1 Kings 20:23
“And the seruants of the King of Syria said vnto him, Their gods are gods of the hilles, therefore they were stronger then wee: but let vs fight against them in the plaine, and surely we shall be stronger then they.”
1611 King James Version (KJV)
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1 Kings 20:23 Context
21And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and charets, and slewe the Syrians with a great slaughter. 22¶ And the Prophet came to the king of Israel, and said vnto him, Goe, strengthen thy selfe, and marke and see what thou doest: for at the returne of the yeere, the king of Syria will come vp against thee. 23And the seruants of the King of Syria said vnto him, Their gods are gods of the hilles, therefore they were stronger then wee: but let vs fight against them in the plaine, and surely we shall be stronger then they. 24And doe this thing, Take the kings away, euery man out of his place, and put captaines in their roumes. 25And number thee an armie, like the armie that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and charet for charet: and wee will fight against them in the plaine, and surely wee shall be stronger then they. And hee hearkened vnto their voice, and did so.
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Other Translations for 1 Kings 20:23
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.
- King James Version
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, {and} surely we will be stronger than they.
- New American Standard Version (1995)
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.
- American Standard Version (1901)
Then the king of Aram's servants said to him, Their god is a god of the hills; that is why they were stronger than we: but if we make an attack on them in the lowlands, we will certainly be stronger than they.
- Basic English Bible
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them on the plateau, shall we not be stronger than they?
- Darby Bible
And the servants of the king of Syria said to 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.
- Webster's Bible
The servants of the king of Syria said to 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.
- World English Bible
And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him, `Gods of hills [are] their gods, therefore they were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not stronger than they?
- Youngs Literal Bible
And the servants of the king of Aram 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.
- Jewish Publication Society Bible
Wesley's Notes for 1 Kings 20:23
20:23 Said to him - They suppose that their gods were no better thanthe Syrian gods and that there were many gods who had each hisparticular charge and jurisdiction; which was the opinion of all heathennations; that some were gods of the woods, other of the rivers, and othersof the mountains; and they fancied these to be the latter, because the landof Canaan was a mountainous land, and the great temple of their God atJerusalem, stood upon an hill, and so did Samaria, where they hadreceived their last blow: it is observable, they do not impute their illsuccess to their negligence, and drunkenness, and bad conduct, nor to thevalour of the Israelites; but to a divine power, which was indeedvisible in it. In the plain - Wherein there was not only superstition,but policy; because the Syrians excelled the Israelites in horses,which are most serviceable in plain ground.