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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

1 Kings 20:38

So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, for he wanted his message to reach him in public and before he returned home, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face, the heavy head-bandages concealed his features.

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See also 1 Kings 20:38 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 38. _DISGUISED HIMSELF WITH ASHES UPON HIS FACE._] It does not immediately appear how putting _ashes_ upon his face could disguise him. Instead of אפר _apher, dust, Houbigant_ conjectures that...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    ASHES - Rather, “a bandage” (and in 1 Kings 20:41). The object of the wound and bandage was double. Partly, it was to prevent Ahab from recognizing the prophet’s face; partly, to induce him to believe...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    4. KING AHAB: HIS WICKED REIGN AND END CHAPTER 20 Ahab's War with the Syrians and His Victory _ 1. The siege and relief of Samaria (1 Kings 20:1)_ 2. The victory at Aphek (1 Kings 20:22) 3. A prop...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    AHAB'S DEATH FORETOLD FOR SPARING BENHADAD. This section reminds us of 1 Samuel 15, Saul's sparing of Agag. It does not appear to be part of the foregoing narrative, but may be of great antiquity. The...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ASHES, &C.. bandage. inheritance). JEZREEL. In the plain of Esdraelon....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _waited for the king by the way_ He wished to intercept Ahab just as he was coming from his interview with Ben-hadad. A parallel this to the lion meeting the disobedient prophet as soon as he had depa...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    WITH ASHES UPON HIS FACE— Houbigant reads, _with a bandage;—he had his eyes covered with a bandage._ Several of the versions render it _with a veil._ See 1 Kings 20:41....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. THE BATTLE OF APHEK 20:23-43 It was not long before the intelligence reports reaching Ahab's military advisers confirmed the warnings of the man of God. Benhadad was massing new troops, reorganizin...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _THEN SAID HE UNTO HIM, BECAUSE THOU HAST NOT OBEYED THE VOICE OF THE LORD, 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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WITH ASHES, etc.] RV 'with his headband over his eyes': to conceal his identity: so in 1 Kings 20:41....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND SYRIA The Syrians besiege Samaria, but a sally being made from the city by the direction of a prophet, they are driven off, and the next year are beaten at Aphek. Ahab, having...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S LESSONS FROM HISTORY 1 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 20 GOD ALLOWS AHAB’S ARMY TO DEFEAT THE ARMY FROM SYRIA V1 Benhadad, king of Syria gathered his whole army. Then 32 other kings with the...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    ASHES UPON HIS FACE. — It should be a “bandage over his head,” to cover his face, and to accord with the appearance of a wounded soldier. Unless the wound had some symbolic significance in application...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֵּ֨לֶךְ֙ הַ נָּבִ֔יא וַ יַּעֲמֹ֥ד לַ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    AHAB'S INFATUATION 1 Kings 20:31 " _ Quem vult Deus perire dementat prius_." THE courtiers of Benhadad found it easy to flatter his pride by furnishing reasons to account for such an alarming overth...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    A PROSPEROUS NATION 1 Kings 4:1; 1 Kings 20:1; 1 Kings 21:1; 1 Kings 22:1 What a picture is here given of national contentment and

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    LOSING THE MAN GOD PUT INTO HIS HAND 1 Kings 20:31 Ahab's easy good-nature was criminal, and indicated the evil that was enervating and cankering his heart. Whatever may have been his private feeling...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here begins the actual movement in the downfall of Ahab. Ben-hadad, drunken, profligate, despotic, came in the pride of arms against Samaria. By the voices of prophets Jehovah spoke to Ahab, who, acti...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Dust. Chaldean and Septuagint, "he tied a veil," &c. Apher has both meanings._...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (35) And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. (36) Then said he unto him, Because thou ha...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The days were very dark in Israel. Not only rebellion. And rebellion, always serious, was peculiarly so in Israel, for there it was insubordination in a direct manner against not only God's providence...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    According to the outward history of Israel, that which follows the revelations made to Elijah in Horeb looks like a time of restoration and blessing; and outwardly it was so. Benhadad is overcome and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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 H...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. Ver. 38. _And disguised himself._] He slurried his face with ashes cast upon blood, that h...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _And disguised himself with ashes upon his face_ As a man in a very sorrowful condition. Houbigant reads it, _He had his eyes covered with a bandage_, supposing that the genuine, reading of the text i...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Benhadad not content with Ahabs hommage, besiegeth Samaria. 13 By the direction of a Prophet, the Syrians are slaine. 22 As the Prophet forewarned Ahab, the Syrians trusting in the valleys, come a...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    AHAB DEFEATS SYRIA (vs.1-22) God's care for His people Israel is still remarkably displayed in this chapter in spite of the unholy character of Ahab. Ben Hadad, king of Syria, marshaled a tremendous...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    31-43 This encouragement sinners have to repent and humble themselves before God; Have we not heard, that the God of Israel is a merciful God? Have we not found him so? That is gospel repentance, whi...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    _ That he might sooner gain access to the king, and audience from him_. SEE POOLE ON "1 KINGS 20:35". WITH ASHES; whereby he changed the colour of it. Or, _with a veil_, or _cloth_, or _band_, (as the...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Kings 20:38 prophet H5030 departed H3212 (H8799) waited H5975 (H8799) king H4428 road H1870 disguised...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    AHAB IS SEEN BY THE PROPHETS AS HAVING DISOBEYED YHWH BY NOT PUTTING BEN-HADAD TO DEATH, AND IS WARNED OF WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE (1 KINGS 20:35). We have not actually been told that Ben-hadad w...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    WAR WITH BENHADAD KING OF ARAM (1 KINGS 20:1). There is no indication at what point in Ahab's reign these events occurred, but a situation is indicated where the power of the Aramaeans had now grown s...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ahab's Syrian campaigns and victories. His sin in sparing Ben-hadad. CHARACTERS: God, Ahab, Ben-hadad, two prophets. CONCLUSION: Enemies are more than a match for us, but no match for Jeho...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Kings 20:3. _Thy gold thy wives are mine._ The African princes still send similar messages to one another. Mungo Park mentions one who sent an order to a neighbouring prince to have the houses all m...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:1 After Elijah’s recruitment of Elisha, one expects to read of his anointing of Hazael as king over Syria and of Jehu as king over Israel (compare 1 Kings 19:15). Instead

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 1 Kings 20:33. MEN DID DILIGENTLY OBSERVE—Took his words as a good omen. DID HASTILY CATCH IT—Hastened to seize or quote the words, “my brother.” Ahab found his vanit...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION THE INVASIONS OF ISRAEL BY THE SYRIANS AND THEIR RESULTS.—The insertion of this chapter, which contains an account of two invasions of Israel by the hosts of Syria, and of the utter defeat...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Benhadad who was presently the king of Syria gathered all of his host together: and there were thirty-two kings that went with him, with their horses, and chariots: and they came up and besieged S...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 14:2; 1 Kings 22:30; 2 Samuel 14:2; Matthew 6:16...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    With ashes — Or, with a cloath, or band; (as the Hebrew doctors understand the word) whereby he bound up his wound, which probably was in his face; for it was to be made in a conspicuous place, that i...

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