And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his own country.
Parallel translations
- WEB A cry went throughout the army about the going down of the sun, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”
- BSB As the sun was setting, the cry rang out in the army: “Every man to his own city, and every man to his own land!”
- NKJV Then, as the sun was going down, a shout went throughout the army, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his own country!”
- NASB Then the word passed throughout the army close to sunset, saying, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”
- NLT Just as the sun was setting, the cry ran through his troops: “We’re done for! Run for your lives!”
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
At sunset the cry goes out for every soldier to return home, signaling Israel's defeat with the king's death.
Overview
With Ahab dead, the army disperses, fulfilling Micaiah's vision of Israel scattered like sheep without a shepherd. The collapse confirms that the campaign undertaken against God's word ends in failure. The verse closes the battle with the proof that God's prophecy stood true.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 2 Kgs 14:12And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled every man to their tents.
- 1 Sam 4:10And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
- 1 Kgs 12:16So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
- 1 Kgs 22:31But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
- Judg 21:24And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence every man to his inheritance.
- Judg 7:7–8And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.
- 2 Sam 19:8Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his tent.
- 1 Kgs 12:24Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.
- 1 Kgs 22:17And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master: let them return every man to his house in peace.
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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 22:36 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
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