1Ki 20:23 | TNotes | STEP | 20:23 The reasoning that Israel had gods of the hills set the stage for the Lord to show his true identity (20:28 ). Ben-hadad’s officers had a pagan religious outlook. Perhaps their erroneous view was fostered by traditional knowledge of the Lord’s appearance to Israel on Mount Sinai (Exod 19:1-3 , 16-18 ) or of Israel’s long-term settlement of the hill country of Canaan (see Josh 10:40 ; 11:16 ; Judg 1:19 ). The Arameans were not aware that God is the Creator and Lord of all the earth (Isa 40:28 ; 54:5 ), the only God who alone can save (Isa 45:5 , 22 ).

a20:23►

b20:28►

cExod 19:1-3►

d16-18►

eJosh 10:40►

f11:16►

gJudg 1:19►

hIsa 40:28►

i54:5►

jIsa 45:5►

k22►

‏ 1 Kings 20:23

20:23 ^a The reasoning that Israel had gods of the hills set the stage for the Lord to show his true identity (20:28 ^b). Ben-hadad’s officers had a pagan religious outlook. Perhaps their erroneous view was fostered by traditional knowledge of the Lord’s appearance to Israel on Mount Sinai (Exod 19:1-3 ^c, 16-18 ^d) or of Israel’s long-term settlement of the hill country of Canaan (see Josh 10:40 ^e; 11:16 ^f; Judg 1:19 ^g). The Arameans were not aware that God is the Creator and Lord of all the earth (Isa 40:28 ^h; 54:5 ⁱ), the only God who alone can save (Isa 45:5 ^j, 22 ^k).