Parallel Verses
A Conservative Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their god is a god of the hills, therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
New American Standard Bible
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “
King James Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
Holman Bible
Now the king of Aram’s servants said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hill country.
International Standard Version
Sure enough, the advisors to the king of Aram told him, "Their gods are mountain gods. That's why they were stronger than we were. But when we fight them on the plains, we're certain to be the stronger army!
American Standard Version
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we: but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
Amplified
Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Israel’s
Bible in Basic English
Then the king of Aram's servants said to him, Their god is a god of the hills; that is why they were stronger than we: but if we make an attack on them in the lowlands, we will certainly be stronger than they.
Darby Translation
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them on the plateau, shall we not be stronger than they?
Julia Smith Translation
And the servants of the king of Aram said to him, A god of the mountains is their God; for this they were strong above us; and on the contrary, we will war with them in a plain; surely, shall we not be strong above them?
King James 2000
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
Lexham Expanded Bible
The servants of the king of Aram said to him, "Their gods [are] gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we. Let us fight with them in the plain; surely we will be stronger than they.
Modern King James verseion
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the hills. On account of this they were stronger than we were. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Then said the servants of the kings of Syria to him, "The gods of the hills are their gods, and therefore they had the better of us. But let us fight with them in the plain, and for what ye will, we shall have the better of them.
NET Bible
Now the advisers of the king of Syria said to him: "Their God is a god of the mountains. That's why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them.
New Heart English Bible
The servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
The Emphasized Bible
And, the servants of the king of Syria, said unto him, - Gods of the mountains, are their gods, for this cause, prevailed they against us, - but, only let us fight with them in the plain, and verily we shall prevail against them.
Webster
And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
World English Bible
The servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their god is a god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
Youngs Literal Translation
And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him, 'Gods of hills are their gods, therefore they were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not stronger than they?
Themes
Chariots » For war » Advantageously mansuvred in a flat country
Idolatry » Led the heathen to consider their gods to have but a local influence
Kings » Who reigned over israel » Ahab
Prophecy » Miscellaneous, fulfilled » Destruction of ben-hadad's army
Superstition » Instances of » The belief of the syrians concerning the help of the gods
Syria » Inhabitants of » A warlike people
Syria » The israelites » Forewarned of invasion by, at the return of the year
Valleys » The heathen supposed that certain deities presided over
Interlinear
`ebed
'elohiym
'elohiym
Chazaq
Lacham
Miyshowr
Word Count of 20 Translations in 1 Kings 20:23
Verse Info
Context Readings
Ahab Defeats Ben-Hadad
22 And the prophet came near to the king of Israel, and said to him, Go, strengthen thyself. And mark, and see what thou do, for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. 23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their god is a god of the hills, therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. 24 And do this thing: Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their place.
Cross References
1 Kings 14:23
For they also built for them high places, and pillars, and Asherim, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
1 Samuel 4:8
Woe to us! Who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods that smote the Egyptians with all manner of plagues in the wilderness.
1 Kings 20:28
And a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, Thus says LORD, Because the Syrians have said, LORD is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys, therefore I will deliver all this great multitude
2 Kings 19:12
Have the gods of the nations delivered them, which my fathers have destroyed, Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the sons of Eden that were in Telassar?
2 Chronicles 32:13-19
Know ye not what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands in any way able to deliver their land out of my hand?
Psalm 50:21-22
These things thou have done, and I kept silence. Thou thought that I was altogether such a one as thyself. [But] I will reprove thee, and set [them] in order before thine eyes.
Psalm 121:1-2
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. From where shall my help come?
Isaiah 42:8
I am LORD. That is my name, and I will not give my glory to another, nor my praise to graven images.
Romans 1:21-23
Because, although knowing God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were they thankful, but became vain in their reasonings and their heart was darkened without understanding.