And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the hand of the king of Syria?

1 KINGS 22:3KJV
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1 Kings 22:3 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 22:3 mean?

1 Kings 22:3 shows the king of Israel pointing out to his officials that the city of Ramoth in Gilead rightfully belongs to Israel, yet it is still under the control of the king of Syria, and Israel has done nothing to reclaim it. The king is questioning why they remain inactive instead of taking back what is theirs.

The speaker is the king of Israel, addressing his servants or officials during a time of uneasy peace with Syria. The city of Ramoth in Gilead had strategic and historical importance, and the king is frustrated that Israel has not acted to recover it. This sets the stage for the discussions and decisions that follow about going to war to retake the city.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 22:3

  • רָמֹת (Ramoth, transliterated "Ramoth") refers to a specific city east of the Jordan River, important for its location and history. Naming it highlights the concrete goal of the king’s concern.
  • יָד (yad, transliterated "hand") is used here to mean control or possession. The phrase "out of the hand of the king of Syria" means the city is under Syrian authority, not just physical grasp.
  • דָּמַם (damam, transliterated "still") is used for the idea of being inactive or silent. The king is not just saying they are quiet, but that they have failed to act when action is needed.

Why 1 Kings 22:3 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the conflict over Ramoth-Gilead is not just a sudden desire for expansion, but a response to a long-standing grievance about lost territory.
  • The king’s question reveals his frustration and sets a tone of urgency, showing the political tension and the motivations behind the coming war.
  • Understanding this verse helps explain the alliance that follows between Israel and Judah, as the king seeks support to reclaim the city.

Where else these words appear

“still” Hebrew H2814 · used in 16 verses

  • Judges 18:9 And they said, Arise, that we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to possess the land.
  • Psalms 28:1 A Psalm of David. Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.
  • Isaiah 57:11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?

“Ramoth” Hebrew H7433 · used in 22 verses

  • Joshua 21:38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
  • 1 Kings 22:29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up to Ramothgilead.
  • 2 Chronicles 18:5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver it into the king's hand.

“Syria” 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.

“Gilead” Hebrew H1568 · used in 123 verses

  • Genesis 31:21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
  • Judges 10:17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together, and encamped in Mizpeh.
  • 2 Kings 9:4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramothgilead.