1 Kings 8:23

8:23 He prayed: ¹  “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty ²  to your servants who obey you with sincerity. ³ 

1 Kings 20:31

20:31 His advisers ⁴  said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. ⁵  Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads ⁶  and surrender ⁷  to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.”

[8:23]  ¹ tn Heb “said.”

[8:23]  ² tn Heb “one who keeps the covenant and the loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys.

[8:23]  ³ tn Heb “who walk before you with all their heart.”

[20:31]  ⁴ tn Or “servants.”

[20:31]  ⁵ tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.

[20:31]  ⁶ sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.

[20:31]  ⁷ tn Heb “go out.”