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1 Kings 20:18

So he said, “If they have marched out in peace, take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.” He said, Whether they are come out for shalom, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive. And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive." Ben-Hadad said, "They may be coming to fight, or they may be coming to ask for peace. In either case capture them alive." He ordered, "Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive." And he said, "Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive." Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive as well." And he sayde, Whether they be come out for peace, take them aliue: or whether they bee come out to fight, take them yet aliue. Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive." "Take them alive!" Benhadad ordered. "I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender." He said, "Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive." And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. So Ben-Hadad said, "They might be coming to fight or they might be coming to ask for peace. Capture them alive." And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive. He ordered, "Take them alive, no matter whether they are coming to fight or to ask for peace." Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come out for war, seize them alive." And he said, If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come to battle, seize them alive. He sayde: Take them alyue, whether they be come forth for peace, or for warre. And he said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive. And he said, If they have come out for peace, take them living, and if they have come out for war, take them living. He sayde: Whether they be come out for peace, take them alyue: or whether they be come out to fight, take them yet alyue. And he said: 'Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.' And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them aliue: or whether they be come out for warre, take them aliue. Arise, and go down to meet Achaab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, for he is in the vineyard of Nabuthai, for he has gone down thither to take possession of it. And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. "If they have marched out in peace," he said, "take them alive. Or if they have marched out for war, take them alive." And he seide, Whether thei comen for pees, take ye hem quyke; whether to fiyte, take ye hem quyke. And he saith, `If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.' And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they have come out for war, take them alive. And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive. He said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive. So he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take them alive." "Take them alive," Ben-hadad commanded, "whether they have come for peace or for war." Then he said, "If they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive." He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive." And he said - If, peaceably, they have come, take them alive, - or, if, fighting, they have come, alive, take ye them. And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or whether they come to fight, take them alive. He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive." And he says, "If they have come out for peace, catch them alive; and if they have come out for battle, catch them alive." He said, "If they've come in peace, take them alive as hostages; if they've come to fight, the same—take them alive as hostages." Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Israel, Prophecies Concerning;   Prophecy;   Thompson Chain Reference - Benhadad;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Samaria, Ancient;   Syria;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Samaria;   Wine;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ben-hadad;   Samaria, samaritans;   Syria;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Samaria;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   District;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ben-Hadad;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Benhadad ;   Samaria ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Samaria;   Smith Bible Dictionary - A'hab;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Joel (2);   Samaria, City of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Benhadad;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So he said, “If they have marched out in peace, take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”
Hebrew Names Version
He said, Whether they are come out for shalom, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive.
King James Version
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
English Standard Version
He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive."
New Century Version
Ben-Hadad said, "They may be coming to fight, or they may be coming to ask for peace. In either case capture them alive."
New English Translation
He ordered, "Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive."
Amplified Bible
And he said, "Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive."
New American Standard Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive as well."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayde, Whether they be come out for peace, take them aliue: or whether they bee come out to fight, take them yet aliue.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."
Contemporary English Version
"Take them alive!" Benhadad ordered. "I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender."
Complete Jewish Bible
He said, "Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive."
Darby Translation
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Ben-Hadad said, "They might be coming to fight or they might be coming to ask for peace. Capture them alive."
George Lamsa Translation
And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.
Good News Translation
He ordered, "Take them alive, no matter whether they are coming to fight or to ask for peace."
Lexham English Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come out for war, seize them alive."
Literal Translation
And he said, If they have come out for peace, seize them alive; and if they have come to battle, seize them alive.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde: Take them alyue, whether they be come forth for peace, or for warre.
American Standard Version
And he said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.
Bible in Basic English
And he said, If they have come out for peace, take them living, and if they have come out for war, take them living.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He sayde: Whether they be come out for peace, take them alyue: or whether they be come out to fight, take them yet alyue.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they are come out for war, take them alive.'
King James Version (1611)
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them aliue: or whether they be come out for warre, take them aliue.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Arise, and go down to meet Achaab king of Israel, who is in Samaria, for he is in the vineyard of Nabuthai, for he has gone down thither to take possession of it.
English Revised Version
And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
Berean Standard Bible
"If they have marched out in peace," he said, "take them alive. Or if they have marched out for war, take them alive."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide, Whether thei comen for pees, take ye hem quyke; whether to fiyte, take ye hem quyke.
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, `If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.'
Update Bible Version
And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Whether they have come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they have come out for war, take them alive.
World English Bible
He said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive.
New King James Version
So he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take them alive."
New Living Translation
"Take them alive," Ben-hadad commanded, "whether they have come for peace or for war."
New Life Bible
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive."
New Revised Standard
He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said - If, peaceably, they have come, take them alive, - or, if, fighting, they have come, alive, take ye them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or whether they come to fight, take them alive.
Revised Standard Version
He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."
THE MESSAGE
He said, "If they've come in peace, take them alive as hostages; if they've come to fight, the same—take them alive as hostages."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive."

Contextual Overview

12When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in their quarters, he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city. 12 It happened, when [Ben-Hadad] heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said to his servants, Set [yourselves in array]. They set [themselves in array] against the city. 12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city. 12 When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, "Take your positions." And they took their positions against the city. 12 Ben-Hadad was drinking in his tent with the other rulers when the message came from Ahab. Ben-Hadad commanded his men to prepare to attack the city, and they moved into place for battle. 12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants, "Get ready to attack!" So they got ready to attack the city. 12When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, "Station yourselves." So they stationed themselves against the city [of Samaria]. 12 And when Ben-hadad heard this message, while he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, "Take your positions." So they took their positions against the city. 12 And when he heard that tidings, as he was with the Kings drinking in the pauilions, he sayd vnto his seruants, Bring forth your engines, and they set them against the citie. 12Now it happened that when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his servants, "Station yourselves." So they stationed themselves against the city.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

1 Samuel 2:3, 1 Samuel 2:4, 1 Samuel 14:11, 1 Samuel 14:12, 1 Samuel 17:44, 2 Kings 14:8-12, Proverbs 18:12

Reciprocal: Judges 9:40 - he fled before 1 Samuel 17:42 - disdained 1 Kings 12:18 - flee to Jerusalem 2 Kings 10:14 - Take them alive 2 Kings 18:23 - I will deliver Nehemiah 4:3 - Tobiah Proverbs 14:16 - the fool Isaiah 36:8 - and I Jeremiah 46:17 - Pharaoh

Cross-References

Genesis 12:17
The LORD plagued Par`oh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Avram's wife.
Genesis 12:17
And the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
Genesis 12:17
Then Yahweh afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues on account of the matter of Sarai the wife of Abram.
Genesis 12:17
But the Lord sent terrible diseases on the king and all the people in his house because of Abram's wife Sarai.
Genesis 12:17
But the Lord struck Pharaoh and his household with severe diseases because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
Genesis 12:17
But the LORD punished Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
Genesis 12:17
But the LORD struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
Genesis 12:17
But the Lorde plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, because of Sarai Abrams wife.
Genesis 12:17
But Yahweh struck Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.
Genesis 12:17
Because of Sarai, the Lord struck the king and everyone in his palace with terrible diseases.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, whether they be come out for peace,.... To propose terms of peace:

take them alive; make them prisoners, which was contrary to the laws of nations:

or whether they be come out for war, take them alive; he made no doubt of their being easily taken; but he would not have them be put to death, that he might examine them, and know the state of things in Samaria, and what Ahab intended to do, that he might take his measures accordingly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 20:18. Take them alive. — He was confident of victory. Do not slay them; bring them to me, they may give us some useful information.


 
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