Key Verse Spotlight
1 Kings 20:31 β Meaning and Application
King James Version
βAnd 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.β
1 Kings 20:31
Verse in Context
Understanding the surrounding verses prevents misinterpretation:
And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And {so} it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and {there} a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men {that were} left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber. {into an...: or, from chamber to chamber: Heb. into a chamber within a chamber}
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.
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and {put} ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, {Is} he yet alive? he {is} my brother.
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.
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