1 Kings 20:14

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, [Even] by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

And Ahab {H256} said {H559}, By whom? And he said {H559}, Thus saith {H559} the LORD {H3068}, Even by the young men {H5288} of the princes {H8269} of the provinces {H4082}. Then he said {H559}, Who shall order {H631} the battle {H4421}? And he answered {H559}, Thou.

Ach'av asked, "Who will defeat them?" He answered, "This is what ADONAI says: 'The young men who serve the district governors.'" He asked, "Who will start the fighting?" and he answered, "You will."

โ€œBy whom?โ€ Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, โ€œThis is what the LORD says: โ€˜By the young officers of the district governors.โ€™โ€ โ€œWho will start the battle?โ€ asked Ahab. โ€œYou will,โ€ answered the prophet.

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith Jehovah, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.

Commentary

This verse captures a pivotal moment in the conflict between King Ahab of Israel and King Ben-hadad of Syria, highlighting God's unexpected strategy for victory.

Context

King Ben-hadad of Syria had gathered a massive army and besieged Samaria, the capital of Israel. Ahab was facing overwhelming odds and had initially agreed to humiliating terms of surrender. However, a prophet of the LORD came to Ahab with a message of deliverance, promising that God would give him victory over the vast Syrian force. This verse records Ahab's question about *how* this victory would be achieved and God's surprising answer through the prophet.

Key Themes

  • God's Unexpected Methods: Instead of using Ahab's seasoned military commanders or the full strength of his army, God instructs him to use "the young men of the princes of the provinces." This was a small, seemingly inexperienced group, emphasizing that the victory would come from God's power, not human might. This echoes the theme of God often choosing the weak or foolish things to confound the strong.
  • Obedience to God's Word: Ahab is given a specific, perhaps counter-intuitive, instruction for battle. His willingness to follow this divine strategy is key to the ensuing victory.
  • Divine Authority in Leadership: Despite Ahab being the king, the prophet, speaking for God, tells him *he* will order the battle, but the victory is assured by God's promise. The ultimate authority for the strategy comes from the LORD.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "young men of the princes of the provinces" (ื ึทืขึฒืจึตึฃื™ ืฉื‚ึธืจึตึฅื™ ื”ึทืžึฐึผื“ึดื™ื ึฝื•ึนืช - na'arey sarey hammedinoth) refers to the attendants or servants of the regional governors. They were not primary military leaders or seasoned warriors. This choice deliberately highlights the human weakness of the force God designated, making the divine intervention unmistakable.

Reflection

1 Kings 20:14 reminds us that God's ways are often not our ways. When facing overwhelming challenges, we might rely on conventional strength or wisdom. However, God may call us to trust in His unconventional methods and rely on His power working through our weaknesses. This verse encourages faith and obedience, even when God's instructions seem counter-intuitive or inadequate by human standards. It underscores that victory belongs to the LORD, and our role is to obey His leading.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Kings 18:44

    And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare [thy chariot], and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

  • 1 Samuel 17:50

    So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but [there was] no sword in the hand of David.

  • Genesis 14:14

    And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained [servants], born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued [them] unto Dan.

  • Genesis 14:16

    And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

  • Judges 7:16

    ยถ And he divided the three hundred men [into] three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers.

  • Judges 7:20

    And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow [withal]: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:27

    But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
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