And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

1 KINGS 20:28KJV
Know the Bible

1 Kings 20:28 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 20:28 mean?

1 Kings 20:28 means that God will give Israel victory over the much larger Syrian army to show that He is not just a local god of the hills, but the true LORD everywhere, including the valleys. God acts in response to the Syrians’ claim that He has limited power, proving His authority over all places.

In this verse, a “man of God” (a prophet) delivers a message from the LORD (Hebrew: יְהוָה, YHWH) to the king of Israel during a conflict with the Syrians. The Syrians believed Israel’s God was only powerful in the hills, not the valleys, so God promises to defeat them in the valleys as well. This moment highlights God’s desire to correct a misunderstanding about His nature and to reveal Himself as the one true God, not bound by geography.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 20:28

  • יְהוָה (YHWH, “the LORD”): This is the personal name of Israel’s God, emphasizing that the victory is not from a generic deity but from the covenant God of Israel.
  • אֱלֹהִים (Elohim, “God”): Used both for Israel’s God and in the Syrians’ claim, this word can mean “god” or “gods,” but here it stresses the contrast between the true God and false ideas about Him.
  • הָרִים (harim, “hills”) and עֵמֶק (emeq, “valleys”): The Syrians thought gods had limited power tied to certain places. The verse uses these words to show God’s power is not limited to any one region.

Why 1 Kings 20:28 matters

  • 1 Kings 20:28 clears up the ancient belief that gods had power only in certain locations, showing that the LORD’s authority is universal.
  • This verse emphasizes that God’s actions are meant to teach both Israel and the nations about who He truly is.
  • The verse connects to the larger story by explaining why God intervenes so dramatically—He wants everyone to “know that I am the LORD,” a theme repeated throughout the Bible.

Where else these words appear

“valleys” Hebrew H6010 · used in 64 verses

  • Genesis 14:3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
  • Judges 7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley.
  • Job 39:21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.

“multitude” Hebrew H1995 · used in 78 verses

  • Genesis 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
  • Psalms 42:4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.
  • Ezekiel 7:14 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.

“came” Hebrew H5066 · used in 112 verses

  • Genesis 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
  • Deuteronomy 25:9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.
  • 2 Kings 4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

“Syrians” Hebrew H758 · used in 117 verses

  • Genesis 10:22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
  • 2 Kings 5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.
  • 1 Chronicles 2:23 And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them, with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.