34 And Benhadad said H559 unto him, The cities, H5892 which my father H1 took H3947 from thy father, H1 I will restore; H7725 and thou shalt make H7760 streets H2351 for thee in Damascus, H1834 as my father H1 made H7760 in Samaria. H8111 Then said Ahab, I will send thee away H7971 with this covenant. H1285 So he made H3772 a covenant H1285 with him, and sent him away. H7971
35 And a certain H259 man H376 of the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 said H559 unto his neighbour H7453 in the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 Smite H5221 me, I pray thee. And the man H376 refused H3985 to smite H5221 him.
36 Then said H559 he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of the LORD, H3068 behold, as soon as thou art departed H1980 from me, a lion H738 shall slay H5221 thee. And as soon as he was departed H3212 from him, H681 a lion H738 found H4672 him, and slew H5221 him.
37 Then he found H4672 another H312 man, H376 and said, H559 Smite H5221 me, I pray thee. And the man H376 smote H5221 him, so that in smiting H5221 he wounded H6481 him.
38 So the prophet H5030 departed, H3212 and waited H5975 for the king H4428 by the way, H1870 and disguised H2664 himself with ashes H666 upon his face. H5869
39 And as the king H4428 passed by, H5674 he cried H6817 unto the king: H4428 and he said, H559 Thy servant H5650 went out H3318 into the midst H7130 of the battle; H4421 and, behold, a man H376 turned aside, H5493 and brought H935 a man H376 unto me, and said, H559 Keep H8104 this man: H376 if by any means H6485 he be missing, H6485 then shall thy life H5315 be for his life, H5315 or else thou shalt pay H8254 a talent H3603 of silver. H3701
40 And as thy servant H5650 was busy H6213 here and there, he was gone. H369 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto him, So shall thy judgment H4941 be; thyself hast decided H2782 it.
41 And he hasted, H4116 and took the ashes H666 away H5493 from his face; H5869 and the king H4428 of Israel H3478 discerned H5234 him that he was of the prophets. H5030
42 And he said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Because thou hast let go H7971 out of thy hand H3027 a man H376 whom I appointed to utter destruction, H2764 therefore thy life H5315 shall go for his life, H5315 and thy people H5971 for his people. H5971
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.