1 Kings 20:17

17 And the young men of the heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sendeth, and they declare to him, saying, `Men have come out of Samaria.'

1 Kings 20:17 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:17

And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out
first
From Samaria, before the 7000 did:

and Benhadad sent out;
of his pavilion, a messenger or messengers to his sentinels, to know what news, and how matters stood, whether Ahab had sent any message, signifying his compliance with his terms:

and they told him, saying, there are men come out of Samaria;
but upon what account they could not say.

1 Kings 20:17 In-Context

15 And he inspecteth the young men of the heads of the provinces, and they are two hundred, two and thirty, and after them he hath inspecteth the whole of the people, all the sons of Israel, seven thousand,

16 and they go out at noon, and Ben-Hadad is drinking -- drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings, helping him.

17 And the young men of the heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sendeth, and they declare to him, saying, `Men have come out of Samaria.'

18 And he saith, `If for peace they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out -- alive catch them.'

19 And these have gone out of the city -- the young men of the heads of the provinces -- and the force that [is] after them,