King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So [shall] thy judgment [be]; thyself hast decided [it].
Complete Jewish Bible:
But while your servant was busy with one thing and another, he disappeared." The king of Isra'el said to him, "So that is your sentence; you have pronounced it on yourself."
Berean Standard Bible:
But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself.”
American Standard Version:
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And as thy servant{H5650} was busy{H6213} here and there, he was gone{H369}. And the king{H4428} of Israel{H3478} said{H559} unto him, So shall thy judgment{H4941} be; thyself hast decided{H2782} it.
Cross-References (KJV):
Job 15:6
- Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Matthew 25:24
- Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Matthew 25:27
- Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and [then] at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Luke 19:22
- And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, [thou] wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
2 Samuel 12:5
- And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, [As] the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this [thing] shall surely die:
2 Samuel 12:7
- And Nathan said to David, Thou [art] the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
Matthew 21:41
- They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out [his] vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for 1 Kings 20:40
1 Kings 20:40 is part of a narrative that recounts a confrontation between the kingdoms of Israel and Aram during the reign of King Ahab of Israel. The broader context is a period of repeated conflicts between these two nations. In the chapters leading up to this verse, King Ahab has been contending with the Arameans, who have been making incursions into Israelite territory.
In verse 40, the situation is a moment of legal judgment. The verse itself is concise and captures a brief exchange where a prisoner of war, presumably an Aramean soldier, is addressing King Ahab. The prisoner had been placed in the custody of some of Ahab's men, but he managed to escape, which according to the custom of the time, would typically result in the custodian bearing the punishment due to the escaped prisoner.
The prisoner's statement, "thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone," suggests a casual explanation for his escape, implying that his custodians were negligent. King Ahab's response, "So [shall] thy judgment [be]; thyself hast decided it," indicates that Ahab holds the prisoner responsible for his own fate. Ahab's pronouncement reflects an ancient legal principle found in various Near Eastern cultures, often referred to as the "law of the fugitive," where the custodian or the community where the prisoner escaped would be held accountable for the escapee.
The themes present in this verse include the rule of law, personal responsibility, and the consequences of negligence. It also reflects the broader theme of divine justice, as the events of Ahab's reign are often portrayed in the context of God's judgment on his actions and those of the people of Israel. The historical context of this verse is set within the geopolitical dynamics of the ancient Near East, where city-states and kingdoms like Israel and Aram were frequently in conflict over territory and trade routes. This particular incident would have been one of many military and diplomatic engagements that shaped the region's power structures during this period.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H5650
There are 714 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶבֶד
Transliteration: ʻebed
Pronunciation: eh'-bed
Description: from עָבַד; a servant; [idiom] bondage, bondman, (bond-) servant, (man-) servant. - Strong's Number: H6213
There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂה
Transliteration: ʻâsâh
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. - Strong's Number: H369
There are 44 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַיִן
Transliteration: ʼayin
Pronunciation: ah'-yin
Description: as if from a primitive root meaning to be nothing or not exist; a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle; else, except, fail, (father-) less, be gone, in(-curable), neither, never, no (where), none, nor, (any, thing), not, nothing, to nought, past, un(-searchable), well-nigh, without. Compare אַיִן. - Strong's Number: H4428
There are 1922 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֶלֶךְ
Transliteration: melek
Pronunciation: meh'-lek
Description: from מָלַךְ; a king; king, royal. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H559
There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַר
Transliteration: ʼâmar
Pronunciation: aw-mar'
Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. - Strong's Number: H4941
There are 406 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִשְׁפָּט
Transliteration: mishpâṭ
Pronunciation: mish-pawt'
Description: from שָׁפַט; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style; [phrase] adversary, ceremony, charge, [idiom] crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, [idiom] worthy, [phrase] wrong. - Strong's Number: H2782
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָרַץ
Transliteration: chârats
Pronunciation: khaw-rats'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to point sharply, i.e. (literally) to wound; figuratively, to be alert, to decide; bestir self, decide, decree, determine, maim, move.