What Does 1 Kings 20:29 Mean in the King James?
And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Hebrew behind “joined” means “drew near,” and the verse follows that closing distance all the way to 100,000 dead.
THE MEANING
A standoff can hold for days; when opposing sides close the distance, violence can erupt with devastating force. The verse makes that cost concrete: one hundred thousand foot soldiers are killed in a single day.
THE ROOT
וַיִּגְּשׁוּ
wayyiggəšû
GROWS FROM
נגשׁ
To draw near, approach, or bring near.
The word translated “joined” carries the image of opposing sides drawing near until battle is upon them. The root names the approach itself; the scene shows that this closeness becomes lethal.
ALSO GROWS
draw near: Approach or come close.
This is the movement beneath the verse’s “joined”: the sides close the space between them.
bring near: Cause someone or something to approach or be presented.
The same root can describe bringing something into proximity, showing that nearness, not battle alone, is its core image.
וַיַּחֲנוּ
wayyaḥănû
GROWS FROM
חנה
To encamp or settle in a camp.
“pitched” in this verse is wayyaḥănû. The armies remain encamped opposite one another for seven days before the fighting begins. The root holds both the waiting and the military formation in a single image.
ALSO GROWS
encamp: Settle or remain in a camp.
The armies’ position opposite each other is held through the seven-day standoff.
camp: A place or body of people encamped.
The related word מַחֲנֶה (maḥăneh) makes the waiting armies themselves part of the same root family.
וַיַּכּוּ
wayyakkû
GROWS FROM
נכה
To strike or smite.
“slew” in this verse is wayyakkû. The killing is expressed with a root whose basic force is striking. A related form, מַכָּה (makkāh), means a blow or plague, keeping the verse’s mass death concrete rather than abstract.
ALSO GROWS
strike: Hit or smite.
This is the direct force of the verb describing what Israel does to the Aramean foot soldiers.
blow: A strike or affliction; מַכָּה (makkāh).
The related noun echoes the scale of the devastation named in the verse.
THE PATTERN
Distance can hold a conflict in suspension; when someone closes it, the encounter becomes immediate.
And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.THE THREAD
And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.The phrase “come near” uses the same root, נגשׁ, as “joined” in this verse. The root names approach itself; here armies draw near to fight, while Exodus describes priests drawing near to the LORD.
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