And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.
As the king was passing by, the man called out to him and said, 'Your servant went out into the middle of the battle. A soldier brought a prisoner to me and said, 'Guard this man. If he escapes, you'll pay with your life, or you'll have to pay a talent of silver.'
The writer is telling how a prophet disguised as a soldier created a parable to confront King Ahab about letting the enemy king Ben-hadad escape when God wanted him captured.
📚 Historical Context
This takes place during the Syrian wars when Israel was fighting against Ben-hadad, king of Syria. A prophet, disguised as a wounded soldier, is setting up an elaborate parable to confront King Ahab about his disobedience to God's command to execute the captured Syrian king. The prophet is pretending to tell Ahab about a military situation where he was given responsibility for a prisoner.
Explore Similar Verses
Ask the AI Assistant
Have a question about this chapter or verse? Ask below for a clear explanation.