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The king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
1 Kings 20:21 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
  • BSB Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.
  • ESV And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.
  • NKJV Then the king of Israel went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter.
  • NASB The king of Israel also went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.
  • NLT However, the king of Israel destroyed the other horses and chariots and slaughtered the Arameans.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

Ahab pursues, striking the horses and chariots and inflicting a great slaughter on the Syrians. The victory God promised is fully realized.

Overview

King Ahab leads the pursuit, destroying the enemy's chariotry and dealing the Syrians a heavy defeat. The completeness of the rout confirms the Lord's word and His intent to make Himself known through this deliverance. Though the victory is real, the chapter will soon show that Ahab fails to respond rightly to the God who gave it.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 6

  • 1 Sam 17:52The men of Israel and of Judah arose and shouted, and pursued the Philistines as far as Gai and to the gates of Ekron. The wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim, even to Gath and to Ekron.
  • Judg 7:23–25The men of Israel were gathered together out of Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued Midian.
  • 1 Sam 14:20–22Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, they were all striking each other with their swords in very great confusion.
  • Judg 3:28He said to them, “Follow me; for Yahweh has delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand.” They followed him, and took the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and didn’t allow any man to pass over.
  • 2 Kgs 3:18This is an easy thing in Yahweh’s sight. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
  • 2 Kgs 3:24When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking the Moabites.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (1)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 1 Kings videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 1 Kings 20:21YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 1 KingsMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.

How 1 Kings 20:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.