1 Kings 20:26-28

20:26 In the spring ¹  Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army ²  and marched to Aphek to fight Israel. ³  20:27 When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks ⁴  of goats, but the Syrians filled the land. 20:28 The prophet ⁵  visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. ⁶  Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

[20:26]  ¹ tn Heb “at the turning of the year.”

[20:26]  ² tn Heb “mustered Aram.”

[20:26]  ³ tn Heb “and went up to Aphek for battle with Israel.”

[20:27]  ⁴ tn The noun translated “small flocks” occurs only here. The common interpretation derives the word from the verbal root חשׂף, “to strip off; to make bare.” In this case the noun refers to something “stripped off” or “made bare.” HALOT 359 s.v. II חשׂף derives the noun from a proposed homonymic verbal root (which occurs only in Ps 29:9) meaning “cause a premature birth.” In this case the derived noun could refer to goats that are undersized because they are born prematurely.

[20:28]  ⁷ tn Heb “the man of God.”

[20:28]  ⁸ tn Heb “I will place all this great horde in your hand.”