Then he found another man, and said, “Please strike me.” The man struck him and wounded him.
Parallel translations
- KJV Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
- BSB Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
- ESV Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him.
- NKJV And he found another man, and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound.
- NASB Then he found another man and said, “Please strike me.” And the man struck him, injuring him.
- NLT Then the prophet turned to another man and said, “Hit me!” So he struck the prophet and wounded him.
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
The prophet finds another man who strikes and wounds him as commanded. Obedience to God's word, though hard, is the right response.
Overview
The prophet then enlists a second man who obeys and wounds him, enabling the prophet to appear injured for his coming encounter with Ahab. The contrast with the first man highlights the blessing of obedience over the judgment that meets disobedience. The wound becomes part of the prophetic disguise through which God's word will confront the king.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Exod 21:12“One who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death,
- 1 Kgs 20:35A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by Yahweh’s word, “Please strike me!” The man refused to strike him.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 20:37 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.