1 And Benhadad H1130 the king H4428 of Syria H758 gathered H6908 all his host H2428 together: H6908 and there were thirty H7970 and two H8147 kings H4428 with him, and horses, H5483 and chariots: H7393 and he went up H5927 and besieged H6696 Samaria, H8111 and warred H3898 against it.
2 And he sent H7971 messengers H4397 to Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel H3478 into the city, H5892 and said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 Benhadad, H1130
3 Thy silver H3701 and thy gold H2091 is mine; thy wives H802 also and thy children, H1121 even the goodliest, H2896 are mine.
4 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 answered H6030 and said, H559 My lord, H113 O king, H4428 according to thy saying, H1697 I am thine, and all that I have.
5 And the messengers H4397 came again, H7725 and said, H559 Thus speaketh H559 Benhadad, H1130 saying, H559 Although I have sent H7971 unto thee, saying, H559 Thou shalt deliver H5414 me thy silver, H3701 and thy gold, H2091 and thy wives, H802 and thy children; H1121
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 20
Commentary on 1 Kings 20 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 20
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,
1Ki 20:1-11
Here is,
1Ki 20:12-21
The treaty between the besiegers and the besieged being broken off abruptly, we have here an account of the battle that ensued immediately.
1Ki 20:22-30
We have here an account of another successful campaign which Ahab, by divine aid, made against the Syrians, in which he gave them a greater defeat than in the former. Strange! Ahab idolatrous and yet victorious, a persecutor and yet a conqueror! God has wise and holy ends in suffering wicked men to prosper, and glorifies his own name thereby.
1Ki 20:31-43
Here is an account of what followed upon the victory which Israel obtained over the Syrians.