1 Kings 20:12
New International Version
Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he ordered his men: “Prepare to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.

New Living Translation
Ahab’s reply reached Ben-hadad and the other kings as they were drinking in their tents. “Prepare to attack!” Ben-hadad commanded his officers. So they prepared to attack the city.

English Standard Version
When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, “Take your positions.” And they took their positions against the city.

Berean Standard Bible
Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

King James Bible
And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

New King James Version
And it happened when Ben-Hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking at the command post, that he said to his servants, “Get ready.” And they got ready to attack the city.

New American Standard Bible
And when Ben-hadad heard this message, while he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city.

NASB 1995
When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

NASB 1977
And it came about when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, that he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Amplified Bible
When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city [of Samaria].

Christian Standard Bible
When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in their quarters, he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in the tents, he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city.

American Standard Version
And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when he heard this answer and he was drinking, and the Kings in huts, he said to his Servants: “Set an array against the city!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it came to pass when he returned him this answer, he and all the kings with him were drinking in tents: and he said to his servants, Form a trench. And they made a trench against the city.

Contemporary English Version
Meanwhile, Benhadad and the other kings had been drinking in their tents. But when Ahab's reply came, he ordered his soldiers to prepare to attack Samaria, and they all got ready.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And it came to pass, when Benadad heard this word, that he and the kings were drinking in pavilions, and he said to his servants: Beset the city. And they beset it.

English Revised Version
And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Benhadad heard this as he and his allies were drinking in their tents. He told his officers to get ready. So they got ready [to attack] the city.

Good News Translation
Benhadad received Ahab's answer as he and his allies, the other rulers, were drinking in their tents. He ordered his men to get ready to attack the city, and so they moved into position.

International Standard Version
Ben-hadad received Ahab's response while he was celebrating with his kings in the battle pavilions. "Sound 'Battle Stations!'" he ordered, and the army began to prepare their attack.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass, when [Ben-hadad] heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the booths, that he said unto his servants: 'Set yourselves in array.' And they set themselves in array against the city.

Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass at the hearing of this word—and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the shelters—that he says to his servants, “Set yourselves”; and they set themselves against the city.

Majority Standard Bible
Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

New American Bible
Ben-hadad was drinking in the pavilions with the kings when he heard this reply. He commanded his servants, “Get ready!”; and they got ready to storm the city.

NET Bible
When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants, "Get ready to attack!" So they got ready to attack the city.

New Revised Standard Version
When Ben-hadad heard this message—now he had been drinking with the kings in the booths—he said to his men, “Take your positions!” And they took their positions against the city.

New Heart English Bible
It happened, when Ben Hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said to his servants, "Prepare to attack." They prepared to attack the city.

Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said to his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

World English Bible
When Ben Hadad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, he said to his servants, “Prepare to attack!” So they prepared to attack the city.

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass at the hearing of this word -- and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the booths -- that he saith unto his servants, 'Set yourselves;' and they set themselves against the city.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Ben-Hadad Attacks Samaria
11And the king of Israel replied, “Tell him: ‘The one putting on his armor should not boast like one taking it off.’ ” 12 Ben-hadad received this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Cross References
1 Kings 16:9
However, while Elah was in Tirzah getting drunk in the house of Arza the steward of his household there, Elah's servant Zimri, the commander of half his chariots, conspired against him.

1 Kings 20:16
They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.

Proverbs 31:4
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to crave strong drink,

Proverbs 31:5
lest they drink and forget what is decreed, depriving all the oppressed of justice.


Treasury of Scripture

And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said to his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

young men.

Genesis 14:14-16
And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan…

Judges 7:16-20
And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers…

1 Samuel 17:50
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.

order [heb] bind, or tie

1 Kings 18:44
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

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Array Attack Attacking Ben Ben-Hadad Ben-Ha'dad Booths City Drinking Hadad Heard Kings Message Ordered Pavilions Position Positions Prepare Servants Shelters Station Stationed Temporary Tents Themselves Yourselves
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Array Attack Attacking Ben Ben-Hadad Ben-Ha'dad Booths City Drinking Hadad Heard Kings Message Ordered Pavilions Position Positions Prepare Servants Shelters Station Stationed Temporary Tents Themselves Yourselves
1 Kings 20
1. Ben-Hadad, not content with Ahab's homage, besieges Samaria
13. By the direction of a prophet, the Syrians are slain
22. As the prophet forewarned Ahab, the Syrians come against him in Aphek
28. By the word of the prophet, and God's judgment, the Syrians are smitten again
31. The Syrians submit; Ahab sends Ben-Hadad away with a covenant
35. The prophet, under the parable of a prisoner,
39. making Ahab judge himself, denounces God's judgment against him














Verse 12. - And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad [Heb. he] heard this message [Heb. word], as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions [Heb. booths. The word shows that, in lieu of tents, kings and generals on an expedition sometimes used leafy huts, like those of Israel (Leviticus 23:34, 42). Such booths, it is said, are still erected on military expeditions in the East], that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array [Heb. שִׂימוּ one short, decisive word. His indignation and astonishment were too great for more. We might perhaps render "Form." Cf. 1 Samuel 11:11; Joshua 8:2, 13; Job 1:17; Ezekiel 23:24. It cannot mean οἰκοδομήσατε χάρακα (LXX.)] And they set themselves in array [or formed. Again one word, which is more spirited and graphic, and conveys that the command was instantly obeyed] against the city.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Ben-hadad received
כִּשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ (kiš·mō·a‘)
Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

this
הַזֶּ֔ה (haz·zeh)
Article | Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

message
הַדָּבָ֣ר (had·dā·ḇār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

while he
וְה֥וּא (wə·hū)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

and the kings
וְהַמְּלָכִ֖ים (wə·ham·mə·lā·ḵîm)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4428: A king

were drinking
שֹׁתֶ֛ה (šō·ṯeh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8354: To imbibe

in their tents,
בַּסֻּכּ֑וֹת (bas·suk·kō·wṯ)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 5521: A thicket, booth

and he said
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

his servants,
עֲבָדָיו֙ (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

“Take your positions.”
שִׂ֔ימוּ (śî·mū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

So they stationed themselves
וַיָּשִׂ֖ימוּ (way·yā·śî·mū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

against
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the city.
הָעִֽיר׃ (hā·‘îr)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5892: Excitement


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OT History: 1 Kings 20:12 It happened when Ben Hadad heard this (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 20:11
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