1 Kings 22:34

And acertain man Josephus has given him a name. -A certain youth of the royal family of Adad [i.e. Ben-hadad] whose name was Aman." -Fate, the inevitable," he says, -found Ahab out even without his robes."

drew a bow[R.V. his bow] at a venture The noun is definite in form in the Hebrew, so that the change is necessary. The word rendered -at a venture" is translated in other places, and on the margin of A.V. and R.V. -in his simplicity." It is also rendered -in his integrity" (Proverbs 19:1) and -in his uprightness" (Proverbs 28:6). The idea appears to be that the man taking aim at some one, was quite unaware at whom he was shooting. He levelled at some enemy and hit him, not knowing how he had contributed to the victory. -At a venture" must therefore not be taken to mean -a shot at random." The LXX. εὐστόχως -with good aim" is a conjecture.

between the joints of the harness The margins of R.V. -between the lower armour and the breastplate" and of A.V. -between the joints and the breastplate" help us to understand what is meant. The former word, rendered -joints," indicates that part where the breastplate terminated and where the lower armour commenced. A part of the body would there necessarily be less securely protected.

wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot He would not wish to spread alarm among his soldiers, and so made his retreat without observation.

I am wounded R.V. sore wounded. The literal rendering -made sick" which is given on the margin of A.V. implies more than an ordinary wound. The translation -sore wounded" is from 2 Chronicles 35:23 (A.V.). Perhaps Ahab employed the word, which might have a certain vagueness, that the charioteer should not spread an alarm. For the driver knew of course who it was whom he was carrying.