1 Kings 20:21 Commentary

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, I. Ben-hadad's descent upon Israel, and his insolent demand (Kg1 20:1-11). II. The defeat Ahab gave him, encouraged and directed by a prophet (Kg1 20:12-21). III. The Syrians rallying again, and the second defeat Ahab gave them (Kg1 20:22-30). IV. The covenant of peace Ahab made with Ben-hadad, when he had him at his mercy (Kg1 20:31-34), for which he is reproved and threatened by a prophet (Kg1 20:35-43).

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, Kg1 20:1, the sally made out upon him, at the direction of the prophet, and the route made of the Syrian army, Kg1 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, Kg1 20:22, the peace Ahab made with the king of Syria, Kg1 20:31, and the reproof one of the sons of the prophets gave him for it, which made him very uneasy, Kg1 20:35.

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; Josephus (c) 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 historian (d) 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. (c) Antiqu. l. 8. c. 14. sect. 2. (d) Ibid.

Here the Scripture relates the two battles of the king of Israel against the Arameans, at which we have already hinted, and the twin slaughters of the Arameans, of which the second caused the death of 127, men, as God took his revenge on the impious voice of the Arameans, who said about the true God worshiped by the Israelites, “The Lord is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys.”

Did not the Lord wish Ben-hadad, king of Syria, whom besides countless thousands of his own people, thirty-two kings and armies of the same number of kings served, to be conquered by a few foot soldiers of the princes in order that he who was the author of such victory would be acknowledged?

Ben-hadad, king of Syria, and thirty-two kings, besiege Samaria, Kg1 20:1. He sends an insulting message to Ahab; and insists on pillaging the whole city, Kg1 20:2-7. The elders of Israel counsel the king not to submit to such shameful conditions, Kg1 20:8. He sends a refusal to Ben-hadad; who, being enraged, vows revenge, Kg1 20:9-12. A prophet comes to Ahab, and promises him victory, and gives him directions how he should order the battle, Kg1 20:13-19. The Syrians are discomfited, and Ben-hadad scarcely escapes, Kg1 20:20, Kg1 20:21. The prophet warns Ahab to be on his guard, for the Syrians would return next year, Kg1 20:22. The counsellors of the king of Syria instruct him how he may successfully invade Israel, Kg1 20:23-25. He leads an immense army to Aphek, to fight with Ahab, Kg1 20:26, Kg1 20:27. A man of God encourages Ahab, who attacks the Syrians, and kills one hundred thousand of them, Kg1 20:28, Kg1 20:29. They retreat to Aphek, where twenty-seven thousand of them are slain by a casualty, Kg1 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, Kg1 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, Kg1 20:35-43.

BEN-HADAD BESIEGES SAMARIA. (Kg1 20:1-12) 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 (Kg1 15:20). The thirty-two kings that were confederate with him were probably tributary princes. The ancient kings of Syria and Phœnicia 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.