1 And Benhadad H1130 the king H4428 of Syria H758 gathered H6908 all his host H2428 together: H6908 and there were thirty H7970 and two H8147 kings H4428 with him, and horses, H5483 and chariots: H7393 and he went up H5927 and besieged H6696 Samaria, H8111 and warred H3898 against it.
2 And he sent H7971 messengers H4397 to Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel H3478 into the city, H5892 and said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 Benhadad, H1130
3 Thy silver H3701 and thy gold H2091 is mine; thy wives H802 also and thy children, H1121 even the goodliest, H2896 are mine.
4 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 answered H6030 and said, H559 My lord, H113 O king, H4428 according to thy saying, H1697 I am thine, and all that I have.
5 And the messengers H4397 came again, H7725 and said, H559 Thus speaketh H559 Benhadad, H1130 saying, H559 Although I have sent H7971 unto thee, saying, H559 Thou shalt deliver H5414 me thy silver, H3701 and thy gold, H2091 and thy wives, H802 and thy children; H1121
6 Yet I will send H7971 my servants H5650 unto thee to morrow H4279 about this time, H6256 and they shall search H2664 thine house, H1004 and the houses H1004 of thy servants; H5650 and it shall be, H1961 that whatsoever is pleasant H4261 in thine eyes, H5869 they shall put H7760 it in their hand, H3027 and take it away. H3947
7 Then the king H4428 of Israel H3478 called H7121 all the elders H2205 of the land, H776 and said, H559 Mark, H3045 I pray you, and see H7200 how this man seeketh H1245 mischief: H7451 for he sent H7971 unto me for my wives, H802 and for my children, H1121 and for my silver, H3701 and for my gold; H2091 and I denied H4513 him not.
8 And all the elders H2205 and all the people H5971 said H559 unto him, Hearken H8085 not unto him, nor consent. H14
9 Wherefore he said H559 unto the messengers H4397 of Benhadad, H1130 Tell H559 my lord H113 the king, H4428 All that thou didst send H7971 for to thy servant H5650 at the first H7223 I will do: H6213 but this thing H1697 I may H3201 not do. H6213 And the messengers H4397 departed, H3212 and brought H7725 him word H1697 again. H7725
10 And Benhadad H1130 sent H7971 unto him, and said, H559 The gods H430 do so H6213 unto me, and more also, H3254 if the dust H6083 of Samaria H8111 shall suffice H5606 for handfuls H8168 for all the people H5971 that follow H7272 me.
11 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 answered H6030 and said, H559 Tell H1696 him, Let not him that girdeth H2296 on his harness boast H1984 himself as he that putteth it off. H6605
12 And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard H8085 this message, H1697 as he was drinking, H8354 he and the kings H4428 in the pavilions, H5521 that he said H559 unto his servants, H5650 Set H7760 yourselves in array. And they set H7760 themselves in array against the city. H5892
13 And, behold, there came H5066 a H259 prophet H5030 unto Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Hast thou seen H7200 all this great H1419 multitude? H1995 behold, I will deliver H5414 it into thine hand H3027 this day; H3117 and thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068
14 And Ahab H256 said, H559 By whom? And he said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Even by the young men H5288 of the princes H8269 of the provinces. H4082 Then he said, H559 Who shall order H631 the battle? H4421 And he answered, H559 Thou.
15 Then he numbered H6485 the young men H5288 of the princes H8269 of the provinces, H4082 and they were two H8147 hundred H3967 and thirty H7970 two: H8147 and after H310 them he numbered H6485 all the people, H5971 even all the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 being seven H7651 thousand. H505
16 And they went out H3318 at noon. H6672 But Benhadad H1130 was drinking H8354 himself drunk H7910 in the pavilions, H5521 he and the kings, H4428 the thirty H7970 and two H8147 kings H4428 that helped H5826 him.
17 And the young men H5288 of the princes H8269 of the provinces H4082 went out H3318 first; H7223 and Benhadad H1130 sent out, H7971 and they told H5046 him, saying, H559 There are men H582 come out H3318 of Samaria. H8111
18 And he said, H559 Whether they be come out H3318 for peace, H7965 take H8610 them alive; H2416 or whether they be come out H3318 for war, H4421 take H8610 them alive. H2416
19 So these young men H5288 of the princes H8269 of the provinces H4082 came out H3318 of the city, H5892 and the army H2428 which followed H310 them.
20 And they slew H5221 every one H376 his man: H376 and the Syrians H758 fled; H5127 and Israel H3478 pursued H7291 them: and Benhadad H1130 the king H4428 of Syria H758 escaped H4422 on an horse H5483 with the horsemen. H6571
21 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 went out, H3318 and smote H5221 the horses H5483 and chariots, H7393 and slew H5221 the Syrians H758 with a great H1419 slaughter. H4347
22 And the prophet H5030 came H5066 to the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 and said H559 unto him, Go, H3212 strengthen H2388 thyself, and mark, H3045 and see H7200 what thou doest: H6213 for at the return H8666 of the year H8141 the king H4428 of Syria H758 will come up H5927 against thee.
23 And the servants H5650 of the king H4428 of Syria H758 said H559 unto him, Their gods H430 are gods H430 of the hills; H2022 therefore they were stronger H2388 than we; but H199 let us fight H3898 against them in the plain, H4334 and surely H3808 we shall be stronger H2388 than they.
24 And do H6213 this thing, H1697 Take H5493 the kings H4428 away, every man H376 out of his place, H4725 and put H7760 captains H6346 in their rooms:
25 And number H4487 thee an army, H2428 like the army H2428 that thou hast lost, H5307 horse H5483 for horse, H5483 and chariot H7393 for chariot: H7393 and we will fight H3898 against H854 them in the plain, H4334 and surely we shall be stronger H2388 than they. And he hearkened H8085 unto their voice, H6963 and did so. H6213
26 And it came to pass at the return H8666 of the year, H8141 that Benhadad H1130 numbered H6485 the Syrians, H758 and went up H5927 to Aphek, H663 to fight H4421 against Israel. H3478
27 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were numbered, H6485 and were all present, H3557 and went H3212 against H7125 them: and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 pitched H2583 before them like two H8147 little flocks H2835 of kids; H5795 but the Syrians H758 filled H4390 the country. H776
28 And there came H5066 a man H376 of God, H430 and spake H559 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 and said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Because the Syrians H758 have said, H559 The LORD H3068 is God H430 of the hills, H2022 but he is not God H430 of the valleys, H6010 therefore will I deliver H5414 all this great H1419 multitude H1995 into thine hand, H3027 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD. H3068
29 And they pitched H2583 one H428 over against H5227 the other H428 seven H7651 days. H3117 And so it was, that in the seventh H7637 day H3117 the battle H4421 was joined: H7126 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 slew H5221 of the Syrians H758 an hundred H3967 thousand H505 footmen H7273 in one H259 day. H3117
30 But the rest H3498 fled H5127 to Aphek, H663 into the city; H5892 and there a wall H2346 fell H5307 upon twenty H6242 and seven H7651 thousand H505 of the men H376 that were left. H3498 And Benhadad H1130 fled, H5127 and came H935 into the city, H5892 into an inner H2315 chamber. H2315
31 And his servants H5650 said H559 unto him, Behold now, we have heard H8085 that the kings H4428 of the house H1004 of Israel H3478 are merciful H2617 kings: H4428 let us, I pray thee, put H7760 sackcloth H8242 on our loins, H4975 and ropes H2256 upon our heads, H7218 and go out H3318 to the king H4428 of Israel: H3478 peradventure he will save H2421 thy life. H5315
32 So they girded H2296 sackcloth H8242 on their loins, H4975 and put ropes H2256 on their heads, H7218 and came H935 to the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 and said, H559 Thy servant H5650 Benhadad H1130 saith, H559 I pray thee, let me live. H2421 H5315 And he said, H559 Is he yet alive? H2416 he is my brother. H251
33 Now the men H582 did diligently observe H5172 whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily H4116 catch H2480 it: and they said, H559 Thy brother H251 Benhadad. H1130 Then he said, H559 Go H935 ye, bring H3947 him. Then Benhadad H1130 came forth H3318 to him; and he caused him to come up H5927 into the chariot. H4818
34 And Benhadad said H559 unto him, The cities, H5892 which my father H1 took H3947 from thy father, H1 I will restore; H7725 and thou shalt make H7760 streets H2351 for thee in Damascus, H1834 as my father H1 made H7760 in Samaria. H8111 Then said Ahab, I will send thee away H7971 with this covenant. H1285 So he made H3772 a covenant H1285 with him, and sent him away. H7971
35 And a certain H259 man H376 of the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 said H559 unto his neighbour H7453 in the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 Smite H5221 me, I pray thee. And the man H376 refused H3985 to smite H5221 him.
36 Then said H559 he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD, H3068 behold, as soon as thou art departed H1980 from me, a lion H738 shall slay H5221 thee. And as soon as he was departed H3212 from him, H681 a lion H738 found H4672 him, and slew H5221 him.
37 Then he found H4672 another H312 man, H376 and said, H559 Smite H5221 me, I pray thee. And the man H376 smote H5221 him, so that in smiting H5221 he wounded H6481 him.
38 So the prophet H5030 departed, H3212 and waited H5975 for the king H4428 by the way, H1870 and disguised H2664 himself with ashes H666 upon his face. H5869
39 And as the king H4428 passed by, H5674 he cried H6817 unto the king: H4428 and he said, H559 Thy servant H5650 went out H3318 into the midst H7130 of the battle; H4421 and, behold, a man H376 turned aside, H5493 and brought H935 a man H376 unto me, and said, H559 Keep H8104 this man: H376 if by any means H6485 he be missing, H6485 then shall thy life H5315 be for his life, H5315 or else thou shalt pay H8254 a talent H3603 of silver. H3701
40 And as thy servant H5650 was busy H6213 here and there, he was gone. H369 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto him, So shall thy judgment H4941 be; thyself hast decided H2782 it.
41 And he hasted, H4116 and took the ashes H666 away H5493 from his face; H5869 and the king H4428 of Israel H3478 discerned H5234 him that he was of the prophets. H5030
42 And he said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Because thou hast let go H7971 out of thy hand H3027 a man H376 whom I appointed to utter destruction, H2764 therefore thy life H5315 shall go for his life, H5315 and thy people H5971 for his people. H5971
43 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 went H3212 to his house H1004 heavy H5620 and displeased, H2198 and came H935 to Samaria. H8111
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 20
Commentary on 1 Kings 20 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 20
1Ki 20:1-12. Ben-hadad Besieges Samaria.
1. Ben-hadad the king of Syria—This monarch was the son of that Ben-hadad who, in the reign of Baasha, made a raid on the northern towns of Galilee (1Ki 15:20). The thirty-two kings that were confederate with him were probably tributary princes. The ancient kings of Syria and Phœnicia ruled only over a single city, and were independent of each other, except when one great city, as Damascus, acquired the ascendency, and even then they were allied only in time of war. The Syrian army encamped at the gates and besieged the town of Samaria.
2-12. Thus said Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine—To this message sent him during the siege, Ahab returned a tame and submissive answer, probably thinking it meant no more than an exaction of tribute. But the demand was repeated with greater insolence; and yet, from the abject character of Ahab, there is reason to believe he would have yielded to this arrogant claim also, had not the voice of his subjects been raised against it. Ben-hadad's object in these and other boastful menaces was to intimidate Ahab. But the weak sovereign began to show a little more spirit, as appears in his abandoning "my lord the king" for the single "tell him," and giving him a dry but sarcastic hint to glory no more till the victory is won. Kindling into a rage at the cool defiance, Ben-hadad gave orders for the immediate sack of the city.
12. as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions—booths made of branches of trees and brushwood; which were reared for kings in the camp, as they still are for Turkish pashas or agas in their expeditions [Keil].
Set yourselves in array—Invest the city.
1Ki 20:13-20. The Syrians Are Slain.
13-21. behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab—Though the king and people of Israel had highly offended Him, God had not utterly cast them off. He still cherished designs of mercy towards them, and here, though unasked, gave them a signal proof of His interest in them, by a prophet's animating announcement that the Lord would that day deliver the mighty hosts of the enemy into his hand by means of a small, feeble, inadequate band. Conformably to the prophet's instructions, two hundred thirty-two young men went boldly out towards the camp of the enemy, while seven thousand more, apparently volunteers, followed at some little distance, or posted themselves at the gate, to be ready to reinforce those in front if occasion required it. Ben-hadad and his vassals and princes were already, at that early hour—scarcely midday—deep in their cups; and though informed of this advancing company, yet confiding in his numbers, or it may be, excited with wine, he ordered with indifference the proud intruders to be taken alive, whether they came with peaceful or hostile intentions. It was more easily said than done; the young men smote right and left, making terrible havoc among their intended captors; and their attack, together with the sight of the seven thousand, who soon rushed forward to mingle in the fray, created a panic in the Syrian army, who immediately took up flight. Ben-hadad himself escaped the pursuit of the victors on a fleet horse, surrounded by a squadron of horse guards. This glorious victory, won so easily, and with such a paltry force opposed to overwhelming numbers, was granted that Ahab and his people might know (1Ki 20:13) that God is the Lord. But we do not read of this acknowledgment being made, or of any sacrifices being offered in token of their national gratitude.
22-26. the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said—The same prophet who had predicted the victory shortly reappeared, admonishing the king to take every precaution against a renewal of hostilities in the following campaign.
at the return of the year—that is, in spring, when, on the cessation of the rainy season, military campaigns (2Sa 11:1), were anciently begun. It happened as the prophet had forewarned. Brooding over their late disastrous defeat, the attendants of Ben-hadad ascribed the misfortune to two causes—the one arose from the principles of heathenism which led them to consider the gods of Israel as "gods of the hills"; whereas their power to aid the Israelites would be gone if the battle was maintained on the plains. The other cause to which the Syrian courtiers traced their defeat at Samaria, was the presence of the tributary kings, who had probably been the first to take flight; and they recommended "captains to be put in their rooms." Approving of these recommendations, Ben-hadad renewed his invasion of Israel the next spring by the siege of Aphek in the valley of Jezreel (compare 1Sa 29:1, with 1Sa 28:4), not far from En-dor.
27-31. like two little flocks of kids—Goats are never seen in large flocks, or scattered, like sheep; and hence the two small but compact divisions of the Israelite force are compared to goats, not sheep. Humanly speaking, that little handful of men would have been overpowered by numbers. But a prophet was sent to the small Israelite army to announce the victory, in order to convince the Syrians that the God of Israel was omnipotent everywhere, in the valley as well as on the hills. And, accordingly, after the two armies had pitched opposite each other for seven days, they came to an open battle. One hundred thousand Syrians lay dead on the field, while the fugitives took refuge in Aphek, and there, crowding on the city walls, they endeavored to make a stand against their pursuers; but the old walls giving way under the incumbent weight, fell and buried twenty-seven thousand in the ruins. Ben-hadad succeeded in extricating himself, and, with his attendants, sought concealment in the city, fleeing from chamber to chamber; or, as some think it, an inner chamber, that is, a harem; but seeing no ultimate means of escape, he was advised to throw himself on the tender mercies of the Israelitish monarch.
32-34. put ropes on their heads—Captives were dragged by ropes round their necks in companies, as is depicted on the monuments of Egypt. Their voluntary attitude and language of submission flattered the pride of Ahab, who, little concerned about the dishonor done to the God of Israel by the Syrian king, and thinking of nothing but victory, paraded his clemency, called the vanquished king "his brother," invited him to sit in the royal chariot, and dismissed him with a covenant of peace.
34. streets for thee in Damascus—implying that a quarter of that city was to be assigned to Jews, with the free exercise of their religion and laws, under a judge of their own. This misplaced kindness to a proud and impious idolater, so unbecoming a theocratic monarch, exposed Ahab to the same censure and fate as Saul (1Sa 15:9, &c.). It was in opposition to God's purpose in giving him the victory.
1Ki 20:35-42. A Prophet Reproves Him.
35-38. Smite me—This prophet is supposed (1Ki 20:8) to have been Micaiah. The refusal of his neighbor to smite the prophet was manifestly wrong, as it was a withholding of necessary aid to a prophet in the discharge of a duty to which he had been called by God, and it was severely punished [1Ki 20:36], as a beacon to warn others (see on 1Ki 13:2-24). The prophet found a willing assistant, and then, waiting for Ahab, leads the king unconsciously, in the parabolic manner of Nathan (2Sa 12:1-4), to pronounce his own doom; and this consequent punishment was forthwith announced by a prophet (see on 1Ki 21:17).
39. a talent of silver—£342.