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1 Kings Chapter
Twenty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 20
This
chapter relates the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, and his insolent
demand of Ahab's wives, children, and riches, 1 Kings 20:1, the
sally made out upon him, at the direction of the prophet, and the route made of
the Syrian army, 1 Kings 20:13, the
return of the Syrian army the next year, when there was a pitched battle
between them and Israel, in which the former were entirely defeated, 1 Kings 20:22, the
peace Ahab made with the king of Syria, 1 Kings 20:31, and
the reproof one of the sons of the prophets gave him for it, which made him
very uneasy, 1 Kings 20:35.
1 Kings 20:1 Now
Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces together; thirty-two kings were
with him, with horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria, and
made war against it.
YLT
1And Ben-Hadad king of Aram
hath gathered all his force, and thirty and two kings [are] with him, and horse
and chariot, and he goeth up and layeth siege against Samaria, and fighteth
with it,
And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together,.... This was
Benhadad the second, the son of that Benhadad, to whom Asa sent to help him
against Baasha, 1 Kings 15:18.
and there were thirty and two kings with him; these were
heads of families, so called, and at most governors of cities under Benhadad;
petty princes, such as were in the land of Canaan in Joshua's time:
and horses and chariots; how many is not said:
and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it; he went up
with such an intent, but had not as yet done it in form; what moved him to it
cannot be said precisely, whether an ambitious view of enlarging his dominions,
or because the king of Israel paid not the tribute his father had imposed upon
him, see 1 Kings 20:34,
however, so it was, through the providence of God, as a scourge to Ahab for his
impiety.
1 Kings 20:2 2 Then he sent messengers
into the city to Ahab king of Israel, and said to him, “Thus says Ben-Hadad:
YLT
2and sendeth messengers unto
Ahab king of Israel, to the city,
And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city,.... Who there
remained, and attempted not to go forth and meet him, and stop his progress,
though he must have passed great part of his dominions to come to Samaria:
and said unto him, thus saith Benhadad; by them, his
messengers, as follows.
1 Kings 20:3 3 ‘Your silver and your gold
are mine; your loveliest wives and children are mine.’”
YLT
3and saith to him, `Thus
said Ben-Hadad, `Thy silver and thy gold are mine, and thy wives and thy sons
-- the best -- are mine.'
Thy silver and thy gold is mine,.... Not of right, but
reckoning it as good as in his hands, Ahab not being able to resist him:
and thy wives also; for it seems he had more than Jezebel:
and thy children; which were many, for he had no less than
seventy sons, 2 Kings 10:1,
even the goodliest are mine: some aggravate this, as
if his view was to commit the unnatural sin with his male children, when in his
possession.
1 Kings 20:4 4 And the king of Israel
answered and said, “My lord, O king, just as you say, I and all that I have are
yours.”
YLT
4And the king of Israel
answereth and saith, `According to thy word, my lord, O king: I [am] thine, and
all that I have.'
And the king of Israel answered and said, my lord, O king,.... So he
said to Benhadad's messengers, representing him, as acknowledging his
sovereignty over him:
according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have: which he
understood of holding all that he had of him, by giving him homage, and paying
him tribute; not that he was to deliver all his substance, and especially his
wives and children, into his hands.
1 Kings 20:5 5 Then the messengers came
back and said, “Thus speaks Ben-Hadad, saying, ‘Indeed I have sent to you,
saying, “You shall deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your
children”;
YLT
5And the messengers turn
back and say, `Thus spake Ben-Hadad, saying, Surely I sent unto thee, saying,
Thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy sons, to me thou dost give;
And the messengers came again,.... From Benhadad:
and said, thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, although I have sent
unto thee, saying: at the first message:
thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and
thy children; into his possession, and not as Ahab understood it, that he
should be his vassal, and pay a yearly tribute for his quiet enjoyment of them;
yet even this he would not now abide by, growing still more haughty upon the
mean submission of Ahab, as by what follows.
1 Kings 20:6 6 but I will send my
servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and
the houses of your servants. And it shall be, that whatever is pleasant
in your eyes, they will put it in their hands and take it.’”
YLT
6for if, at this time
to-morrow, I send my servants unto thee then they have searched thy house, and
the houses of thy servants, and it hath been, every desirable thing of thine
eyes they place in their hand, and have taken away.'
Yet I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time,.... He gave
him twenty four hours to consider of it:
and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; the royal palace,
and the houses of the noblemen, and even of every of his subjects in Samaria:
and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant (or desirable) in
thine eyes, they shall put it in, their hand, and take it away; not be
content with what should be given, but search for more; and if any in
particular was more desirable to the possessor than anything else, that should
be sure to be taken away; which was vastly insolent and aggravating.
1 Kings 20:7 7 So the king of Israel
called all the elders of the land, and said, “Notice, please, and see how this man
seeks trouble, for he sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my
gold; and I did not deny him.”
YLT
7And the king of Israel
calleth to all the elders of the land, and saith, `Know, I pray you, and see
that evil this [one] is seeking, for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my
sons, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I withheld not from him.'
Then the King of Israel called all the elders of the land,.... His poor
sneaking spirit was a little aroused with the last message, and therefore
called a council of the elders of the people upon it, which was a piece of
wisdom in him:
and said, mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief; nothing less
than the entire ruin of the nation:
for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my
silver, and for my gold, and I denied him not; in the sense he
understood him, which was, that he was to be a vassal, and tributary to him,
for the sake of holding these, which yet was very mean; but he wanted to have
these in hand, and not them only, but the pillaging of all his subjects.
1 Kings 20:8 8 And all the elders and all
the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.”
YLT
8And all the elders and all
the people say unto him, `Do not hearken, nor consent.'
And all the elders and all the people said unto him,.... They were
unanimous in their advice:
hearken not unto him, nor consent; promising, no
doubt, that they would stand by him.
1 Kings 20:9 9 Therefore he said to the
messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your
servant the first time I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the
messengers departed and brought back word to him.
YLT
9And he saith to the
messengers of Ben-Hadad, `Say to my lord the king, All that thou didst send for
unto thy servant at the first I do, and this thing I am not able to do;' and
the messengers go and take him back word.
Wherefore he sent unto the messengers of Benhadad,.... Upon the
advice the elders had given him, and encouraged thereby, though in a poor
sneaking manner after all:
tell my lord the king, all that thou didst send for to thy servant
at the first I will do; owning him as his lord, and himself as his servant, and
promising to grant his first demand, though so insolent, in the sense he
understood him, of paying tribute to him for it:
but this thing I may not do; to have not only all put
into his hands, but his and his servant's houses to be searched and pillaged,
because the elders of his people would not agree; and yet he seems to speak as
if he himself would have submitted to it, but was restrained by his council:
and the messengers departed, and brought him word again; reported to
Benhadad the answer they received from Ahab.
1 Kings 20:10 10 Then Ben-Hadad sent to him
and said, “The gods do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of
Samaria for a handful for each of the people who follow me.”
YLT
10And Ben-Hadad sendeth unto
him, and saith, `Thus do the gods to me, and thus do they add, if the dust of
Samaria suffice for handfuls for all the people who [are] at my feet.'
And Benhadad sent unto him, and said,.... That is,
to Ahab:
the gods do so unto me, and more also; bring greater
evils upon me than I can think or express:
if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the
people that follow me, signifying that he made no doubt of it of reducing it to dust by
numbers of men he should bring with him, which would be so many, that if each
was to take an handful of dust of the ruins of Samaria, there would not enough
for them all; which was an hectoring and parabolical speech, uttered in his
wrath and fury.
1 Kings 20:11 11 So the king of Israel
answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor
boast like the one who takes it off.’”
YLT
11And the king of Israel
answereth and saith, `Speak ye: let not him who is girding on boast himself as
him who is loosing [his armour].'
Very
mildly and very wisely:
tell him, let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as
he that putteth it off; that is, he that prepares for the battle as he that has got the
victory; the sense is, let no man triumph before the battle is over and the
victory won; the events of war are uncertain; the battle is not always to the
strong.
1 Kings 20:12 12 And it happened when Ben-Hadad
heard this message, as he and the kings were drinking at the command
post, that he said to his servants, “Get ready.” And they got ready to attack
the city.
YLT
12And it cometh to pass at
the hearing of this word -- and he is drinking, he and the kings, in the booths
-- that he saith unto his servants, `Set yourselves;' and they set themselves
against the city.
And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message (as he was
drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions),.... Though it was at
noon, or before, 1 Kings 20:16,
which shows that he and they were addicted to intemperance:
that he said unto his servants; some of the principal
officers of his army:
set yourselves in array; prepare for battle,
betake yourselves to your arms, invest the city at once, and place the engines
against it to batter it down:
and they set themselves in array against the city; besieged it
in form, at least prepared for it; for it seems after all that it was not
properly done.
1 Kings 20:13 13 Suddenly a prophet
approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you
seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand today,
and you shall know that I am the Lord.’”
YLT
13And lo, a certain prophet
hath come nigh unto Ahab king of Israel, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah, `Hast
thou seen all this great multitude? lo, I am giving it into thy hand to-day,
and thou hast known that I [am] Jehovah.'
And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel,.... Supposed
by the Jewish writers to be Micaiah the son of Imlah, 1 Kings 22:9 one of
those perhaps that Obadiah hid in the cave, and now is sent out publicly on an
errand to Ahab:
saying, thus saith the Lord, hast thou seen all this great
multitude? considered what a vast number Benhadad's army consisted of:
behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; as great as
it is:
and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; and not Baal,
who can save by few as well as by many, and from a great multitude.
1 Kings 20:14 14 So Ahab said, “By whom?” And
he said, “Thus says the Lord:
‘By the young leaders of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who will set the
battle in order?” And he answered, “You.”
YLT
14And Ahab saith, `By whom?'
and he saith, `Thus said Jehovah, By the young men of the heads of the
provinces;' and he saith, `Who doth direct the battle?' and he saith, `Thou.'
And Ahab said, by whom?.... Knowing he had no
army with him sufficient to go out with against the Syrian army:
and he said, thus saith the Lord, even by the young men of the
princes of the provinces; either such, as Kimchi thinks, who were brought up with him; or,
as others, the sons of governors of provinces, who were kept as hostages, that
their fathers might not rebel; neither of which is likely: but rather the servants
of such princes who waited on them, and lived delicately and at ease, and were
not trained up to military exercise, even by these should the victory be
obtained:
then he said, who shall order the battle? begin the
attack, we or they? or who shall conduct it, or be the general of the army, go
before it, and lead them on? Ahab might think, being an idolater, that the Lord
would not make use of him, or otherwise who could be thought of but himself?
and he answered, thou; thou must be the
commander, go forth with the army, and make the attack upon the enemy.
1 Kings 20:15 15 Then he mustered the young
leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after
them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel—seven thousand.
YLT
15And he inspecteth the young
men of the heads of the provinces, and they are two hundred, two and thirty,
and after them he hath inspecteth the whole of the people, all the sons of
Israel, seven thousand,
Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces,
and they were two hundred and thirty two,.... A very small number
to go forth against so great an army as the host of the Syrians, and these raw
unexperienced young men:
and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children
of Israel, being seven thousand; which could never be the number of all the
people in the land, nor even in the city of Samaria, who were able to bear
arms; but it must mean such who were willing to go out to war on this occasion:
and the number being just the same as of those that bowed not the knee to Baal,
has led the Jewish commentators to conclude that these were the men that were
numbered for war; but it is not likely that they were all in Samaria, or that
none but those would go to war, though it must be owned the number is
remarkable.
1 Kings 20:16 16 So they went out at noon.
Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the thirty-two kings helping him were getting drunk at
the command post.
YLT
16and they go out at noon,
and Ben-Hadad is drinking -- drunk in the booths, he and the kings, the thirty
and two kings, helping him.
And they went out at noon,.... From Samaria, the
two hundred and thirty two young men, and the 7000 Israelites, openly, with
great spirit and courage, fearless and undaunted; but it is not said that Ahab
went out at the head of them; it seems as if he did not by what is said, 1 Kings 20:21,
but Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions (or
booths, or tents), he, and the kings, the thirty two kings that helped him; who either
were his subjects, or his tributaries, or confederates; being secure, and
having nothing to fear from Ahab, he and they gave themselves up to carousing
and drinking, even at noon, and so destruction came upon them unawares, as on
Belshazzar.
1 Kings 20:17 17 The young leaders of the
provinces went out first. And Ben-Hadad sent out a patrol, and they told
him, saying, “Men are coming out of Samaria!”
YLT
17And the young men of the
heads of the provinces go out at the first, and Ben-Hadad sendeth, and they
declare to him, saying, `Men have come out of Samaria.'
And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first,.... From
Samaria, before the 7000 did:
and Benhadad sent out; of his pavilion, a
messenger or messengers to his sentinels, to know what news, and how matters
stood, whether Ahab had sent any message, signifying his compliance with his
terms:
and they told him, saying, there are men come out of Samaria; but upon what
account they could not say.
1 Kings 20:18 18 So he said, “If they have
come out for peace, take them alive; and if they have come out for war, take
them alive.”
YLT
18And he saith, `If for peace
they have come out -- catch them alive; and if for battle they have come out --
alive catch them.'
And he said, whether they be come out for peace,.... To
propose terms of peace:
take them alive; make them prisoners, which was contrary to
the laws of nations:
or whether they be come out for war, take them alive; he made no
doubt of their being easily taken; but he would not have them be put to death,
that he might examine them, and know the state of things in Samaria, and what
Ahab intended to do, that he might take his measures accordingly.
1 Kings 20:19 19 Then these young leaders
of the provinces went out of the city with the army which followed them.
YLT
19And these have gone out of
the city -- the young men of the heads of the provinces -- and the force that
[is] after them,
So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the
city,.... First, as before observed, and marched forwards towards the
Syrian camp:
and the army which followed them; consisting of 7000 men.
1 Kings 20:20 20 And each one killed his
man; so the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them; and Ben-Hadad the king of
Syria escaped on a horse with the cavalry.
YLT
20and smite each his man, and
Aram fleeth, and Israel pursueth them, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapeth on a
horse, and the horsemen;
And they slew everyone his man,.... The Syrian army, or
at least a body of men detached from them, met them, opposed them, and fought
them, and they slew of them 7232 men; as many as they themselves were:
and the Syrians fled; not expecting such a
rebuff:
and Israel pursued them; to make some further
advantage of their victory:
and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse, with the
horsemen; with two couple of horsemen, as the Targum; with these to guard
him he galloped away as fast as he could for his life.
1 Kings 20:21 21 Then the king of Israel
went out and attacked the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a
great slaughter.
YLT
21and the king of Israel
goeth out, and smiteth the horses, and the charioteers, and hath smitten among
the Aramaeans a great smiting.
And the king of Israel went out,.... Of Samaria; when he
saw the Syrians fleeing, and his army pursuing, he went forth, perhaps, with
more forces, who were now willing to join with him; JosephusF3Antiqu.
l. 8. c. 14. sect. 2. says, Ahab had another army within the walls:
and smote the horses and chariots; that is, the men that
rode on horses; and in chariots, the Syrian cavalry:
and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter; how many were
slain is not said; but the Jewish historianF4Ibid. says they
plundered the camp, in which were much riches, and great plenty of gold and
silver, and took their chariots and horses, and returned to the city of
Samaria.
1 Kings 20:22 22 And the prophet came to
the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself; take note, and
see what you should do, for in the spring of the year the king of Syria will
come up against you.”
YLT
22And the prophet cometh nigh
unto the king of Israel, and saith to him, `Go, strengthen thyself, and know
and see that which thou dost, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram is
coming up against thee.'
And the prophet came to the king of Israel,.... The same
that came to him before:
and said unto him, go, strengthen thyself; exhorted him
to fortify his cities, especially Samaria, and increase his army, that he might
be able to oppose the king of Syria:
and mark, and see what thou doest: observe his moral and
religious actions, and take heed that he did not offend the Lord by them, as
well as make military preparations:
for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up
against thee; about the same time in the next year, at the spring of the year,
when kings go out to war, see 2 Samuel 11:1.
1 Kings 20:23 23 Then the servants of the
king of Syria said to him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. Therefore
they were stronger than we; but if we fight against them in the plain, surely
we will be stronger than they.
YLT
23And the servants of the
king of Aram said unto him, `Gods of hills [are] their gods, therefore they
were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not
stronger than they?
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him,.... His
ministers of state, his privy counsellors:
their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they were stronger
than we; and beat them in the last battle; this notion they might receive
from what they had heard of Jehovah delivering the law on Mount Sinai to Moses,
and of the miraculous things done lately on Mount Carmel, as well as of their
worship being in high places, especially at Jerusalem, the temple there being
built on an hill, as was Samaria itself, near to which they had their last
defeat; and this notion of topical deities very much obtained among the
Heathens in later times, some of which they supposed presided over rivers,
others over woods, and others over hills and mountainsF5"Dii
fumus agrestes, et qui dominemur in altis montibus.----" Ovid. Fast. l. 3.
: so Nemestinus the god of woods, Collina the goddess of hills, and Vallina of
valleysF6Vid. D. Herbert de Cherbury de Relig. Gent. c. 12. p.
198,112. ; and ArnobinsF7Adv. Gentes, l. 4. makes mention of the god
Montinus, and LivyF8Hist. l. 21. c. 38. of the god Peninus, who had
his name from a part of the Alps, so called where he was worshipped; and there
also the goddess Penina was worshipped; and LactantiusF9De Mort.
Persecutor. c. 11. p. 22. Vid. Ovid. Metamorph. l. 1. Fab. 8. ver. 320.
"Et numina montis adorant". See Ep. 4. ver. 171. speaks of the gods
of the mountains the mother of Maximilian was a worshipper of; and even Jupiter
had names from mountains, as Olympius, Capitolinus, &c. and such was the
great god Pan, called mountainous PanF11Sophoclis Oedipus Tyr. ver.
1110. :
but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be
stronger than they; and prevail over them, and conquer them.
1 Kings 20:24 24 So do this thing: Dismiss
the kings, each from his position, and put captains in their places;
YLT
24`And this thing do thou:
turn aside the kings each out of his place, and set captains in their stead;
And do this thing,.... Also take this further piece of advice:
take the kings away, every man out of his place: for being
brought up delicately, they were not inured to war, nor expert in the art of
it; and being addicted to pleasure, gave themselves to that, and drew the king
into it, which they observed was the case before, though they did not care to
mention it; and if they were tributaries or allies, they would not fight as men
do for their own country:
and put captains in their rooms; of his own people, men
of skill and courage, and who would fight both for their own honour, and for
the good of their country.
1 Kings 20:25 25 and you shall muster an
army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot.
Then we will fight against them in the plain; surely we will be stronger than
they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.
YLT
25and thou, number to thee a
force as the force that is fallen from thee, and horse for horse, and chariot
for chariot, and we fight with them in the plain; are we not stronger than
they?' and he hearkeneth to their voice, and doth so.
And number thee an army like the army that thou hast lost,.... Raise an
army of an equal number, which they supposed he was able to do:
horse for horse and chariot for chariot; as many
horses and chariots as he had before:
and we will fight against them in the plain; where they
could make use of their horses and chariots to greater advantage than on hills
and mountains, see Judges 1:19.
and surely we shall be stronger than they; and beat
them:
and he hearkened unto their voice, and did so; took their
counsel, and prepared an army, and placed captains in it instead of kings.
1 Kings 20:26 26 So it was, in the spring
of the year, that Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight
against Israel.
YLT
26And it cometh to pass at
the turn of the year, that Ben-Hadad inspecteth the Aramaeans, and goeth up to
Aphek, to battle with Israel,
And it came to pass at the return of the year,.... In the
spring, or autumn, as some think; see Gill on 2 Samuel 11:1.
that Benhadad numbered the Syrians; took a muster of his
army, to see if he had got the number he had before:
and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel; not that in
Judah, Joshua 15:53,
rather that in Asher, Joshua 19:30, but
it seems to be that which AdrichomiusF12Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p.
35. places in Issachar, near to the famous camp of Esdraelon, or valley of
Jezreel, where it is probable the king of Syria intended to have fought; the
battle; and some travellers, as he observes, sayF13Brocard. &
Breidenbach. in ib. , the ruins of that city are still shown in that great camp
or plain, not far from Gilboa, to the east of Mount Carmel, and five miles from
Tabor; according to BuntingF14Travels, &c. p. 164. , it was
fourteen miles from Samaria; but it may be Aphaca near Mount Lebanon, and the
river AdonisF15Vid. Sozomen. Hist. l. 2. c. 5. , is meant.
1 Kings 20:27 27 And the children of Israel
were mustered and given provisions, and they went against them. Now the
children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of goats, while
the Syrians filled the countryside.
YLT
27and the sons of Israel have
been inspected, and supported, and go to meet them, and the sons of Israel
encamp before them, like two flocks of goats, and the Aramaeans have filled the
land.
And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present,.... The same
as before; the two hundred and thirty two young men of the princes of the
provinces, and 7000 of the people, not one was missing:
and went against them; out of Samaria, towards
Aphek:
and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little
flocks of kids: being few and weak, the two hundred and thirty two young men in
one body, and the 7000 in another:
but the Syrians filled the country: with their men, their
horses, and their chariots.
1 Kings 20:28 28 Then a man of God came and
spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the
Syrians have said, “The Lord
is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore
I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that
I am the Lord.’”
YLT
28And there cometh nigh a man
of God, and speaketh unto the king of Israel, and saith, `Thus said Jehovah,
Because that the Aramaeans have said, God of hills [is] Jehovah, and He [is]
not God of valleys -- I have given the whole of this great multitude into thy
hand, and ye have known that I [am] Jehovah.'
And there came a man of God,.... The same as before, 1 Kings 20:13 or
had comeF16ויגש "accesserat",
Vatablus. before the little army went out to meet the Syrians; though he might
go to Ahab when encamped, for his encouragement:
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; See Gill on 1 Kings 20:23.
therefore will I deliver, all this great multitude into thine hand; not for Ahab's
sake would the Lord do this, who does not appear thankful to God for the former
victory, nor to be reformed from his idolatry, and the better for it, but for
the honour of his own name, which had been blasphemed by the Syrians:
and ye shall know that I am the Lord; both of hills
and valleys, the omnipotent Jehovah, the only true God.
1 Kings 20:29 29 And they encamped opposite
each other for seven days. So it was that on the seventh day the battle was
joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand foot soldiers of
the Syrians in one day.
YLT
29And they encamp one
over-against another seven days, and it cometh to pass on the seventh day, that
the battle draweth near, and the sons of Israel smite Aram -- a hundred
thousand footmen in one day.
And they pitched one over against the other seven days,.... Very
probably the Israelites pitched upon an hill, and the Syrians waited till they
changed their position, not caring to fall upon them, though so very
supernumerary to them, for the reason before given:
and so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; or they that
made war drew nigh, as the Targum, and both sides engaged in battle:
and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians 100,000 footmen in
one day; which was a prodigious slaughter to be made by so small an army;
the hand of the Lord was visible in it.
1 Kings 20:30 30 But the rest fled to
Aphek, into the city; then a wall fell on twenty-seven thousand of the men who
were left. And Ben-Hadad fled and went into the city, into an inner
chamber.
YLT
30And those left flee to
Aphek, unto the city, and the wall falleth on twenty and seven chief men who
are left, and Ben-Hadad hath fled, and cometh in unto the city, into the
innermost part.
But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city,.... Which
perhaps was in the hands of the Syrians, and was designed for a retreat for
them, should they be beaten:
and there a wall fell upon twenty seven thousand of the men that
were left; not slain in the battle; here again the Lord might be seen, who,
as Abarbinel observes, fought from heaven, and either by a violent wind, or an
earthquake, threw down the wall upon them just as they had got under it for
shelter:
and Benhadad fled, and came into the city into an inner chamber; or, "into
a chamber within a chamber"F17חדר בחדר "cubiculo in cubiculum", Pagninus, Montanus.
, for greater secrecy.
1 Kings 20:31 31 Then his servants said to
him, “Look now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are
merciful kings. Please, let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes around
our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.”
YLT
31And his servants say unto
him, `Lo, we pray thee, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel --
that they are kind kings; let us put, we pray thee, sackcloth on our loins, and
ropes on our heads, and we go out unto the king of Israel; it may be he doth
keep thee alive.'
And his servants said unto him,.... Being reduced to the
utmost extremity; for if he attempted to go out of the city, he would fall into
the hands of the Israelites, and there was no safety in it, the wall of it
being fallen down; and it could not be thought he could be concealed long in
the chamber where he was, wherefore his servants advised as follows:
behold, now, we have heard that the kings of the Israel are
merciful kings; not only the best of them as David and Solomon, but even the
worst of them, in comparison of Heathen princes, were kind and humane to those
that fell into their hands, and became their captives:
let us, I pray thee; so said one in the name
of the rest:
put sack cloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads; and so coming
in such a mean and humble manner, and not with their armour on, they might the
rather hope to have admittance; so, the Syracusans sent ambassadors to Athens,
in filthy garments, with the hair of their heads and beards long, and all in
slovenly habits, to move their pityF18Justin e Trogo, l. 4. c. 4. ;
and go out to the king of Israel: and be humble supplicants
to him:
peradventure he will save thy life; upon a petition to him
from him; to which the king agreed, and sent it by them.
1 Kings 20:32 32 So they wore sackcloth
around their waists and put ropes around their heads, and came to the
king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And
he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
YLT
32And they gird sackcloth on
their loins, and ropes [are] on their heads, and they come in unto the king of
Israel, and say, `Thy servant Ben-Hadad hath said, Let me live, I pray thee;'
and he saith, `Is he yet alive? he [is] my brother.'
So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their
heads,.... Signifying they came to surrender themselves to him as his
captives and prisoners, and he might do with them as seemed good to him, hang
them up if he pleased, for which they brought ropes with them, as a token that
they deserved it, see Isaiah 20:2,
and came to the king of Israel, and said, thy servant Benhadad
saith, I pray thee let me live: he that a little while ago insolently
demanded his wives, and children, and silver, and gold, as his property, now is
his humble servant, and begs, not for his crown and kingdom, but for his life:
and he said, is he yet alive? he is my brother; which was
intimating at once, that not only they might expect he would spare his life,
who seemed to be so glad that he was alive, but that he would show him more
favour, having a great affection for him as his brother; this was a very
foolish expression from a king in his circumstances, with respect to one who
had given him so much trouble and distress, and had behaved with so much
haughtiness and contempt towards him.
1 Kings 20:33 33 Now the men were watching
closely to see whether any sign of mercy would come from him; and they
quickly grasped at this word and said, “Your brother Ben-Hadad.” So he
said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-Hadad came out to him; and he had him come up
into the chariot.
YLT
33And the men observe
diligently, and hasten, and catch it from him, and say, `Thy brother
Ben-Hadad;' and he saith, `Go ye in, bring him;' and Ben-Hadad cometh out unto
him, and he causeth him to come up on the chariot.
Now the men did diligently observe whether anything would come
from him,.... That would be a good omen to them, and encourage them to
hope for success; they observed him as diligently by his words and behaviour as
soothsayers do when they look out for a lucky sign; for the word is sometimes
used of diviningF19ינחשו "augurati
sunt", Pagninus, Montanus, Munster, Vatablus. :
and did hastily catch it; as soon as it was out of
his mouth, and laid hold on it to improve it to advantage, being wiser than
him:
and they said, thy brother Benhadad; him whom thou callest
thy brother; he is thy brother, and is alive; this they caught, and expressed
it, to observe whether it was a slip of his tongue, and whether he spoke it
heartily, and would abide by it, or whether he would retract it:
then he said, go ye, bring him; meaning from the city to
the place where he was:
then Benhadad came forth to him; out of his chamber, upon
the report of his servants:
and he caused him to come up into the chariot; to sit and
converse with him there.
1 Kings 20:34 34 So Ben-Hadad said
to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore; and
you may set up marketplaces for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in
Samaria.” Then Ahab said, “I will send you away with this treaty.” So he
made a treaty with him and sent him away.
YLT
34And he saith unto him, `The
cities that my father took from thy father, I give back, and streets thou dost
make for thee in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria;' -- `and I, with a
covenant, send thee away;' and he maketh with him a covenant, and sendeth him
away.
And Benhadad said unto him,.... The word Benhadad is
not in the original text, and some, as Osiander and others, have thought they
are the words of Ahab last spoken of; which seems most likely, who not only
took Benhadad into his chariot, but in his great and superabundant kindness,
though the conqueror, said to him what follows:
the cities which my father took from thy father I will restore; that is,
those cities which Omri, the father of Ahab, had taken from the father of
Benhadad; for as Omri was a prince of might and valour, 1 Kings 16:16, it
is more probable that he took cities from the king of Syria, than that the king
of Syria should take any from him, and which Ahab in his circumstances weakly
promises to restore:
and thou shall make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father
made in Samaria; which confirms it that it is Ahab, and not Benhadad, that is
speaking; for Benhadad's father never had any power nor residence in Samaria,
whereas Omri, the father of Ahab, had, he built it, and made it his royal seat;
and, in like manner, Ahab promises Benhadad that he should have his palace at
Damascus, the metropolis of Syria, and exercise power there, and over all
Syria; whereby Ahab renounced all right he had to the kingdom, and any of the
cities of it: for by "streets" are not meant those literally so
called, for the making of which there was no reason; nor markets to take a toll
from, as some, supposing them to be the words of Benhadad; nor courts of
judicature, to oblige them to pay it who refused it, as others; nor fortresses
to keep them in awe; but a royal palace, as a learned criticF20Vallandi
Dissert. ad 1. Reg. xx. 33, 34. Subsect. 2. sect. 4. has observed, for Benhadad
to reside in; this Ahab gave him power to erect, and added:
and I will send thee away with this covenant; or promise
now made:
so he made a covenant with him; confirmed the above
promises:
and sent him away; free, to enjoy his crown and kingdom, for
which folly and weakness Ahab is reproved by a prophet, 1 Kings 20:42.
1 Kings 20:35 35 Now a certain man of the
sons of the prophets said to his neighbor by the word of the Lord, “Strike me,
please.” And the man refused to strike him.
YLT
35And a certain man of the
sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour by the word of Jehovah, `Smite me,
I pray thee;' and the man refuseth to smite him,
And a certain man of the sons of the prophets,.... Which the
Jews take to be Micaiah, and so JosephusF21Antiqu. l. 8. c. 14.
sect, 5. , which is probable; the same that had been with Ahab more than once;
and, whoever he was, it is not unlikely that he was the same, since Ahab knew
him when his disguise was off, 1 Kings 20:41,
said unto his neighbour, in the word of the Lord, smite me, I pray
thee; told his neighbour, that by the command of God he was ordered to
bid him smite him, so as to wound him:
and the man refused to smite him; being his neighbour, and
perhaps a fellow prophet, and having an affection for him.
1 Kings 20:36 36 Then he said to him,
“Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, surely, as
soon as you depart from me, a lion shall kill you.” And as soon as he left him,
a lion found him and killed him.
YLT
36and he saith to him,
`Because that thou hast not hearkened to the voice of Jehovah, lo, thou art
going from me, and the lion hath smitten thee;' and he goeth from him, and the
lion findeth him, and smiteth him.
Then said he unto him, because thou hast not obeyed the voice of
the Lord,.... In not smiting him; which, if he was a prophet, he must know
how great an evil it was to disregard or disobey what was said by a prophet in
his name; he must be inexcusable:
behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay
thee.
And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and
slew him; which may seem severe, yet being an act of disobedience to the
command of God, by a prophet of his, was punishable with death.
1 Kings 20:37 37 And he found another man,
and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him, inflicting a wound.
YLT
37And he findeth another man,
and saith, `Smite me, I pray thee;' and the man smiteth him, smiting and
wounding,
Then he found another man, and said, smite me, I pray thee,.... This is
not said to be his neighbour, nor one of the sons of the prophets, but a rustic
man, and so stuck not to take him at his word:
and the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him; in his face;
made some incision in his flesh, broke the skin, and fetched blood of him;
perhaps somewhere about his eyes, by what follows: this he got done to him,
that he might look like a wounded soldier, and thereby get the more easily to
the speech of Ahab.
1 Kings 20:38 38 Then the prophet departed
and waited for the king by the road, and disguised himself with a bandage over
his eyes.
YLT
38and the prophet goeth and
standeth for the king on the way, and disguiseth himself with ashes on his
eyes.
So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way,.... As he
went from Aphek, the place where the battle had been fought, to Samaria, his
royal seat:
and disguised himself with ashes upon his face; the Targum
is, he covered his eyes with a vail, or piece of cloth, which he wrapped about
his head, as men do when they have got a wound or bruise in such a part, which
seems very probable; for had he besmeared his face with ashes, clay, or dust,
or any such thing, he could not so easily have got it off, as in 1 Kings 20:41.
1 Kings 20:39 39 Now as the king passed by,
he cried out to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the
battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard
this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or
else you shall pay a talent of silver.’
YLT
39And it cometh to pass --
the king is passing by -- that he hath cried unto the king, and saith, `Thy
servant went out into the midst of the battle, and lo, a man hath turned aside
and bringeth in unto me a man, and saith, Keep this man; if he be at all
missing, then hath thy life been for his life, or a talent of silver thou dost
weigh out;
And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king,.... With a
loud voice, signifying he had something to say unto him, at which he stopped:
and he said, thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; this was not
real, but fictitious, an apologue, fable, or parable, by which he would
represent to Ahab his own case, and bring him under conviction of his folly,
just as Nathan dealt with David:
and, behold, a man turned aside; a superior officer in
the army:
and brought a man unto me; he had made a prisoner
of:
and said, keep this man; do not let him escape:
if by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his
life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver; if he let him go
willingly, or by any means he should get out of his hands, then he should
either die for it, or be fined a talent of silver, which of our money is three
hundred and seventy five pounds; and to this it seems he agreed.
1 Kings 20:40 40 While your servant was
busy here and there, he was gone.” Then the king of Israel said to him, “So shall
your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.”
YLT
40and it cometh to pass, thy
servant is working hither and thither, and he is not!' and the king of Israel
saith unto him, Right [is] thy judgment; thou hast determined [it].'
And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone,.... Employed
in one thing or another relative to the battle, his prisoner committed to his
care made his escape:
and the king of Israel said unto him, so shall thy judgment be,
thyself hast decided it; the sentence was plain and open against him, that either he must
die or pay the money, for he himself had agreed to it.
1 Kings 20:41 41 And he hastened to take
the bandage away from his eyes; and the king of Israel recognized him as one of
the prophets.
YLT
41And he hasteth and turneth
aside the ashes from off his eyes, and the king of Israel discerneth him, that
he [is] of the prophets,
And he hasted, and took away the ashes from his face,.... Took off
the linen cloth from his eyes, unveiled or unmasked himself:
and the king of Israel discerned him, that he was of the prophets; he knew him
again, having seen him once or twice before; otherwise there could be nothing
in his face that could discover him to be a prophet, rather he was to be known
by his habit.
1 Kings 20:42 42 Then he said to him, “Thus
says the Lord:
‘Because you have let slip out of your hand a man whom I appointed to
utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people
for his people.’”
YLT
42and he saith unto him,
`Thus said Jehovah, Because thou hast sent away the man I devoted, out of [thy]
hand, even thy life hath been for his life, and thy people for his people;'
And he said unto him, thus saith the Lord,.... He spake
not his own sense, and in his own words, but in the name of the Lord, for which
he had authority, that it might have the greater weight with Ahab:
because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to
utter destruction; meaning Benhadad; or "the man of my anathema or curse"F23איש חרמי "vir anathematis
mei", Montanus, Piscator. ; cursed of God for his blasphemy of him, and
devoted by him to ruin on that account; or "of my net"F24"Vir
retis mei"; so some in Vatablus. , being by his providence brought into a
net or noose at Aphek, out of which he could not have escaped, had not Ahab let
him go:
therefore thy life shall go for his life; as it shortly
did, and that by the hand of a Syrian soldier, 1 Kings 22:34,
and thy people for his people; which was fulfilled by
Hazael king of Syria, the sins of Israel rendering them deserving of the
calamities they endured by his means, see 2 Kings 8:12.
1 Kings 20:43 43 So the king of Israel went
to his house sullen and displeased, and came to Samaria.
YLT
43and the king of Israel
goeth unto his house, sulky and wroth, and cometh in to Samaria.
And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased,.... With the
prophet for what he had said, and with himself for what he had done in letting
Benhadad go; the Targum is, he was
"troubled
and grieved,'
not
so much for the sin he had committed, as for the punishment of it on him and
his people:
and came to Samaria; with a heavy heart, for
the message of the prophet had spoiled the joy of his victory.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》