Westminster Annotations, 1 Kings (3 Kings) · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX.
Vers. 1. BEn-hadad] The son of him that spoiled sundry cities in Israel, Chap. 15. 20.
kings] Of counties or provinces, such as Joshua destroyed in Canaan, Josh. 12. 7, &c.
went up] For Samaria was on an hill, Chap. 16. 24.
V. 2. sent messengers] Being confident of victory.
V. 3. is mine] Is at my command and disposing, v. 5, 6.
V. 4. my lord, O king] An acknowledgement of subjection.
according to thy saying] As I conceive the purport of thy message to be.
I am thine] As tributary to thee.
all that I have] I hold in fealty under thee. Fear made him take his enemies demand in the first sense, and so to yeeld to his demand.
V. 5. Although I have sent] Though my message be so interpreted by thee, as if I intended no more then homage and fealty to be yeelded by thee to me, yet my purpose is to have the possession of all, as v. 6. Ben-hadad observing Ahab to stand in fear of him, grows more and more upon him
V. 6. search] To see what is laid up therein, that they may bring it to me.
pleasant] Heb. desireable.
pleasant in thine eyes] Thou desirest to keep, and art loth to part withall.
put it in thine hand] Take it up from thee, to bring it to me.
V. 7. all the elders] His ancient grave counsellours that were with him in the city. See Chap. 8. v. 1.
seeketh mischief] Not victory and soveraignty onelyonly over us, but our utter ruine and destruction.
I denied him not] Heb. I kept not …ack from him; That which at first I conceived him to aim at, namely, to make me and mine tributary to him.
V. 8. and all the people] For Ahab propounded his case to the elders in the audience of the people.
nor consent] To his later demand: stand it out rather to the uttermost.
V. 9. my lord the king] Vers. 4.
at the first] Namely, that I and mine should be tributary to thee.
this thing] To put all presently into thine hand.
V. 10. The gods do so to me] Chap. 19. 2.
if the dust] A proverbiall insolent …peech, whereby he boasts of the multitude of his souldiers, to affright his enemy therewith: it is as if he had said, I swear that I will bring more souldiers into Samaria, then there are handfulls of dust therein.
follow me] Heb. are at my feet, Exod. 11. 8. Judg. 4. 10.
V. 11. Let not him, &c.] Another proverbiall speech, which shews that the issue of war is uncertain; and that it is a point of folly, to triumph before the battell is ended.
V. 12. message] Heb. word.
drinking] To excesse (v. 16.) as men too confident of victory.
the kings] That assisted him, v. 1, 16.
pavilions] Or, tents.
Set your selves in ardy] Or, Place the engines: And they placed engines.
V. 13. came] Heb. approached.
and thou shalt know] This was the end why God foretold the deliverance and victory following, lest he should ascribe it to his idolls, or to chance So v. 28.
V. 14. by the young men of the princes] Who were either their sons, or their pages and attendants. In mans opinion such were most unfit for such a work; but God so ordered it, that the victory might more manifestly appear to be from him. So Judg. 7. 2.
order] Heb. linde, or tie.
Thou] Meaning the king himself, that so the young men might the more will…ngly undertake that task, as 2 S…m. 17. 11.
V. 15. two hundred and thirty two] Which were to be captains and leaders.
all the people] That were left in Samaria.
V. 16. at noon] The time where…n it was likely that the enemy would more think of eating and drinking then of warring. See v. 12.
V. 17. sen… out] Having intelligence that some marched out of the city, as the words following shew.
V. 18. for peace] It was against the law of arms to surprise ambassadours of peace: their message should have been heard, if they had come for peace.
take them alive] That I may deal with them as I see cause: he thought that they were no way able to withstand him.
V. 19. young man, &c.] See v. 14.
V. 20. every one his man] Both the young men, and the rest of the people that followed, slew seven thousand two hundred and thirty and two at the least; even as many of the enemies that came to apprehend them, as they themselves were in number.
V. 21. went out] With such troops of horse as he had.
V. 22. the prophet] That foretold this victory, v. 13.
and said] Having, by divine revelation, knowledge of the enemies purposes, as 2 King. 6. 52.
strengthen thy self] Every way, both by externall preparations, and by seeking divine assistance.
return of the yeer] When the time is seasonable for warre, 1 Chron. 21. 1. See on 2 Sam. 11. 1.
V. 23. of the hills] Dwelling on hills, and protecting their dwelling places. This they say, because of the many high places which the Israelites had on hills.
in the plain] For Samaria (about which they fought before) was on a mountain.
and surely] Heb. if not. A concise speech ordinarily used in forms of oaths: for making up the sense, something must be supplied; as see, or trie if we prove not stronger. So Gen. 14. 23.
V. 24. the kings] For kings use not to be expert and hardie enough for difficult and dangerous exploits, nor so submissive to military discipline as captains.
captains] Of thine own dominions, and under thy subjection, which are like to stand out the battell more couragiously.
V. 25. like] In number, in prowesse, in all furniture.
that thou hast lest] Heb. that was fallen.
in the plain] Whither their gods will not come down to help them. See v. 23.
V. 26. at the return of the yeer] When it was fit to bring an a… my into the field. See v. 22.
Aphek] A city in the tribe of Asher, bordering upon … Sidonians (Josh. 13. 4. and 19. 30.) Here sundry o… the … naanites continued to dwell, Judg. 1. 31. at this time the Syr… had some command therein. See v. 30.
to fight against Israel] Heb. to war with Israel.
V. 27. were all present] Or, were victualled. It may be meant of persons or things: all that were appointed came to the battell; or, all necessaries were provided for them.
two] Divided into two armies.
little flocks] Few in number, compared to the huge host of the Syrians.
of kinds] Weak; not furnished with such warlike provision as the Syrians: so as in number of souldiers, and warlike preparations, the Syrians much exceeded the Israelites.
V. 28. a man of God] The prophet, mentioned, v. 13, 22.
God of the hills] See v. 23.
shall know] See v. 13.
V. 29. seven dayes] So long they continued in battell-aray one against the other (as 1 Sam. 17. 2, 3.) and one of those days must needs be the sabbath, as Josh. 6. 15.
an hundred thousand] Many more then every one his man, as verse 20.
V. 30. to Aphek] This sheweth that Aphek was now in the Syrians power. See v. 26.
fell] As Luk. 1. 3. 4. This might be by some earth-quake.
into an inner chamber] Or, from chamber to chamber. Heb. into a chamber within a chamber; Where he might best hide himself. See Chap. 22. 25.
V. 31. mercifull kings] Heb. kings of mercy.
put sackcloth] In token of sorrow for taking up arms against Israel.
ropes] In token of our desert of death.
V. 32. my brother] Of the same calling whereof I am, and one whom I respect as a brother. A foolish courtesie. See v. 42. See Chap. 9. 13.
V. 33. any thing] That they might work upon.
hastily catch it] Heb. hastned and catched; Presently took the word out of his mouth.
Thy brother] He whom thou vouchsafest to call brother, yet liveth.
V. 34. from thy father] Baasha thy predecessour, Chap. 15. 20.
streets] Places for thy people to walk and trade in; or markets, out of which thou mayest, as thou pleasest, have toll: or places where thou mayest appoint judges to hear thy peoples causes: or garisons of souldiers.
I will send thee away] Herein he dealt too remisly, as appears, verse 42.
V. 35. sons of the prophets] See Chap. 18. v. 4. He is called a prophet, v. 38.
in the word of the Lord] By the LORDS command, which he made known unto his neighbour, as appears, v. 36.
Smite me] So as the stroke may be seen, and they that look on me may perceive that I have been smitten.
V. 36. voice of the Lord] Made known unto him, v. 35.
a lion] As Chap. 13. 24.
V. 37. so that in smiting he wounded him] Heb. smiting and wounding; So as blood followed upon the smiting: this a servant of God was willing to endure at Gods▪ command: so Ch…ist, Isai. 53. 5.
V. 38. with ashes] So sprinkled or laid on his face besmeared with blood, as it could not readily be known who he was. The Hebrew expositors say, That he disguised himself with a cover on his face. See Chap. 14. 2. and 22. 30.
V. 39. Thy servant] He relateth this in way of a parable, to bring Ahab to give judgement against himself, as 2 Sam. 12. 1, &c.
a man] A commander under whom I served.
brought] A captive or prisoner taken in the warre.
by any means he be missing] Heb. missing he be missed.
thy life, &c.] Thou shalt die for him, Exod. 21. 23.
pay] Heb. weigh.
a talent] Three hundred seventy and five pounds. See the Notes on Chap. 16. 24. and on 1 Chron. 22. 14.
V. 40. he was gone] Heb. he was not; The prisoner slipt away.
So] As thou hast said, either to render thy self, or a talent of silver.
thy self hast decided it] By testifying that thou tookest the prisoner on the condition expressed.
V. 41. took the ashes] By wiping his face clean.
discerned him] In that he knew him before; or by some gesture and habit proper to prophets.
V. 42. Because thou hast let go out of thy hand] Chap. 22. 73.
a man] Ben-hadad, an implacable enemy of Israel.
whom I appointed, &c.] Heb. of my curse. It is probable that the prophet who foretold the victory (v. 28.) gave it also in charge, that the king and all should be destroyed: if not, yet the law expresly enjoyned as much, Deut. 7. 2. The word wherby Achans sin is set forth is here used, Josh. 7. 1. See 1 Sam. 15. 18, &c.
thy life shall go for his] Verse 39. Thou and thy people shall be destroyed. See this accomplished, Chap. 22. 34, &c.
V. 43. displeased] At the prophets words, whereby the joy and glory of the victory was turned away, as 2 Sam. 19. 2. See Chap. 21. 4.
and came] When he came▪