1 Kings 20:30-31

20:30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them. ¹  Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room. ²  20:31 His advisers ³  said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. ⁴  Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads ⁵  and surrender ⁶  to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.”

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¹ tn Heb “and the remaining ones fled to Aphek to the city and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men, the ones who remained.”

² tn Heb “and Ben Hadad fled and went into the city, [into] an inner room in an inner room.”

³ tn Or “servants.”

⁴ tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.

⁵ sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.

⁶ tn Heb “go out.”