Translations
Modern
Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
Traditional
Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
Literal
And he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him, striking and wounding.
Latin
Sed et alterum inveniens virum, dixit ad eum: Percute me. Qui percussit eum, et vulneravit.
Original
Hebrew
English
Then the prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please!” So the man struck him and wounded him,
Notes
Ahab showed mercy to Ben-hadad, which displeased God. An unnamed prophet used symbolic actions to show this disapproval. God's prophets often used symbols to deliver his messages (Isaiah 20; Jeremiah 27:1–7; Ezekiel 4:1–3, 9–17; 5:1–4). By sparing an untrustworthy enemy, Ahab brought judgment on himself and his people instead of relying more on the Lord.
Theme notes and profiles
Glossary
Ahab (King) Ben-Hadad Gilead (Place) Kings, Books of First and Second Samaria Sons of the Prophets
Topics
Symbols and Similitudes: Wounding Syria: The Israelites: Craftily Drawn Into a League With