And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

And he said, Whether they are come out for peace, take them alive, or whether they are come out for war, taken them alive.

And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or whether they come to fight, take them alive.

And he saith, 'If for peace they have come out, catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out, alive catch them.'

And he said, If they have come out for peace, take them living, and if they have come out for war, take them living.

And he said: "If they have arrived for peace, apprehend them alive; if to do battle, capture them alive."

Take them alive - He was confident of victory. Do not slay them; bring them to me, they may give us some useful information.

And he said, whether they be come out for peace,.... To propose terms of peace:
take them alive; make them prisoners, which was contrary to the laws of nations:
or whether they be come out for war, take them alive; he made no doubt of their being easily taken; but he would not have them be put to death, that he might examine them, and know the state of things in Samaria, and what Ahab intended to do, that he might take his measures accordingly.

Take them - He bids them not fight, for he thought they needed not to strike one stroke; and that the Israelites could not stand the first brunt.