1-Kings - 20:37



37 Then he found another man, and said, "Please strike me." The man struck him, smiting and wounding him.

Verse In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of 1-Kings 20:37.

Differing Translations

Compare verses for better understanding.
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him violently, and wounded him.
And he findeth another man, and saith, 'Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man smiteth him, smiting and wounding,
Then he came across another man, and said, Give me a wound. And the man gave him a blow wounding him.
But upon finding another man, he said to him, "Strike me." And he struck him, and wounded him.

*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.


Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

Then he found another man, and said, smite me, I pray thee,.... This is not said to be his neighbour, nor one of the sons of the prophets, but a rustic man, and so stuck not to take him at his word:
and the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him; in his face; made some incision in his flesh, broke the skin, and fetched blood of him; perhaps somewhere about his eyes, by what follows: this he got done to him, that he might look like a wounded soldier, and thereby get the more easily to the speech of Ahab.

The disciple of the prophets then asked another to smite him, and he smote him, "smiting and wounding," i.e., so that he not only smote, but also wounded him (vid., Ewald, 280, a.). He wished to be smitten and wounded, not to disguise himself, or that he might be able to appeal loudly to the king for help to obtain his rights, as though he had suffered some wrong (Ewald), nor merely to assume the deceptive appearance of a warrior returning from the battle (Thenius), but to show to Ahab symbolically what he had to expect from Benhadad whom he had released (C. a Lap., Calm., etc.).

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