Bible Strands

1 Kings 20:25

And you must raise an army like the one you have lost—horse for horse and chariot for chariot—so we can fight the Israelites on the plain, where we will surely prevail.” And the king approved their plan and acted accordingly.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — A prophet addresses the Aramean king following a military defeat, instructing him to replace his commanders and rebuild his forces to confront Israel on the plain. The king accepts this counsel and implements the proposed strategy.

The words — The Hebrew verb תִמְנֶה (timneh) means "you will muster" or "appoint," paired with חַיִל (cha'il) for "army" or "force." The phrase כַּחַיִל הַנּוֹפֵל מֵאֹתְךָ (ka-cha'il ha-nofel me'otekha) literally renders "like the army which fell from you."

The thread — This directive to rebuild military strength appears in the immediate context of 1 Kings 20:26, where Ben-hadad mobilizes the Arameans in spring, and parallels the psalmist’s observation of human arrogance in Psalms 10:3.

Why it lands — The text records a human strategy for military parity and the king’s approval of it. It asks the reader to recognize the limits of organized force when confronted with the narrative of divine intervention.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְאַתָּ֣הve./'a.Tahand/ youתִֽמְנֶה־tim.neh-you will musterלְךָ֣׀le./Khafor/ yourselfחַ֡יִלCha.yilan armyכַּחַיִל֩ka./cha.Yillike the/ armyהַנֹּפֵ֨לha./no.Felwhich/ fellמֵאוֹתָ֜ךְme./'o.Ta/khfrom/ <obj.>/ youוְס֣וּסve./Susand/ a horseכַּסּ֣וּס׀ka./Suslike the/ horseוְרֶ֣כֶבve./Re.khevand/ chariotryכָּרֶ֗כֶבka./Re.khevlike the/ chariotryוְנִֽלָּחֲמָ֤הve./ni.la.cha.Mahand/ let us fightאוֹתָם֙'o.Ta/m<obj.>/ themבַּמִּישׁ֔וֹרba./mi.Shoron the/ level groundאִם־'im-ifלֹ֥אlo'notנֶחֱזַ֖קne.che.Zakwe will be strongמֵהֶ֑םme./Hemmore than/ themוַיִּשְׁמַ֥עva/i.yish.Ma'and/ he listenedלְקֹלָ֖םle./ko.La/mto/ voice/ theirוַיַּ֥עַשׂva/i.Ya.'asand/ he didכֵּֽן׃ פKenthus

King James Version

And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.

Cross-references