1 Raja-raja 20:27

20:27 When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks ¹  of goats, but the Syrians filled the land.

1 Raja-raja 20:34

20:34 Ben Hadad ²  said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets ³  in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” ⁴  Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.” ⁵  So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.

[20:27]  ¹ tn The noun translated “small flocks” occurs only here. The common interpretation derives the word from the verbal root חשׂף, “to strip off; to make bare.” In this case the noun refers to something “stripped off” or “made bare.” HALOT 359 s.v. II חשׂף derives the noun from a proposed homonymic verbal root (which occurs only in Ps 29:9) meaning “cause a premature birth.” In this case the derived noun could refer to goats that are undersized because they are born prematurely.

[20:34]  ² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:34]  ³ tn Heb “streets,” but this must refer to streets set up with stalls for merchants to sell their goods. See HALOT 299 s.v. חוּץ.

[20:34]  ⁴ map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[20:34]  ⁵ tn Heb “I will send you away with a treaty.” The words “Ahab then said” are supplied in the translation. There is nothing in the Hebrew text to indicate that the speaker has changed from Ben Hadad to Ahab. Some suggest adding “and he said” before “I will send you away.” Others prefer to maintain Ben Hadad as the speaker and change the statement to, “Please send me away with a treaty.”