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.
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 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
Who hath woe? H188 who hath sorrow? H17 who hath contentions? H4079 H4066 who hath babbling? H7879 who hath wounds H6482 without cause? H2600 who hath redness H2448 of eyes? H5869 They that tarry long H309 at the wine; H3196 they that go H935 to seek H2713 mixed wine. H4469 Look H7200 not thou upon the wine H3196 when it is red, H119 when it giveth H5414 his colour H5869 in the cup, H3563 H3599 when it moveth H1980 itself aright. H4339 At the last H319 it biteth H5391 like a serpent, H5175 and stingeth H6567 like an adder. H6848
Woe H337 to thee, O land, H776 when thy king H4428 is a child, H5288 and thy princes H8269 eat H398 in the morning! H1242 Blessed H835 art thou, O land, H776 when thy king H4428 is the son H1121 of nobles, H2715 and thy princes H8269 eat H398 in due season, H6256 for strength, H1369 and not for drunkenness! H8358
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 20
Commentary on 1 Kings 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
This chapter is the history of a war between Ben-hadad king of Syria and Ahab king of Israel, in which Ahab was, once and again, victorious. We read nothing of Elijah or Elishain all this story; Jezebel's rage, it is probable, had abated, and the persecution of the prophets began to cool, which gleam of peace Elijah improved. He appeared not at court, but, being told how many thousands of good people there were in Israel more than he thought of, employed himself, as we may suppose, in founding religious houses, schools, or colleges of prophets, in several parts of the country, to be nurseries of religion, that they might help to reform the nation when the throne and court would not be reformed. While he was thus busied, God favoured the nation with the successes we here read of, which were the more remarkable because obtained against Ben-hadad king of Syria, whose successor, Hazael, was ordained to be a scourge to Israel. They must shortly suffer by the Syrians, and yet now triumphed over them, that, if possible, they might be led to repentance by the goodness of God. Here is,
1Ki 20:1-11
Here is,
1Ki 20:12-21
The treaty between the besiegers and the besieged being broken off abruptly, we have here an account of the battle that ensued immediately.
1Ki 20:22-30
We have here an account of another successful campaign which Ahab, by divine aid, made against the Syrians, in which he gave them a greater defeat than in the former. Strange! Ahab idolatrous and yet victorious, a persecutor and yet a conqueror! God has wise and holy ends in suffering wicked men to prosper, and glorifies his own name thereby.
1Ki 20:31-43
Here is an account of what followed upon the victory which Israel obtained over the Syrians.