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1 Kings 20:39

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And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

And as the king {H4428} passed by {H5674}, he cried {H6817} unto the king {H4428}: and he said {H559}, Thy servant {H5650} went out {H3318} into the midst {H7130} of the battle {H4421}; and, behold, a man {H376} turned aside {H5493}, and brought {H935} a man {H376} unto me, and said {H559}, Keep {H8104} this man {H376}: if by any means {H6485} he be missing {H6485}, then shall thy life {H5315} be for his life {H5315}, or else thou shalt pay {H8254} a talent {H3603} of silver {H3701}.

As the king passed by, he called out to the king and said, "Your servant was on his way into the thick of the fighting when someone turned, brought a man to me and said, 'Guard this man! If he is missing, you will pay for his life with yours; or else you will pay sixty-six pounds of silver.'

As the king passed by, he cried out to the king: “Your servant had marched out into the middle of the battle, when suddenly a man came over with a captive and told me, ‘Guard this man! If he goes missing for any reason, your life will be exchanged for his life, or you will weigh out a talent of silver.’

And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king; and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

Commentary

1 Kings 20:39 is part of a cleverly devised parable told by an unnamed prophet to King Ahab of Israel. The prophet, disguised as a wounded soldier, presents a hypothetical scenario that directly mirrors Ahab's recent actions and God's judgment upon them.

Context

Following a decisive victory granted by God over Ben-hadad, the king of Syria, King Ahab inexplicably chose to make a covenant with his defeated enemy instead of utterly destroying him, as implied by God's earlier deliverance (see 1 Kings 20:28). This verse details the prophet's dramatic approach to Ahab. The "servant" (the prophet himself) recounts being entrusted with a prisoner during battle. The command was clear: "Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver." This narrative was designed to trap Ahab into pronouncing judgment upon himself, as he would later discover in 1 Kings 20:42.

Key Themes

  • Accountability and Stewardship: The verse highlights the strict accountability of the soldier for the prisoner entrusted to him. This mirrors the spiritual principle that God holds individuals, especially leaders, accountable for the responsibilities and commands He gives them.
  • Consequences of Disobedience: The severe penalty for losing the prisoner—either one's own life or a substantial fine—foreshadows the dire consequences awaiting Ahab for his disobedience to God's will concerning Ben-hadad. It underscores that actions have direct, often heavy, repercussions.
  • Divine Justice and Prophetic Confrontation: The prophet's use of a parable demonstrates God's method of bringing truth to light, even to those in power. It reveals God's unwavering commitment to justice and His willingness to use His messengers to confront sin.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "a talent of silver" represents a very significant sum of money in ancient times, roughly equivalent to 75 pounds (or 34 kilograms) of silver. This substantial penalty underscores the extreme value placed on the prisoner and, by extension, the gravity of the soldier's responsibility. It emphasizes that the cost of failure was not trivial but truly ruinous, reflecting the severity of Ahab's spiritual transgression.

Practical Application

This passage serves as a powerful reminder of our own accountability before God. Just as the soldier was entrusted with a life, we are entrusted with various responsibilities—whether they are spiritual gifts, resources, or the care of others. We are called to be faithful stewards. Furthermore, it teaches us that disobedience to God's clear commands carries consequences, whether immediate or in the long term. It encourages us to reflect on areas where we might be neglecting divine instructions and to seek repentance and obedience, understanding that God's justice is sure, but so is His mercy for those who turn to Him (compare with 2 Chronicles 7:14 regarding humility and prayer). The story also highlights the importance of confronting sin with wisdom and truth, even when it is difficult, as the prophet did with King Ahab.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash (May 20, 2025) 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 — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 10:24 (5 votes)

    And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings, Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, [If] any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escape, [he that letteth him go], his life [shall be] for the life of him.

  • Proverbs 13:8 (2 votes)

    ¶ The ransom of a man's life [are] his riches: but the poor heareth not rebuke.

  • Proverbs 6:35 (2 votes)

    He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.

  • 1 Kings 20:42 (2 votes)

    And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of [thy] hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

  • 1 Peter 1:18 (2 votes)

    Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers;

  • 1 Peter 1:19 (2 votes)

    But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

  • Psalms 49:7 (2 votes)

    None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: