Lièwángjìshang 20:31

31 Tā dė chén PŪ duì tā shuō， wǒ mėn tīng shuō yǐ sè liè wáng dōu shì RÉN cí dė wáng， xiàn zài wǒ mėn bù rú yāo shù má bù， tóu tào shéng suǒ， chū qù tóu jiàng yǐ sè liè wáng， huò zhě tā cún líu wáng dė xìng mìng。

Lièwángjìshang 20:31 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:31

And his servants said unto him
Being reduced to the utmost extremity; for if he attempted to go out of the city, he would fall into the hands of the Israelites, and there was no safety in it, the wall of it being fallen down; and it could not be thought he could be concealed long in the chamber where he was, wherefore his servants advised as follows:

behold, now, we have heard that the kings of the Israel are merciful
kings;
not only the best of them as David and Solomon, but even the worst of them, in comparison of Heathen princes, were kind and humane to those that fell into their hands, and became their captives:

let us, I pray thee;
so said one in the name of the rest:

put sack cloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads;
and so coming in such a mean and humble manner, and not with their armour on, they might the rather hope to have admittance; so, the Syracusans sent ambassadors to Athens, in filthy garments, with the hair of their heads and beards long, and all in slovenly habits, to move their pity ^F18;

and go out to the king of Israel:
and be humble supplicants to him:

peradventure he will save thy life;
upon a petition to him from him; to which the king agreed, and sent it by them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Justin e Trogo, l. 4. c. 4.

Lièwángjìshang 20:31 In-Context

29 Yǐ sè liè rén yǔ yà LÁN rén xiāng duì ān yíng qī rì， dào dì qī rì liǎng jūn jiāo zhàn。 nà yī rì yǐ sè liè rén shā lė yà LÁN rén bù bīng shí wàn，

30 Qí yú dė táo rù yà FÚ chéng。 chéng qiáng tā dào， yā sǐ shèng xià dė èr wàn qī qiān rén。 biàn hā dá yě táo rù chéng， cáng zài yán mì dė wū zi lǐ。

31 Tā dė chén PŪ duì tā shuō， wǒ mėn tīng shuō yǐ sè liè wáng dōu shì RÉN cí dė wáng， xiàn zài wǒ mėn bù rú yāo shù má bù， tóu tào shéng suǒ， chū qù tóu jiàng yǐ sè liè wáng， huò zhě tā cún líu wáng dė xìng mìng。

32 yú shì tā mėn yāo shù má bù， tóu tào shéng suǒ， qù jiàn yǐ sè liè wáng， shuō， wáng dė PŪ rén biàn hā dá shuō， qíu wáng cún líu wǒ dė xìng mìng。 yà hā shuō， tā hái huó zhė ma？ tā shì wǒ dė xiōng dì。

33 Zhè xiē rén líu xīn tàn chū tā dė kǒu qì lái， biàn jí máng jìu zhė tā dė huà shuō， biàn hā dá shì wáng dė xiōng dì。 wáng shuō， nǐ mėn qù qǐng tā lái。 biàn hā dá chū lái jiàn wáng， wáng jìu qǐng tā shàng chē。