Commentary for I Kings 20:33
וְהָאֲנָשִׁים֩ יְנַחֲשׁ֨וּ וַֽיְמַהֲר֜וּ וַיַּחְלְט֣וּ הֲמִמֶּ֗נּוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ אָחִ֣יךָ בֶן־הֲדַ֔ד וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בֹּ֣אוּ קָחֻ֑הוּ וַיֵּצֵ֤א אֵלָיו֙ בֶּן־הֲדַ֔ד וַֽיַּעֲלֵ֖הוּ עַל־הַמֶּרְכָּבָֽה׃
Now the men took it for a sign, and hastened to catch it from him; and they said: ‘Thy brother Ben-hadad.’ Then he said: ‘Go ye, bring him.’ Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into his chariot.
Rashi on I Kings
The [men] took it for a [good] omen, and they hurried to confirm it from him. “ינחשו” is an expression of “divining.” They said that since words of peace fell from his mouth,21Ben-Hadad’s men originally referred to their master as “your servant,” when they addressed Achov, but once they heard Achov refer to Ben-Hadad as “my brother,” they change and called him “your brother,” too. even unintentionally, it is a good sign, and they hastened to confirm the matter.
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Rashi on I Kings
To confirm. [ויחלטו is] an expression of “confirmation.” They cut the word from his mouth so that he should not retract. According to the Masorah, the ‘ה’ of “הממנו” leans to both words,22The preceding word [ויחלטו] and the succeeding word [הממנו]. as though it were written, ויחלטוה ממנו [=and they caught it from him], whether the word emanated from him intentionally.
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