Discovery Box1 Kings 20:1-11
Context20:1 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria 1 and besieged and attacked it. 2 20:2 He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city. 3 20:3 He said to him, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the best of your wives and sons.’” 20:4 The king of Israel replied, “It is just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”
20:5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons.” 20:6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.” 4 20:7 The king of Israel summoned all the leaders 5 of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble. 6 Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.” 20:8 All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.” 7 20:9 So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king, ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’” 8 So the messengers went back and gave their report.
20:10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely 9 if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.” 10 20:11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.” 11
[20:1] 1 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
[20:1] 2 tn Heb “and he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it.”
[20:2] 3 tn Heb “to the city.”
[20:6] 4 tn Heb “all that is desirable to your eyes they will put in their hand and take.”
[20:7] 6 tn Heb “Know and see that this [man] is seeking trouble.”
[20:8] 7 tn Heb “Do not listen and do not be willing.”
[20:9] 8 tn Heb “all which you sent to your servant in the beginning I will do, but this thing I am unable to do.”
[20:10] 9 tn Heb “So may the gods do to me, and so may they add.”
[20:10] 10 tn Heb “if the dirt of Samaria suffices for the handfuls of all the people who are at my feet.”
[20:11] 11 sn The point of the saying is that someone who is still preparing for a battle should not boast as if he has already won the battle. A modern parallel would be, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”
