1 Kings 20:34 Meaning and Explanation
“And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Ben-hadad offers to return captured cities and grant trading rights, and Ahab makes a covenant and releases him.
What Does 1 Kings 20:34 Mean?
Ben-hadad negotiates from his unexpected reprieve, offering to restore cities his father had seized and to grant Ahab trading quarters in Damascus. Satisfied, Ahab strikes a treaty -- 'I will send thee away with this covenant' -- and lets the enemy king go free.
Ahab trades obedience for commerce and political advantage. Gaining cities and market rights, he releases the very man God had appointed to destruction. The covenant he makes with Ben-hadad is a covenant against the word of the LORD. The bargain looks favorable in worldly terms, but it sets the king at odds with God, and a reckoning is now at hand.
1 Kings 20:34 in the Original Language
berith (בְּרִית), 'covenant' -- a binding agreement; here a treaty Ahab makes in defiance of God's expressed will.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 20:34
What does 1 Kings 20:34 mean?
Ben-hadad offers to return captured cities and grant trading rights, and Ahab makes a covenant and releases him.