1 Kings 20

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1Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram mustered his entire army. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, he went up and besieged Samaria and attacked it.

2He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel, saying, “This is what Ben-Hadad says:

3‘Your silver and gold are mine, and the best of your wives and children are mine.’ ”

4The king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king. I and all I have are yours.”

5The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben-Hadad says: ‘I sent to demand your silver and gold, your wives and your children.

6But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.’ ”

7The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, “See how this man is looking for trouble! When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him.”

8The elders and the people all answered, “Don't listen to him or agree to his demands.”

9So he replied to Ben-Hadad's messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Your servant will do all you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.’ ” They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.

10Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”

11The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast like one who takes it off.’ ”

12Ben-Hadad heard this message while he and the kings were drinking in their tents, and he ordered his men: “Prepare to attack.” So they prepared to attack the city.

13Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”

14“But who will do this?” asked Ahab. The prophet replied, “This is what the Lord says: ‘The young officers of the provincial commanders will do it.’ ” “And who will start the battle?” he asked. The prophet answered, “You will.”

15So Ahab summoned the young officers of the provincial commanders, 232 men. Then he assembled the rest of the Israelites, 7,000 in all.

16They set out at noon while Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk.

17The young officers of the provincial commanders went out first. Now Ben-Hadad had dispatched scouts, who reported, “Men are advancing from Samaria.”

18He said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

19The young officers of the provincial commanders marched out of the city with the army behind them

20and each one struck down his opponent. At that, the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with some of his horsemen.

21The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans.

22Afterward, the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, “Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.”

23Meanwhile, the officials of the king of Aram advised him, “Their gods are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.

24Do this: Remove all the kings from their commands and replace them with other officers.

25You must also raise an army like the one you lost–horse for horse and chariot for chariot–so we can fight Israel on the plains. Then surely we will be stronger than they.” He agreed with them and acted accordingly.

26The next spring Ben-Hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.

27When the Israelites were also mustered and given provisions, they marched out to meet them. The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside.

28The man of God came up and told the king of Israel, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Arameans think the Lord is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”

29For seven days they camped opposite each other, and on the seventh day the battle was joined. The Israelites inflicted a hundred thousand casualties on the Aramean foot soldiers in one day.

30The rest of them escaped to the city of Aphek, where the wall collapsed on twenty-seven thousand of them. And Ben-Hadad fled to the city and hid in an inner room.

31His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful. Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

32Wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says: ‘Please let me live.’ ” The king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”

33The men took this as a good sign and were quick to pick up his word. “Yes, your brother Ben-Hadad!” they said. “Go and get him,” the king said. When Ben-Hadad came out, Ahab had him come up into his chariot.

34“I will return the cities my father took from your father,” Ben-Hadad offered. “You may set up your own market areas in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab said, “On the basis of a treaty I will set you free.” So he made a treaty with him, and let him go.

35By the word of the Lord one of the sons of the prophets said to his companion, “Strike me with your weapon,” but the man refused.

36So the prophet said, “Because you have not obeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” And after the man went away, a lion found him and killed him.

37The prophet found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” So the man struck him and wounded him.

38Then the prophet went and stood by the road waiting for the king. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes.

39As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, “Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, ‘Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.’

40While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.” “That is your sentence,” the king of Israel said. “You have pronounced it yourself.”

41Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42He said to the king, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.’ ”

43Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went to his palace in Samaria.

Commentary

20:1-11 Benhadad sent Ahab a very insolent demand. Ahab sent a very disgraceful submission; sin brings men into such straits, by putting them out of the Divine protection. If God do not rule us, our enemies shall: guilt dispirits men, and makes them cowards. Ahab became desperate. Men will part with their most pleasant things, those they most love, to save their lives; yet they lose their souls rather than part with any pleasure or interest to prevent it. Here is one of the wisest sayings that ever Ahab spake, and it is a good lesson to all. It is folly to boast of any day to come, since we know not what it may bring forth. Apply it to our spiritual conflicts. Peter fell by self-confidence. Happy is the man who is never off his watch.

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, I. Ben-hadad’s descent upon Israel, and his insolent demand (v. 1–11). II. The defeat Ahab gave him, encouraged and directed by a prophet (v. 12–21). III. The Syrians rallying again, and the second defeat Ahab gave them (v. 22–30). IV. The covenant of peace Ahab made with Ben-hadad, when he had him at his mercy (v. 31–34), for which he is reproved and threatened by a prophet (v. 35–43).Verses 1-11 Here is, I. The threatening descent which Ben-hadad made upon Ahab’s kingdom, and the siege he laid to Samaria, his royal city, v. 1. What the ground of the quarrel was we are not told; covetousness and ambition were the principle, which would never want some pretence or other. David in his time had quite subdued the Syrians and made them tributaries to Israel, but Israel’s apostasy from God makes them formidable again. Asa had tempted the Syrians to invade Israel once (ch. 15:18–20), and now they did it of their own accord. It is dangerous bringing a foreign force into the country: posterity may pay dearly for it. Ben-hadad had with him thirty-two kings, who were either tributaries to him, and bound in duty to attend him, or confederates with him, and bound in interest to assist him. How little did the title of king look when all these poor petty governors pretended to it!II. The treaty between these two kings. Surely Israel’s defence had departed from them, or else the Syrians could not have marched so readily, and with so little opposition, to Samaria, the head and heart of the country, a city lately built, and therefore, we may suppose, not well fortified, but likely to fall quickly into the hands of the invaders; both sides are aware of this, and therefore,1. Ben-hadad’s proud spirit sends Ahab a very insolent demand, v. 2, 3. A parley is sounded, and a trumpeter (we may suppose) is sent into the city, to let Ahab know that he will raise the siege upon condition that Ahab become his vassal (Nay, his villain), and not only pay him a tribute out of what he has, but make over his title to Ben-hadad, and hold all at his will, even his wives and children, the godliest of them. The manner of expression is designed to gall them; "All shall be mine, without exception."2. Ahab’s poor spirit sends Ben-hadad a very disgraceful submission. It is general indeed (he cannot mention particulars in his surrender with so much pleasure as Ben-hadad did in his demand), but it is effectual: I am thine, and all that I have, v. 4. See the effect of sin. (1.) If he had not by sin provoked God to depart from him, Ben-hadad could not have made such a demand. Sin brings men into such straits, by putting them out of divine protection. If God may not rule us, our enemies shall. A rebel to God is a slave to all besides. Ahab had prepared his silver and gold for Baal, Hos. 2:8. Justly therefore is it taken from him; such an alienating amounts to a forfeiture. (2.) If he had not by sin wronged his own conscience, and set that against him, he could not have made such a mean surrender. Guilt dispirits men, and makes them cowards. He knew Baal could not help, and had no reason to think that God would, and therefore was content to buy his life upon any terms. Skin for skin, and all that is dear to him, he will give for it; he will rather live a beggar than not die a prince.3. Ben-hadad’s proud spirit rises upon his submission, and becomes yet more insolent and imperious, v. 5, 6. Ahab had laid his all at his feet, at his mercy, expecting that one king would use another generously, that this acknowledgment of Ben-hadad’s sovereignty would content him, the honour was sufficient for the present, and he might hereafter make use of it if he saw cause (Satis est prostrasse leoni—It suffices the lion to have laid his victim prostrate); but this will not serve. (1.) Ben-hadad is as covetous as he is proud, and cannot go away unless he have the possession as well as the dominion. He thinks it not enough to call it his, unless he have it in his hands. He will not so much as lend Ahab the use of his own goods above a day longer. (2.) He is as spiteful as he is haughty.

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Translations8 · 5

AMHEVG የሶርያም ንጉሥ ወልደ አዴር ጭፍራውን ሁሉ ሰበሰበ፤ ከእርሱም ጋር ሠላሳ ሁለት ነገሥት ነበሩ፥ ፈረሶችና ሰረገሎችም ነበሩ፤ ወጥቶም ሰማርያን ከበበ፥ ወጋትም። አማርኛ BCV ወልደ ኣዴር ንጉስ ሶርያ ድማ ዅሉ ሰራዊቱ ኣኽተተ። ሰላሳን ክልተን ነገስታት ምስ ኣፍራሶምን ሰረገላታቶምን ከዓ ምስኡ ነበሩ። ደዪቡ ድማ ንሰማርያ ኸቢቡ ተዋግኣ። ትግርኛ GAZBIB Ben-Hadaad mootiin Sooriyaa loltoota isaa hundumaa walitti in qabate; kana birattis mootota soddomii lama abboota farde… Afaan Oromoo BCV GIZ ወአስተጋብአ ወልደ አዴር ኵሎ ኀይሎ ወዓርገ ወዐገታ ለሰማርያ ወነበረ ይሰቀቦሙ ወሀለዉ ምስሌሁ ፴ወ፪ነገሥት ወኵሉ አፍራሲሆሙ ወሰረገላቲሆሙ ወዐርጉ ወዐገትዋ ለሰማርያ ወቀተልዋ። giz GAZGAZ Ben-Hadaad mootiin Sooriyaa loltoota isaa hundumaa walitti in qabate; kana birattis mootota soddomii lama abboota farde… Afaan Oromoo BCV aksum ወልደ ኣዴር ንጉስ ሶርያ ድማ ዅሉ ሰራዊቱ ኣኽተተ። ሰላሳን ክልተን ነገስታት ምስ ኣፍራሶምን ሰረገላታቶምን ከዓ ምስኡ ነበሩ። ደዪቡ ድማ ንሰማርያ ኸቢቡ ተዋግኣ። ትግርኛ AMHNIV በዚህ ጊዜ የሶርያ ንጉሥ ቤን ሀዳድ መላ ሰራዊቱን በአንድነት አሰባሰበ፤ ከእርሱም ጋር ሠላሳ ሁለት ነገሥታት ከነፈረሶቻቸውና ከነሠረገሎቻቸው አብረውት ነበሩ፤ ወጥቶም ሰማርያን ከቦ ወጋት። አማርኛ SWAHSUV Basi, Benhadadi mfalme wa Shamu akakusanya jeshi lake lote; nao walikuwapo wafalme thelathini na wawili pamoja naye, na… Kiswahili