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Tuesday, October 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Bible in Basic English

1 Kings 20:40

But while your servant was turning this way and that, he was gone. Then the king of Israel said to him, You are responsible; you have given the decision against yourself.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Parables;   Self-Condemnation;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Scofield Reference Index - Parables;   Thompson Chain Reference - Benhadad;   Business;   Business Life;   Care;   Cares, Business;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Syria;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Samaria;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ahab;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Micaiah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Damascus;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Parables;   Sons of the Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ben-Hadad;   Marks;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared.”
Hebrew Names Version
As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. The king of Yisra'el said to him, So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it.
King James Version
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
English Standard Version
And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
New Century Version
But I was busy doing other things, so the man ran away." The king of Israel answered, "You have already said what the punishment is. You must do what the man said."
New English Translation
Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared." The king of Israel said to him, "Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony."
Amplified Bible
"But while your servant was busy here and there, he [escaped and] was gone." And the king of Israel said to him, "Such is your own judgment (verdict); you have determined it."
New American Standard Bible
"Now while your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared." And the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself determined it."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And as thy seruant had here and there to do, he was gone: And the King of Israel said vnto him, So shall thy iudgement be: thou hast giuen sentence.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that while your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." And the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
Contemporary English Version
But I got busy doing other things, and the prisoner escaped." Ahab answered, "You will be punished just as you have said."
Complete Jewish Bible
But while your servant was busy with one thing and another, he disappeared." The king of Isra'el said to him, "So that is your sentence; you have pronounced it on yourself."
Darby Translation
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, So [is] thy judgment: thyself hast decided [it].
Easy-to-Read Version
While I was busy doing other things, the man ran away." The king of Israel answered, "You admitted that you are guilty, so you know the answer. You must do what the man said."
George Lamsa Translation
And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.
Good News Translation
But I got busy with other things, and the man escaped." The king answered, "You have pronounced your own sentence, and you will have to pay the penalty."
Lexham English Bible
It happened that your servant was busy here and there, and he disappeared." Then the king said to him, "Your own judgment has been determined."
Literal Translation
And it happened, your servant was working here and there, and he was not there . And the king of Israel said to him, Your judgment is right. You have decided it .
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whyle thy seruaunt had here & there to do, he was awaye. The kynge of Israel sayde vnto him: It is thine owne iudgment, thou hast geuen it thyselfe.
American Standard Version
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And as thy seruaunt had here & there to do, he was gone. And the king of Israel sayde vnto him: Euen so shall thy iudgement be, as thou hast defined it thy selfe.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone.' And the king of Israel said unto him: 'So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.'
King James Version (1611)
And as thy seruant was busie here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel saide vnto him, So shall thy iudgement bee, thy selfe hast discided it.
English Revised Version
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.
Berean Standard Bible
But while your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared." And the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you have pronounced it on yourself."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli while Y was troblid, and turnede me hidur and thidur, sodeynly he apperide not. And the kyng of Israel seide to hym, This is thi doom which thou hast demed.
Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass, thy servant is working hither and thither, and he is not!' and the king of Israel saith unto him, Right [is] thy judgment; thou hast determined [it].'
Update Bible Version
And as your slave was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, So your judgment shall be; yourself have decided it.
Webster's Bible Translation
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said to him, So [shall] thy judgment [be]; thyself hast decided [it].
World English Bible
As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. The king of Israel said to him, So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it.
New King James Version
While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." Then the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
New Living Translation
But while I was busy doing something else, the prisoner disappeared!" "Well, it's your own fault," the king replied. "You have brought the judgment on yourself."
New Life Bible
But while your servant was doing things here and there, the man got away." The king of Israel said to him, "So you must be punished. You yourself have decided it."
New Revised Standard
While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And so it was, as thy servant was busy here and there, that, he, was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him - Such, is thy judgment, thou thyself, hast decided it.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And whilst I, in the hurry, turned this way and that, on a sudden he was not to be seen. And the king of Israel said to him: This is thy judgment, which thyself hast decreed.
Revised Standard Version
And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." And the king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."

Contextual Overview

31 Then his servants said to him, It is said that the kings of Israel are full of mercy: let us then put on haircloth, and cords on our heads, and go to the king of Israel; it may be that he will give you your life. 32 So they put on haircloth, and cords on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, Your servant Ben-hadad says, Let me now keep my life. And he said, Is he still living? he is my brother. 33 Now the men took it as a sign, and quickly took up his words; and they said, Ben-hadad is your brother. Then he said, Go and get him. So Ben-hadad came out to him and he made him get up into his carriage. 34 And Ben-hadad said to him, The towns my father took from your father I will give back; and you may make streets for yourself in Damascus as my father did in Samaria. And as for me, at the price of this agreement you will let me go. So he made an agreement with him and let him go. 35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbour by the word of the Lord, Give me a wound. But the man would not. 36 Then he said to him, Because you have not given ear to the voice of the Lord, straight away when you have gone from me a lion will put you to death. And when he had gone, straight away a lion came rushing at him and put him to death. 37 Then he came across another man, and said, Give me a wound. And the man gave him a blow wounding him. 38 So the prophet went away, and pulling his head-band over his eyes to keep his face covered, took his place by the road waiting for the king. 39 And when the king went by, crying out to him he said, Your servant went out into the fight; and a man came out to me with another man and said, Keep this man: if by any chance he gets away, your life will be the price of his life, or you will have to give a talent of silver in payment. 40 But while your servant was turning this way and that, he was gone. Then the king of Israel said to him, You are responsible; you have given the decision against yourself.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he was gone: Heb. he was not

So shall thy judgment be: 2 Samuel 12:5-7, Job 15:6, Matthew 21:41-43, Matthew 25:24-27, Luke 19:22

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 14:13 - Wherefore Ecclesiastes 10:12 - but

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone,.... Employed in one thing or another relative to the battle, his prisoner committed to his care made his escape:

and the king of Israel said unto him, so shall thy judgment be, thyself hast decided it; the sentence was plain and open against him, that either he must die or pay the money, for he himself had agreed to it.


 
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