1 Kings 20:23 Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.

◄ 1 Kings 20:23 ►

New International Version
Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.

New Living Translation
After their defeat, Ben-hadad’s officers said to him, “The Israelite gods are gods of the hills; that is why they won. But we can beat them easily on the plains.

English Standard Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Berean Standard Bible
Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.

King James Bible
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

New King James Version
Then the servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely we will be stronger than they.

New American Standard Bible
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains; for that reason they were stronger than we. But let us fight them in the plain, and we will certainly be stronger than they.

NASB 1995
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

NASB 1977
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

Amplified Bible
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Israel’s god is a god of the hills; that is why they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

Christian Standard Bible
Now the king of Aram’s servants said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hill country. That’s why they were stronger than we were. Instead, we should fight with them on the plain; then we will certainly be stronger than they are.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Now the king of Aram’s servants said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hill country. That’s why they were stronger than we were. Instead, we should fight with them on the plain; then we will certainly be stronger than they will be.

American Standard Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we: but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Contemporary English Version
Meanwhile, Benhadad's officials went to him and explained: Israel's gods are mountain gods. We fought Israel's army in the hills, and that's why they defeated us. But if we fight them on flat land, there's no way we can lose.

English Revised Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we: but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Meanwhile, the officers of King Benhadad of Aram told him, "Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we were. However, if we fight them on the plain, we will be stronger than they are.

Good News Translation
King Benhadad's officials said to him, "The gods of Israel are mountain gods, and that is why the Israelites defeated us. But we will certainly defeat them if we fight them in the plains.

International Standard Version
Sure enough, the advisors to the king of Aram told him, "Their gods are mountain gods. That's why they were stronger than we were. But when we fight them on the plains, we're certain to be the stronger army!

Majority Standard Bible
Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.

NET Bible
Now the advisers of the king of Syria said to him: "Their God is a god of the mountains. That's why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them.

New Heart English Bible
The servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

World English Bible
The servants of the king of Syria said to him, “Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let’s fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods [are] gods of hills, therefore they were stronger than us; and yet, we fight with them in the plain—are we not stronger than they?

Young's Literal Translation
And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him, 'Gods of hills are their gods, therefore they were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not stronger than they?

Smith's Literal Translation
And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, A god of the mountains is their God; for this they were strong above us; and on the contrary, we will war with them in a plain; surely, shall we not be strong above them?

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the servants of the king of Syria said to him: Their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they have overcome us: but it is better that we should fight against them in the plains, and we shall overcome them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then truly, the servants of the king of Syria said to him: “Their gods are the gods of the mountains; because of this, they have overwhelmed us. But it is better that we fight against them in the plains, and then we will prevail over them.

New American Bible
Meanwhile the servants of the king of Aram said to him: “Their gods are mountain gods. That is why they defeated us. But if we fight them on level ground, we shall be sure to defeat them.

New Revised Standard Version
The servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, Their god is a god of the mountains; this is why they triumphed over us; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall triumph over them.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Servants of the King of Edom were saying to him: “Their God is the God of the mountains. Because of this, they are victorious; however, we will fight with them in the plain and we will conquer them!

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him: 'Their God is a God of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the servants of the king of Syria, even they said, The God of Israel is a God of mountains, and not a God of valleys; therefore has he prevailed against us: but if we should fight against them in the plain, verily we shall prevail against them.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad
…22Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.” 23Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail. 24So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Kings 5:17
“If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry. For your servant will never again make a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the LORD.

2 Kings 19:12
Did the gods of the nations destroyed by my fathers rescue those nations—the gods of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and of the people of Eden in Telassar?

2 Chronicles 32:19
They spoke against the God of Jerusalem as they had spoken against the gods of the peoples of the earth—the work of human hands.

Isaiah 36:18-20
Do not let Hezekiah mislead you when he says, ‘The LORD will deliver us.’ Has the god of any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? / Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand? / Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered his land from my hand? How then can the LORD deliver Jerusalem from my hand?”

Isaiah 37:12-13
Did the gods of the nations destroyed by my fathers rescue those nations—the gods of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and of the people of Eden in Telassar? / Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”

Jeremiah 10:11
Thus you are to tell them: “These gods, who have made neither the heavens nor the earth, will perish from this earth and from under these heavens.”

Jeremiah 46:25
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.

Daniel 2:11
What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”

Daniel 3:29
Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces and their houses reduced to rubble. For there is no other god who can deliver in this way.”

Acts 17:24
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

Acts 19:26
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

Romans 1:23
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

1 Corinthians 8:4-6
So about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world, and that there is no God but one. / For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many so-called gods and lords), / yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist.

2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.”

Galatians 4:8
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

Treasury of Scripture

And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

thou hast lost [heb] was fallen

Psalm 10:3
For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

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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

Berean Study Bible

Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram
This phrase introduces the advisors or counselors to the king of Aram, Ben-Hadad. In the ancient Near Eastern context, kings often relied heavily on their servants or advisors for military and political strategies. The term "servants" here can be understood as those who are in positions of influence and responsibility, not merely household servants. Historically, Aram was a region located in present-day Syria, and its interactions with Israel were marked by frequent conflicts.

said to him
This phrase indicates a direct communication to the king, suggesting that the advice given was considered important and worthy of the king's attention. In the cultural context, speaking directly to a king required a level of boldness and confidence, as well as the expectation that the advice would be heeded.

Their gods are gods of the hills
This reflects the ancient belief in localized deities, where gods were thought to have power over specific geographical areas. The Arameans attributed Israel's victory to the supposed strength of their gods in the hill country. This belief underscores the polytheistic worldview of the time, contrasting with the monotheistic faith of Israel, which recognized Yahweh as the one true God over all creation.

That is why they were stronger than we were
The Arameans attributed their defeat to the power of Israel's gods rather than to military strategy or the might of Israel's army. This reflects a common ancient practice of interpreting military outcomes as the result of divine favor or disfavor. It also highlights a misunderstanding of the true source of Israel's strength, which was not in localized deities but in the sovereign God of Israel.

But if we fight them on the plains
The Arameans proposed a change in strategy, believing that a battle on the plains would negate the supposed advantage of Israel's gods. This reflects a tactical decision based on their understanding of warfare and the belief that different terrains could influence the outcome of battles. The plains were seen as neutral ground where the Arameans believed they could leverage their chariots and cavalry more effectively.

surely we will prevail
This statement reveals the confidence of the Arameans in their revised strategy. It underscores a reliance on human wisdom and military might rather than seeking divine guidance or understanding the true nature of Israel's God. The phrase "surely we will prevail" is an expression of certainty, yet it is based on a flawed understanding of the spiritual realities at play.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(23) Gods of the hills.--The idea of tutelary gods, whose strength was greatest on their own soil, is naturally common in polytheistic religions, which, by the very multiplication of gods, imply limitation of the power of each. Now the greater part of the territory where Jehovah was worshipped was a hill-country. Samaria in particular, the scene of recent defeat, lay in the mountain region of Ephraim. The Israelite armies, moreover, being mostly of infantry--having, indeed, few or no cavalry, except in the time of Solomon--naturally encamped and fought, as far as possible, on the hills; as Barak on Mount Tabor (Judges 4:6-14), Saul on Mount Gilboa (1Samuel 31:1), and Ahab himself (in 1Kings 20:27). Perhaps the worship of Jehovah in the "high places" may have also conduced to this belief that the "gods of Israel were gods of the hills," whose power vanished in the plains; where, of course, the Syrian armies of chariots and horsemen would naturally fight at advantage. Shrewd policy might, as so often is the case, lurk in the advice of Ben-hadad's counsellors under the cover of superstition; as, indeed, it seems also to show itself in seizing the opportunity to increase the central power, by organising the troops of the tributary kings under officers of his own.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 23. - And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him [naturally anxious to retrieve their character and obliterate their disgrace], Their gods are gods of the hills [All pagan nations have believed in local deities, Dii montium, dii nemorum, etc. (see 2 Kings 18:33-35; 2 Kings 19:12, 13). Keil accounts for this belief - that the gods of Israel were mountain divinities, by the consideration that the temple was built on Mount Moriah, and that worship was always offered on "high places." Kitto reminds us that the law was given from Mount Sinai, and that fire had recently descended on Mount Carmel. "In Syrophoenicia, even mountains themselves had Divine honours paid to them" (Movers, Phoen. 1:667 sqq.) But it is enough to remember that Samaria was a hilly district, and that the courtiers must find some excuse for the defeat]; therefore they were stronger than we; but [Heb. (וְאוּלָם often well rendered but not in this instance) by the LXX. οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλά] let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. [This counsel, which apparently rests on religious grounds alone, was, it is probable, really dictated by the practical consideration that in the plain the Syrians would be able to deploy their chariots a most important arm of their service in a way which they could not do in the valleys round Samaria. See 1 Kings 16:24, note. Moreover the Israelites would lose the advantage of a strong position and the cover of their fortifications if they could be induced to meet them in the "great plain," or on any similar battlefield.]

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Meanwhile, the servants
וְעַבְדֵ֨י (wə·‘aḇ·ḏê)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

of the king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Aram
אֲרָ֜ם (’ă·rām)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 758: Aram -- Syria

said
אָמְר֣וּ (’ā·mə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to him,
אֵלָ֗יו (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

“Their gods [are]
אֱלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·hem)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

gods
אֱלֹהֵ֤י (’ĕ·lō·hê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

of the hills.
הָרִים֙ (hā·rîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 2022: Mountain, hill, hill country

That is why
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

they prevailed
נֶחֱזַ֖ק (ne·ḥĕ·zaq)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

over us.
מִמֶּ֑נּוּ (mim·men·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 4480: A part of, from, out of

Instead,
וְאוּלָ֗ם (wə·’ū·lām)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's 199: However, on the contrary

we should fight
נִלָּחֵ֤ם (nil·lā·ḥêm)
Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common plural
Strong's 3898: To feed on, to consume, to battle

them
אִתָּם֙ (’it·tām)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's 854: Nearness, near, with, by, at, among

on the plains;
בַּמִּישׁ֔וֹר (bam·mî·šō·wr)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4334: A level, a plain, as a, straightness, justice

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

we will prevail.
חָזְק֣וּ (ḥā·zə·qū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

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OT History: 1 Kings 20:23 The servants of the king of Syria (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)