1Ki 20:1 | Clarke | STEP | Ben-hadad, king of Syria, and thirty-two kings, besiege Samaria, . He sends an insulting message to Ahab; and insists on pillaging the whole city, . The elders of Israel counsel the king not to submit to such shameful conditions, . He sends a refusal to Ben-hadad; who, being enraged, vows revenge, . A prophet comes to Ahab, and promises him victory, and gives him directions how he should order the battle, . The Syrians are discomfited, and Ben-hadad scarcely escapes, , . The prophet warns Ahab to be on his guard, for the Syrians would return next year, . The counsellors of the king of Syria instruct him how he may successfully invade Israel, . He leads an immense army to Aphek, to fight with Ahab, , . A man of God encourages Ahab, who attacks the Syrians, and kills one hundred thousand of them, , . They retreat to Aphek, where twenty-seven thousand of them are slain by a casualty, . Ben-hadad and his courtiers, being closely besieged in Aphek, and unable to escape, surrender themselves with sackcloth on their loins, and halters on their heads; the king of Israel receives them in a friendly manner, and makes a covenant with Ben-hadad, . A prophet, by a symbolical action, shows him the impolicy of his conduct in permitting Ben-hadad to escape, and predicts his death and the slaughter of Israel, . Verse 1 Ben-hadad - Several MSS., and some early printed editions, have Ben-hadar, or the son of Hadar, as the Septuagint. He is supposed to be the same whom Asa stirred up against the king of Israel, ; or, as others, his son or grandson. Thirty and two kings - Tributary chieftains of Syria and the adjacent countries. In former times every town and city had its independent chieftain. Both the Septuagint and Josephus place this war after the history of Naboth.

1 Kings 20:1

Introduction

Ben-hadad, king of Syria, and thirty-two kings, besiege Samaria, 1Kgs 20:1. He sends an insulting message to Ahab; and insists on pillaging the whole city, 1Kgs 20:2-7. The elders of Israel counsel the king not to submit to such shameful conditions, 1Kgs 20:8. He sends a refusal to Ben-hadad; who, being enraged, vows revenge, 1Kgs 20:9-12. A prophet comes to Ahab, and promises him victory, and gives him directions how he should order the battle, 1Kgs 20:13-19. The Syrians are discomfited, and Ben-hadad scarcely escapes, 1Kgs 20:20, 1Kgs 20:21. The prophet warns Ahab to be on his guard, for the Syrians would return next year, 1Kgs 20:22. The counsellors of the king of Syria instruct him how he may successfully invade Israel, 1Kgs 20:23-25. He leads an immense army to Aphek, to fight with Ahab, 1Kgs 20:26, 1Kgs 20:27. A man of God encourages Ahab, who attacks the Syrians, and kills one hundred thousand of them, 1Kgs 20:28, 1Kgs 20:29. They retreat to Aphek, where twenty-seven thousand of them are slain by a casualty, 1Kgs 20:30. Ben-hadad and his courtiers, being closely besieged in Aphek, and unable to escape, surrender themselves with sackcloth on their loins, and halters on their heads; the king of Israel receives them in a friendly manner, and makes a covenant with Ben-hadad, 1Kgs 20:31-34. A prophet, by a symbolical action, shows him the impolicy of his conduct in permitting Ben-hadad to escape, and predicts his death and the slaughter of Israel, 1Kgs 20:35-43.

Verse 1

Ben-hadad - Several MSS., and some early printed editions, have Ben-hadar, or the son of Hadar, as the Septuagint. He is supposed to be the same whom Asa stirred up against the king of Israel, 1Kgs 15:18; or, as others, his son or grandson.

Thirty and two kings - Tributary chieftains of Syria and the adjacent countries. In former times every town and city had its independent chieftain. Both the Septuagint and Josephus place this war after the history of Naboth.