1 Kings 20:1

CHAPTER XX

Ben-hadad, king of Syria, and thirty-two kings, besiege

Samaria, 1.

He sends an insulting message to Ahab; and insists on pillaging

the whole city, 2-7.

The elders of Israel counsel the king not to submit to such

shameful conditions, 8.

He sends a refusal to Ben-hadad; who, being enraged, vows

revenge, 9-12.

A prophet comes to Ahab, and promises him victory, and gives him

directions how he should order the battle, 13-19.

The Syrians are discomfited, and Ben-hadad scarcely escapes,

20, 21.

The prophet warns Ahab to be on his guard, for the Syrians would

return next year, 22.

The counsellors of the king of Syria instruct him how he may

successfully invade Israel, 23-25.

He leads an immense army to Aphek, to fight with Ahab, 26, 27.

A man of God encourages Ahab, who attacks the Syrians, and kills

one hundred thousand of them, 28, 29.

They retreat to Aphek, where twenty-seven thousand of them are

slain by a casualty, 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, 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, 35-43.

NOTES ON CHAP. XX

Verse 1 Kings 20:1. Ben-hadad] Several MSS., and some early printed editions, have Ben-hadar, or the son of Hadar, as the Septuagint. He is supposed to be the same whom Asa stirred up against the king of Israel, 1 Kings 15:18; or, as others, his son or grandson.

Thirty and two kings] Tributary chieftains of Syria and the adjacent countries. In former times every town and city had its independent chieftain. Both the Septuagint and Josephus place this war after the history of Naboth.