Bible Strands
1 Kings 20:26
In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The verse is narrative, not dialogue, describing King Ben-hadad’s actions immediately after his advisors approve their military strategy in 1 Kings 20:25 and before the Israelite response in 1 Kings 20:27.
The words — The phrase לִתְשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁנָה (li/t.shu.Vat ha./sha.Nah) literally means “to the return of the year,” denoting the spring season, while וַיִּפְקֹד (va/i.yif.Kod) means “and he mustered,” describing the formal assembly of troops.
The thread — The location Aphek reappears in Joshua 13:4 as a geographic marker for the border of the Amorites, and the campaign context echoes the prophet’s earlier warning in 1 Kings 20:22 to take note of the enemy’s movements.
Why it lands — The text records human military preparation in chronological sequence, establishing the tactical timeline before the narrative shifts to the battle outcome.
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
King James Version
And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben–hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 13:17 “Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”
- 1 Kings 20:22 Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”
- Joshua 13:4 to the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Mearah of the Sidonians to Aphek, as far as the border of the Amorites;
- Joshua 19:30 Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob. There were twenty-two cities, along with their villages.
- Judges 1:31 Asher failed to drive out the inhabitants of Acco, Sidon, Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, and Rehob.
- 1 Samuel 4:1 Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
- 1 Samuel 29:1 Now the Philistines brought all their forces together at Aphek, while Israel camped by the spring in Jezreel.
- 1 Kings 20:30 The rest of them fled into the city of Aphek, where the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the remaining men. Ben-hadad also fled to the city and hid in an inner room.