1 Kings 20:23

KJV

And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods [are] gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the servants {H5650} of the king {H4428} of Syria {H758} said {H559} unto him, Their gods {H430} are gods {H430} of the hills {H2022}; therefore they were stronger {H2388} than we; but {H199} let us fight {H3898} against them in the plain {H4334}, and surely {H3808} we shall be stronger {H2388} than they.

Complete Jewish Bible

Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their God is a God of the hills; that's why they were stronger than we were. But if we fight them on level ground, we will certainly be stronger than they are.

Berean Standard Bible

Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail.

American Standard Version

And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we: but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
This verse encapsulates the deeply flawed strategic and theological reasoning of the Syrian king Ben-hadad's advisors after their unexpected defeat by Israel. Seeking to rationalize their loss, they attribute Israel's victory to their God being a localized deity, powerful only within the mountainous terrain. Based on this pagan, geographically limited understanding of divine power, they confidently propose a shift in battleground to the open plains, asserting that in such an environment, their own gods would grant them a decisive and overwhelming advantage over Israel.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This declaration by Ben-hadad's servants immediately follows Israel's miraculous and unexpected victory over the vastly superior Syrian army near Samaria, as detailed in [1 Kings 20:1-22](/1_kings/20-1-22 "1 Kings 20:1-22 - The First Syrian Invasion and God's Deliverance"). Despite Ben-hadad's overwhelming military might and arrogant demands, the Lord had explicitly promised King Ahab victory through a small, seemingly insignificant Israelite force, thereby demonstrating His absolute divine power and sovereignty. The advisors' counsel in [1 Kings 20:23](/1_kings/20-23 "1 Kings 20:23 - Syrian Advisors' Flawed Reasoning") serves as a pivotal moment in the narrative, setting the stage for the second confrontation in [1 Kings 20:26-30](/1_kings/20-26-30 "1 Kings 20:26-30 - The Second Syrian Invasion and Decisive Defeat"). In this subsequent battle, God once again proves His universal dominion by decisively defeating the Syrians on the very plains where they expected to triumph. This verse is therefore crucial for highlighting the pagan worldview that God actively and powerfully refutes through His actions throughout the chapter.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The ancient Near East was characterized by a pervasive polytheism, where deities were commonly associated with specific geographical locations, natural phenomena, or national territories. For instance, various gods were believed to reside on particular mountains, in specific cities, or to govern certain aspects of nature like storms or fertility. The Syrian advisors' statement perfectly reflects this common pagan worldview, where gods possessed limited spheres of influence and power. They perceived the God of Israel as merely one among many national deities, confined to the mountainous terrain of Israel, particularly around Samaria. This stands in stark contrast to the Israelite understanding of Yahweh as the one true, universal, and transcendent God, the creator and ruler of all the earth, a truth proclaimed consistently throughout the Pentateuch and Prophets (e.g., [Deuteronomy 4:39](/deuteronomy/4-39 "Deuteronomy 4:39 - God's Universal Sovereignty") or [Isaiah 44:6](/isaiah/44-6 "Isaiah 44:6 - Yahweh as the Only God")).
* **Key Themes:** The verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within [1 Kings](/1_kings/1 "The Book of 1 Kings") and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights the profound **misunderstanding of God's nature** by pagan nations, contrasting their localized, limited view of deity with the biblical revelation of Yahweh as omnipresent and omnipotent. Secondly, it underscores the theme of **divine sovereignty versus human rationalization**, as the Syrians attempt to explain away a supernatural defeat with a naturalistic, albeit theologically flawed, explanation. This sets up the subsequent, undeniable demonstration of God's power over all terrain and circumstances. Lastly, it reinforces the theme of **God's faithfulness to His people** and His unwavering willingness to intervene on their behalf, even when their king, Ahab, is unfaithful. The entire chapter serves as a powerful testament to God's unparalleled power and His commitment to His covenant, regardless of human limitations or misconceptions, anticipating the later prophetic challenges to Baal worship in [1 Kings 18](/1_kings/18 "1 Kings 18 - Elijah and the Prophets of Baal").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Gods (Hebrew, _ʾĕlôhîym'_):** While this term often refers to the singular God of Israel, in this context, the plural form is used by the pagan Syrians to denote multiple deities or, more specifically, the perceived "god" of Israel as one among many national gods. Their understanding is polytheistic, attributing Israel's victory to a specific, localized deity rather than the one true, universal God. This word choice highlights the fundamental theological chasm between Israelite monotheism and the surrounding paganism.
* **Hills (Hebrew, _har'_):** Refers to a mountain or range of hills. In the ancient world, mountains were often considered sacred places, abodes of deities, or strategic military strongholds. The Syrians' attribution of Israel's God to the "hills" reflects a common ancient Near Eastern belief that gods had specific geographical domains. Their reasoning is that a deity powerful in the mountains might be weak or absent in the plains, demonstrating their limited, spatial understanding of divine power.
* **Plain (Hebrew, _mîyshôwr'_):** Refers to a level, open ground. In military contexts, plains were ideal for large-scale chariot warfare, a known strength of the Syrian army. The stark contrast between "hills" and "plain" is central to the Syrians' flawed strategic thinking. They believe that by changing the battleground, they can negate Israel's perceived divine advantage, exposing their profound ignorance of Yahweh's universal dominion.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him,"**: This opening clause introduces the counsel being given to Ben-hadad by his advisors. It signifies a strategic debriefing and planning session following their humiliating defeat, indicating that their words carry significant weight in shaping the king's subsequent actions.
* **"Their gods [are] gods of the hills;"**: This is the theological core of the Syrian advisors' flawed reasoning. They attribute Israel's unexpected victory not to the unique, universal power of Yahweh, but to a perceived limitation of Israel's deity to specific geographical terrain. This statement reveals a polytheistic worldview where divine power is compartmentalized and geographically bound, a common misconception in the ancient Near East.
* **"therefore they were stronger than we;"**: Based on their erroneous premise that Israel's God is a "hill-god," they conclude that Israel's superior strength in the previous battle was a direct result of their deity operating within its favored domain. This provides a seemingly logical, yet entirely incorrect, explanation for their unexpected and devastating defeat.
* **"but let us fight against them in the plain,"**: This clause presents their proposed strategic adjustment. Believing that a change in terrain will neutralize Israel's perceived divine advantage, they advocate for a battle on flat, open ground, where their numerical superiority and chariot forces would presumably be more effective and their own gods could grant them victory.
* **"and surely we shall be stronger than they."**: This final clause expresses their absolute confidence and certainty in their new strategy. Their arrogance, coupled with their profound ignorance of Yahweh's true nature, leads them to believe that by manipulating the physical environment, they can dictate the outcome of a divinely ordained conflict, setting the stage for another, even more decisive, demonstration of God's universal power.

#### Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs **Irony**, **Contrast**, and a form of negative **Anthropomorphism**. The central **Irony** lies in the Syrian advisors' attempt to limit the omnipotent God of Israel to a specific geographical domain ("gods of the hills"). Their rationalization of their initial defeat, intended to explain away a miraculous divine intervention, inadvertently sets the stage for an even greater demonstration of Yahweh's universal sovereignty, as He proceeds to defeat them on the very "plain" where they expected victory. This highlights the profound futility of human wisdom when it attempts to circumscribe divine power. The **Contrast** between the "hills" and the "plain" is stark and serves as both the literal and metaphorical battleground for differing theological worldviews. It underscores the pagan belief in localized deities versus the biblical truth of a transcendent, omnipresent God. The advisors' statement also represents a form of negative **Anthropomorphism**, where they project human limitations, territoriality, and strategic thinking onto the divine, demonstrating their profound misunderstanding of Yahweh's infinite and unconstrained nature.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse, though spoken from a position of profound theological ignorance, serves as a crucial theological statement within the biblical narrative. It highlights the stark contrast between the localized, limited deities of pagan polytheism and the boundless, universal sovereignty of Yahweh, the God of Israel. The Syrians' attempt to confine God's power to specific geographical "hills" underscores a fundamental misunderstanding of His omnipresence and omnipotence. This pagan worldview, which sought to control or predict divine action based on physical conditions or geographical boundaries, is directly challenged and ultimately refuted by God's subsequent actions in the narrative, demonstrating unequivocally that He is Lord over all creation, not just a particular terrain. This narrative thus powerfully reinforces the biblical truth that God's power is not bound by human logic, geographical limitations, or strategic planning, but operates according to His sovereign will across the entire earth.

* [Psalm 139:7-10](/psalms/139-7-10 "Psalm 139:7-10 - God's Omnipresence and Inescapable Presence")
* [Isaiah 40:28](/isaiah/40-28 "Isaiah 40:28 - God's Eternal Power and Understanding")
* [Jeremiah 23:24](/jeremiah/23-24 "Jeremiah 23:24 - God Fills Heaven and Earth")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The flawed reasoning of the Syrian advisors in [1 Kings 20:23](/1_kings/20-23 "1 Kings 20:23 - Syrian Advisors' Flawed Reasoning") offers a profound and timeless lesson for believers today. Just as they attempted to confine God's power to the "hills," we too can subtly limit God in our minds, perhaps by believing He is only active in "spiritual" matters, or only in certain seasons of our lives, or only when conditions are ideal and favorable. We might attribute our struggles or perceived failures to external circumstances, forgetting that God's sovereignty extends over every "plain" and "hill" of our existence. This verse challenges us to expand our understanding of God's boundless power and omnipresent presence. He is not a God who is limited by our circumstances, our perceived weaknesses, our geographical location, or the overwhelming challenges we face. Whether we are in a season of victory (the "hills") or facing overwhelming odds and unfamiliar territory (the "plain"), God remains sovereign, capable of delivering, sustaining, and working His purposes. Our faith should not be contingent on favorable conditions or human strategies, but on the unshakeable truth of His infinite power and unwavering faithfulness. We are called to trust in a God who transcends all human limitations and expectations, actively working in every sphere of our lives.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be subtly limiting God's power or presence, perhaps by compartmentalizing Him or believing He is only active in certain domains?**
* **How does my understanding of God's universal sovereignty impact my response to difficult or unfavorable circumstances, especially when human strategies seem insufficient?**
* **What "plains" (challenges, unfamiliar territories, or seemingly insurmountable obstacles) am I currently facing where I need to remember God's universal dominion, rather than relying solely on human strength or ingenuity?**
* **How can I cultivate a deeper, more expansive trust in God's ability to act beyond my expectations and understanding, truly believing He is the God of both the "hills" and the "plains"?**

### FAQ

**Why did the Syrians believe Israel's God was a "god of the hills"?**

Answer: The Syrians' belief stemmed from the prevailing polytheistic worldview of the ancient Near East, where deities were often associated with specific geographical domains or natural phenomena. Israel's initial victory over the Syrians occurred in the hilly region around Samaria. From their limited, pagan perspective, they rationalized that Israel's God must be a powerful local deity, effective only in mountainous terrain, much like their own gods might have specific spheres of influence. This reflected their profound ignorance of Yahweh as the one true, universal God, sovereign over all creation, not bound by location or physical environment.

**Did the Syrians' strategy of fighting in the plain work?**

Answer: No, their strategy utterly failed. Despite their belief that fighting on the plain would give them an advantage, God again intervened decisively on behalf of Israel. In [1 Kings 20:28-30](/1_kings/20-28-30 "1 Kings 20:28-30 - God's Victory on the Plain"), God explicitly declares through a prophet, "Because the Syrians have said, 'The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,' therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord." This second, even more devastating defeat for the Syrians on the plain served as a powerful and undeniable demonstration that Yahweh's sovereignty extends over all creation, not just specific terrains or environments.

**What does this verse teach us about God's nature?**

Answer: This verse, through the Syrians' incorrect assumption, powerfully teaches us about God's omnipresence and omnipotence. It reveals that God is not a localized deity confined to specific places or circumstances, but is sovereign over all the earth, in every situation, and at all times. He is the God of the "hills" and the "plains," the God of comfort and challenge, the God who transcends all human limitations and categories. His power is not diminished by our environment or our understanding, and He acts according to His will in all creation, as seen in passages like [Psalm 115:3](/psalms/115-3 "Psalm 115:3 - God Does All He Pleases") and [Isaiah 45:7](/isaiah/45-7 "Isaiah 45:7 - God's Universal Control and Purpose").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The pagan misconception of God as a localized deity in [1 Kings 20:23](/1_kings/20-23 "1 Kings 20:23 - Syrian Advisors' Flawed Reasoning") finds its ultimate refutation and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Syrian advisors' limited view of God as "gods of the hills" is shattered by the Incarnation, where the infinite, omnipresent God steps into human history, not confined to a mountain or a temple, but dwelling among us, full of grace and truth ([John 1:14](/john/1-14 "John 1:14 - The Word Became Flesh")). Jesus, as the Son of God, demonstrates God's universal sovereignty over all creation, not just specific terrains. He calms raging storms on the sea ([Mark 4:39](/mark/4-39 "Mark 4:39 - Jesus Calms the Storm")), walks on water ([Matthew 14:25](/matthew/14-25 "Matthew 14:25 - Jesus Walks on Water")), heals the sick in every village and city ([Matthew 9:35](/matthew/9-35 "Matthew 9:35 - Jesus' Ministry of Healing and Teaching")), and ultimately conquers death itself, demonstrating power over all realms—heaven, earth, and under the earth ([Philippians 2:10](/phillipians/2-10 "Philippians 2:10 - Every Knee Shall Bow to Jesus")). The "God of the hills" becomes the God who descends into the "plain" of human suffering, humiliation, and death on the cross, only to rise again, proving His unconstrained dominion over all things. Through Christ, we understand that God's power is not limited by our circumstances, our geography, or our understanding, but is universally applicable and eternally redemptive, offering salvation to all who believe, regardless of their location or background ([Romans 10:12-13](/romans/10-12-13 "Romans 10:12-13 - Salvation for All Who Call on the Lord")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 Kings 14:23

For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.

2 Kings 19:12

Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed; [as] Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of Eden which [were] in Thelasar?

1 Kings 20:28

And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD [is] God of the hills, but he [is] not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD.

Psalms 50:21

These [things] hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether [such an one] as thyself: [but] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes.

Psalms 50:22

Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear [you] in pieces, and [there be] none to deliver.

Psalms 121:1

¶ A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psalms 121:2

My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.