‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’”
Parallel translations
- WEB ‘Your silver and your gold is mine. Your wives also and your children, even the best, are mine.’”
- KJV Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.
- BSB saying, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and your best wives and children are mine!’”
- NKJV ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your loveliest wives and children are mine.’ ”
- NASB ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’ ”
- NLT ‘Your silver and gold are mine, and so are your wives and the best of your children!’”
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
Ben-Hadad claims Ahab's silver, gold, wives, and best children as his own. The demand is a sweeping assertion of conquest.
Overview
The Syrian king arrogantly lays claim to Ahab's treasures and household, treating Israel as already subjugated. The demand reflects the pride of a powerful aggressor confident of victory. This boasting sets up the dramatic reversal in which God humbles the proud, a recurring biblical theme that God opposes the arrogant and exalts the lowly.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Exod 15:9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the plunder. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.’
- Isa 10:13–14For he has said, “By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I have understanding: and I have removed the boundaries of the peoples, and have robbed their treasures. Like a valiant man I have brought down their rulers.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:3 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.