1 Kings 20:18
New International Version
He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

New Living Translation
“Take them alive,” Ben-hadad commanded, “whether they have come for peace or for war.”

English Standard Version
He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

Berean Standard Bible
“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”

King James Bible
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

New King James Version
So he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

New American Standard Bible
Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive as well.”

NASB 1995
Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

NASB 1977
Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

Amplified Bible
And he said, “Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive.”

Christian Standard Bible
So he said, “If they have marched out in peace, take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So he said, “If they have marched out in peace, take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”

American Standard Version
And he said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said: “If they have gone out in peace, take them alive, and if they have gone out for battle, take them alive.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And he said to them, If they come forth peaceably, take them alive; and if they come forth to war, take them alive:

Contemporary English Version
"Take them alive!" Benhadad ordered. "I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or whether they come to fight, take them alive.

English Revised Version
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He said, "Take them alive, whether they have come out to make peace or to fight."

Good News Translation
He ordered, "Take them alive, no matter whether they are coming to fight or to ask for peace."

International Standard Version
"Take them alive, whether they've come in peace or not," he ordered.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: 'Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.'

Literal Standard Version
And he says, “If they have come out for peace, catch them alive; and if they have come out for battle, catch them alive.”

Majority Standard Bible
“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”

New American Bible
He answered, “Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive.”

NET Bible
He ordered, "Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive."

New Revised Standard Version
He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

New Heart English Bible
He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.

World English Bible
He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, 'If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad
17And the young officers of the district governors marched out first. Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.” 18“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.” 19Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them,…

Cross References
1 Kings 20:17
And the young officers of the district governors marched out first. Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, "Men are marching out of Samaria."

1 Kings 20:19
Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them,

2 Kings 14:8
Then Amaziah sent messengers to the king of Israel Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. "Come, let us meet face to face," he said.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

they slew

2 Samuel 2:16
And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

Ecclesiastes 9:11
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

the Syrians

Leviticus 26:8
And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.

Judges 7:20-22
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon…

1 Samuel 14:13-15
And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him…

escaped

1 Samuel 30:16,17
And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah…

2 Kings 19:36
So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.

Jump to Previous
Alive Battle Catch Peace War Whether
Jump to Next
Alive Battle Catch Peace War Whether
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














Verse 18. - And he said, Whether they be come out for peace [i.e., to negociate or to submit], take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. [We may trace in these words, possibly the influence of wine, but certainly the exasperation which Ahab's last message had occasioned the king. So incensed is he that he will not respect the rights of ambassadors, and he is afraid lest belligerents should be slain before he can arraign them before him. Possibly he meant that they should be tortured or slain before his face.]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“If
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

they have marched out
יָצָ֖אוּ (yā·ṣā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

in peace,”
לְשָׁל֥וֹם (lə·šā·lō·wm)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7965: Safe, well, happy, friendly, welfare, health, prosperity, peace

he said,
וַיֹּ֛אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“take
תִּפְשׂ֣וּם (tip̄·śūm)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8610: To manipulate, seize, chiefly to capture, wield, to overlay, to use unwarrantably

them alive.
חַיִּ֑ים (ḥay·yîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life

Or if
וְאִ֧ם (wə·’im)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

they have marched out
יָצָ֖אוּ (yā·ṣā·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 3318: To go, bring, out, direct and proxim

for war,
לְמִלְחָמָ֛ה (lə·mil·ḥā·māh)
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

take
תִּפְשֽׂוּם׃ (tip̄·śūm)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural | third person masculine plural
Strong's 8610: To manipulate, seize, chiefly to capture, wield, to overlay, to use unwarrantably

them alive.”
חַיִּ֥ים (ḥay·yîm)
Adjective - masculine plural
Strong's 2416: Alive, raw, fresh, strong, life


Links
1 Kings 20:18 NIV
1 Kings 20:18 NLT
1 Kings 20:18 ESV
1 Kings 20:18 NASB
1 Kings 20:18 KJV

1 Kings 20:18 BibleApps.com
1 Kings 20:18 Biblia Paralela
1 Kings 20:18 Chinese Bible
1 Kings 20:18 French Bible
1 Kings 20:18 Catholic Bible

OT History: 1 Kings 20:18 He said Whether they are come out (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 20:17
Top of Page
Top of Page