1 Kings 15:20Ben Hadad listened to king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel, and struck Ijon, and Dan, and Abel Beth Maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali.
The setting
Northern Israel, ~900 BC. Syrian armies march through Israelite towns, destroying Dan and other cities while King Asa watches the results of his bribery from Jerusalem. Modern-day northern Israel and southern Lebanon.
The emotion here: documenting the tragic human cost with heavy heart
The original word
nākâ (נָכָה) — to strike, smite, attack with devastating force
Why it matters
Dan was one of the two cities where Jeroboam set up golden calves for idol worship
Read with care
What most readers miss in 1 Kings 15:20
Asa's 'solution' caused brother Israelites to be slaughtered - his political move had a massive human cost
Common misconceptionPeople read this as successful strategy because it worked - but the narrator is showing how Asa's faithlessness led to brother killing brother.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 1 Kings 15:20
Bible Genome reading
1 Kings 15:20 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
1 Kings 15:20 comes from the book of 1 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. The setting is the battlefield. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 20% and a tone that is urgent. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include warfare, consequences. Notable phrases: struck Ijon, and Dan.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does 1 Kings 15:20 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "angry"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.