ye, bring  him. Then Benhadad  came forth  to him; and he caused him to come up  into the chariot. 

What does 1 Kings 20:33 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 20:33 mean?

Now the men were watching closely to see and they quickly and grasped [at this word] whether [any sign of mercy would come] from him and said Your brother in Ben-hadad So he said go bring him and came out to him in him Ben-hadad and he had him to come up into the chariot
וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩ יְנַחֲשׁ֨וּ וַֽיְמַהֲר֜וּ וַיַּחְלְט֣וּ הֲמִמֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אָחִ֣יךָ בֶן־ הֲדַ֔ד וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בֹּ֣אוּ קָחֻ֑הוּ וַיֵּצֵ֤א אֵלָיו֙ בֶּן־ הֲדַ֔ד וַֽיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ עַל־ הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה

וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩  Now  the  men 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
יְנַחֲשׁ֨וּ  were  watching  closely  to  see 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָחַשׁ  
Sense: to practice divination, divine, observe signs, learn by experience, diligently observe, practice fortunetelling, take as an omen.
וַֽיְמַהֲר֜וּ  and  they  quickly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: מָהַר  
Sense: (Qal) to hasten.
וַיַּחְלְט֣וּ  and  grasped  [at  this  word] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: חָלַט  
Sense: (Hiphil) to take up, catch, pick up (a word).
הֲמִמֶּ֗נּוּ  whether  [any  sign  of  mercy  would  come]  from  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָחִ֣יךָ  Your  brother 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הֲדַ֔ד  Ben-hadad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּן־הֲדַד  
Sense: the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah.
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר  So  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בֹּ֣אוּ  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
קָחֻ֑הוּ  bring  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
וַיֵּצֵ֤א  and  came  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
אֵלָיו֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
בֶּן־  in  him 
Parse: Preposition
הֲדַ֔ד  Ben-hadad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּן־הֲדַד  
Sense: the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah.
וַֽיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ  and  he  had  him  to  come  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עַל־  into 
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.
הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה  the  chariot 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֶרְכָּבָה  
Sense: chariot.

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