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, one finds a different prophet appearing (1 Kings 20:13) and a different king of Syria (Ben-hadad) los... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:2 YOUR SILVER AND YOUR GOLD ARE MINE (v. 1 Kings 20:3). The king of Syria (Ben-hadad) tries to force Israel to serve him. Ahab accepts these terms at first (v. 1 Kings 20:4). Later he changes his mind (vv. 1 Kings 20:5) when a revision (v. 1 Kings 20:6) apparently makes th... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:11 LET NOT HIM WHO STRAPS ON HIS ARMOR BOAST HIMSELF AS HE WHO TAKES IT OFF. It is unwise to boast about one’s exploits before the battle has even begun; there is time enough for boasting when the battle is won. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:14 Israel is to fight according to a divine battle plan that does not make much human sense (as in the case of Gideon in Judges 7:1). The SERVANTS, young men unschooled in military matters, are to initiate the battle. The plan benefits from Ben-hadad’s being DRUNK as the I... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:22 STRENGTHEN YOURSELF. Both sides prepare for a continuation of warfare in the following SPRING, a common time for kings to go to war (compare 2 Samuel 11:1). The Syrians plan next time to FIGHT the Israelites IN THE PLAIN (1 Kings 20:23), where HORSE and CHARIOT will giv... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:26 APHEK. The second battle is considerably farther north than the first (see Joshua 19:30), which took place near Samaria (1 Kings 20:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:28 GOD OF THE HILLS... NOT A GOD OF THE VALLEYS. God will prove that the Syrians’ notions about him are false. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:31 SACKCLOTH signifies repentance (compare 1 Kings 21:27), and ROPES signify submissiveness (prisoners may be led by them). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:34 CITIES... BAZAARS. The Israelite cities previously taken by the Syrians are returned. Ahab is given trading privileges in Damascus. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:35 SONS OF THE PROPHETS. Prophets who lived in communities together (see note on 2 Kings 2:3). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:36 A LION SHALL STRIKE YOU DOWN. Even prophets must obey God’s word. See ch. 1 Kings 13:1, where the same point is made and the same punishment is pronounced. If disobedient prophets cannot escape God’s judgment, then disobedient kings certainly will not. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 20:39 YOUR SERVANT WENT OUT INTO THE MIDST OF THE BATTLE. In circumstances similar to 2 Samuel 12:1, the prophet tricks the king into pronouncing judgment on himself. Disguising himself as a soldier, the prophet tells a story implying that, because he failed in his guard duti... [ Continue Reading ]