CHAPTER 20
. 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 (). The thirty-two kings that were confederate with him were
probably tributary princes. The ancient kings of Syria and
Phoelignicia 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.
. 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
(1 Kings 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 (), 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 1 Samuel 29:1; 1 Samuel 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 (, &c.). It was in opposition to God's purpose in giving
him the victory.
. A PROPHET
REPROVES HIM.
35-38. Smite me—This prophet
is supposed (1 Kings 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 [1 Kings 20:8], as a beacon to warn others (see on 1 Kings 20:8). The prophet found a willing assistant, and then,
waiting for Ahab, leads the king unconsciously, in the parabolic
manner of Nathan (1 Kings 20:8), to pronounce his own doom; and this consequent
punishment was forthwith announced by a prophet (see on 1 Kings 20:8).
39. a talent of silver—£342.
CHAPTER 20
. 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 (). The thirty-two kings that were confederate with him were probably tributary princes. The ancient kings of Syria and Phoelignicia 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.
. 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 (1 Kings 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 (), 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 1 Samuel 29:1; 1 Samuel 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 (, &c.). It was in opposition to God's purpose in giving him the victory.
. A PROPHET REPROVES HIM.
35-38. Smite me—This prophet is supposed (1 Kings 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 [1 Kings 20:8], as a beacon to warn others (see on 1 Kings 20:8). The prophet found a willing assistant, and then, waiting for Ahab, leads the king unconsciously, in the parabolic manner of Nathan (1 Kings 20:8), to pronounce his own doom; and this consequent punishment was forthwith announced by a prophet (see on 1 Kings 20:8).
39. a talent of silver—£342.