A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 20
1 Kings CHAP. XX.
THIS Chapter is a Narrative of Ahab's two great Victories over the Syrians for two years together: Firſt, of the firſt Victory, in which the Antecedents, Concomitants and Conſequents are remarkable.
Remarks firſt upon the Antecedents: As, 1. Benhadad (the Son of him who had ſpoiled ſundry Cities in Iſrael, chap. 15.20. and the ſame whom Hazael murdered and ſucceeded, 2 Kings 8.15.) waged War againſt Ahab. The Cauſe of this War is variouſly aſſigned: As, (1.) The Syrians above thirty years before had been invited in by Aſa, to aſſiſt him againſt Baaſha, and then conquering ſome Cities, 1 Kings 15.17, 18. they had felt the ſweetneſs of the Soil of Iſrael, and now they would have all. N.B. This is oft the fate of calling in Forein Powers for the ſuppreſſion of an home-bred Enemy. The Remedy oft proves worſe than the Diſeaſe. The 2d. Cauſe (ſaith P. Martyr) was Ahab's refuſing to pay Tribute to Benhadad, which before he had paid him for thoſe Cities that had been taken from Baaſha, and ſome alſo from Omri Ahab's Father, not mention'd in ſacred Story, but implied here, ver. 34. But the 3d. and true Cauſe of this War, was God's great diſpleaſure againſt Iſrael for their Idolatry and Apoſtaſie, and Benhadad's Ambition (in amplifying thoſe Conqueſts his Father had made, chap. 15.20.) was but the Rod in God's hand to chaſtize the Impiety of his Children.
Remark the Second; Benhadad gathers a vaſt Hoſt, conſiſting of thirty two Kings, &c. wherewith he comes up and beſieged Samaria the Metropolis of the Ten Tribes, deſigning to catch and conquer that Kingdom wholly to himſelf, ver. 1. Hereupon he ſends his Embaſſadors from the Siege into the City, to demand all Ahab's Treaſures, his Wives and Children, &c. ver. 2, 3. or expect no Peace, but a ſudden Aſſault.
Remark the Third; Timorous Ahab, finding himſelf not only hard preſſed with a cloſe Siege without, but alſo worſe oppreſſed with a guilty Conſcience within, makes a moſt puſillanimous Truckle to Benhadad's inſolent Demands, ſaying, [I am thine, and all that I have] ver. 4. An evil Conſcience was the cauſe of this Cowardice. N.B. Some indeed more charitably call this Prudence in Ahab, that by a ſoft Anſwer he might mollifie the mind of a Barbarian King, ſo ſaith Menochius; and that he ſpake not this ſeriouſly, but only officiouſly to pacifie Benhadad; nor would ſuch a proud Imperious Dame (as was Jezebel) ſuffer him to do otherwiſe, as loth enough to be delivered up into the hands of Barbarous Benhadad. And Dr. Hall ſaith, that Ahab did wiſely, (like a Reed in the Tempeſt) ſtoop to this violent Charge of ſo potent an Enemy, he being but half a King, while the Kingdom of Judah was divided from him, and Benhadad had two and thirty Kings in conjunction with him. It is not for the over-powered to expoſtulate in Capitulations; weakneſs muſt not argue, but yield. Might many times runs down Right.
Remark the Fourth; Benhadad inſolently incroacheth upon this firſt ſubmiſſion of Ahab, ver. 5, 6. Ahab offers to be a Tributary King to him, and to hold his All in Homage and Fealty under him; ſo the propriety and preſent poſſeſſion might be but his. No, ſaith Benhadad, in his ſecond Meſſage, I will not only have Dominion over thy All, but I will have preſent poſſeſſion of thy All, without any ſubordinate Intereſt reſerved to thy ſelf, and not of thy All only, but the All of all thy Subjects ſhall be mine in hold alſo: Thus Inſolency is both unſatiable and unreaſonable too; The unjuſt knows no ſhame, Zeph. 3.5. he will have his Jezebel too, together with the Treaſure of the City, as well as the Royal City, and all the Caſh, Jewels, Plate and portable goods of the Citizens; All ſhall be actually mine (ſaith he); nor will I ſtay till thou deliver them, but I will ſend to fetch them.
Remark the Fifth, Upon the Antecedents; Ahab now conſults with the Elders (whoſe wealth was now equally involved and incroached upon with his own, ver. 7. P. Martyr marks well here, that Ahab neither conſulted God at this pinch, nor acknowledged the true cauſe of it. He tells thoſe Elders, I have not denied to become his Vaſſal, but nothing will ſatisfie him, ſave the plundering of our Houſes, the raviſhing of our Wives, and the ſpoiling us of our All that is comfortable. This over-ſtrained ſubjection turns deſperate, and hereupon the Elders adviſe him to a Denial, and rather ſtand it out to the Iſſue of a bloody War, ver. 8. Then Ahab gave in his Denial but faintly, in ſaying, [I may not do it] ver. 9. whereas a right generous Spirit would have ſaid [I will not do it] thy incroaching Terms (required) are worſe than death, &c. N.B. Ahab was of ſuch an Abject Temper, that he would have ſubmitted to the ſecond Meſſage (ſaith P. Martyr) but that he feared a Sedition among his Subjects, ſending his Anſwer in ſuch a ſordid dreſs [Tell my Lord the King, that thy Servant will do all demanded at firſt.] He might as well have ſaid, [and the ſecond too, but my Subjects will not ſuffer me.]
Remark the Sixth; Ahab's Denial puts Benhadad into a deſperate Out-rage, ver. 10. He ſtamps and ſtares, he brags and threats, yea and ſwears by his Gods, that he would immediately turn the City Samaria into a Duſt-heap: And tho' every of his Souldiers ſhould but each take up one hand-full, they ſhall be ſufficient to carry the whole City out of its place. N.B. Such prodigious Pride and Preſumption uſually precedes utter Deſtruction, which all Benhadad's Dunghil-Deities could not deliver from. Now indeed Ahab anſwered wiſely, ver. 11. and a little more couragiouſly than before, leaving out that ſlaviſh Title [My Lord] but uſeth a Proverbial ſpeech [Let not him that girds on his Armour▪ boaſt as he that puts it off. N.B. 'Tis ſublime folly, to ſound a Trumpet before a Victory be won: Events of War are uncertain, and therefore not to be ſworn beforehand, but rather ſedulouſly to be Atchieved. He is a confident fool that ſells the Hide, before the Beaſt be taken, and accordingly it proved; for Benhadad himſelf had much ado to ſave his own Skin by flight, which many of his Souldiers loſt with their lives, not taking an hand-f…ll of Samaria's duſt with them.
The ſecond part of the firſt War, is the Concomitants thereof.
Remarks upon it are, Firſt, Bragging Benhadad receives Ahab's Denial of his Tyrannical Demands, with an outragious ſcorn: He and the Kings in the Pavilion with him, drank down all Anxiety about the Anſwer, as making themſelves Cock-ſure of the Victory, ver. 12. and Benhadad himſelf drank ſo freely of his Cups, until he was intoxicated ver. 16. as if Wine ſhould make way for Blood; and inſtead of making good what he had Thraſonically boaſted (to turn Samaria into a Dust-heap) behold he turns himſelf into a Beaſt, by being drunk. N.B. Drunkenneſs is one of the worſt Counſellors; many men do that when they are drunk, for which they are hang'd, when they are ſober. Drunken Benhadad (now in his Altitudes of Pride and Preſumption) became ripe for his own Ruine, however in contempt of the God of Iſrael, and in confidence of his own helpleſs Gods he had ſo luſtily ſworn by, ver. 10. he commands his battering Engines to be prepared, and his Army to make ready for Aſſaulting and Storming Samaria.
Remark the Second, Brings in the [Behold] ver. 13. Oh the matchleſs Mercy of God, in ſending a Prophet to Ahab, who had perſecuted his Prophets, chap. 18.4, &c. P. Martyr makes this Divine Act of Grace marvelouſly remarkable, that one of God's Prophets (whom Ahab perſecuted to death) ſhould now be ſent to him in his deepeſt Diſtreſs, to comfort him with Tidings of his Deliverance and Triumph after all his Miracles by Elijah (both of fetching Fire and Water from Heaven) were unprofitably ſpent upon him. Ahab had promiſed much (when he and all Iſrael ſaw enough to ſay [that the Lord was God, and not Baal] chap. 18.39.) but he had performed nothing, yet God deſtroys him not, but will here even Hire him to be good, that by a Victory he might better know that [the Lord is good, and the Lord of Hoſts] and neither Baal nor the Golden Calves. Why God promiſes Victory to wicked Ahab here, P. Martyr renders theſe Reaſons: 1. That Ahah might be left without the leaſt excuſe, and the Juſtice of God be the more illuſtrated thereby. 2. That God might ſhew how eaſily he can ſuppreſs the proudeſt and powerfulleſt of his Enemies, when it is his pleaſure ſo to do. 3. God had reſpect to his ſeven thouſand Servants, that kept tight in that corrupt time, and bowed not to Baal, &c. 4. Of all ſorts of Sinners God cannot abide the proud and preſumptuous Boaſters. N.B. Such have Nemeſin in tergo (as the Greeks call it) Vengeance upon their backs: God reſiſteth the prou, [foreign] ſets himſelf in Battle-array againſt ſuch, Jame 4.6. as Benhadad here ſet himſelf in Battle-array againſt God; he Deified himſelf as if a God, and therefore God Deſied him as an Invader of his Glory. Ahab indeed was very lewd, but Benhadad was both more lewd, and more lofty; ſo God could not abide the ſight of him, Pſal. 138.6. but reſolves to hurl this proud Luciſer out of his ſuppoſed Heaven: As Ahab, being bad, ſhall be ſcourged with the Rod of Benhadad's fear; ſo Benhadad being far worſe, ſhall be ſmitten (ſaith Dr. Hall) with the Sword of Ahab's Revenge, &c.
Remark the 3d. As bad as Ahab was, when in his Diſtreſs, He had called in vain (ſaith Sanctius) for help from Baal, &c. He can now liſten to one of God's Prophets (whom he had perſecuted) and begs direction from him how this Deliverance might be accompliſhed which the Prophet had promiſed from the true God, ver. 14. N.B. Even the worſt of wicked men, when in deſperate ſtraits, and having but the Natural Conſcience awakened thereby, will not diſdain to deſire help from God, as thoſe poor Pagan Mariners in Jonah's Ship, under a moſt diſmal Storm, every one of them cryed unto his God; and leſt they ſhould all miſs the true God, they deſired Jonah to call upon his God, Jonah 1. v. 4, 5, 6. and at laſt they all cry unto the true Jehovah, ver. 14. Jonah 1. So Ahab here hearkens to what this Prophet ſpake from the Lord, when all his Idols fail'd him.
Remark the Fourth; The Prophet tells him (not from himſelf, but) from the Lord, who ſhould be the Inſtruments, and who ſhould be their Captain: Ahab gives credit to God's Word, puts his Divine Direction into preſent Execution, ver. 15. wherein, tho' he was a wicked man, yet acts not like ſuch an one. N.B. For ſome in ſuch a caſe would have argued [Alas! thoſe Young men of the Princes (Noble men's Sons) have been bred up in Delicacies, ſo are but freſh-water Souldiers, Carpet-Knights, fitter for a Canopy than for a Camp, and to Court fine Ladies, rather than to Encounter a fierce Enemy; they are not ſo well experienced in handling a Military Lance in War, as they are in toſſing curious Court-Complements in Peace, &c.] Beſide, Ahab might have objected againſt the Number of them, as well as againſt their Quality, ſaying, [What, are theſe two hundred and thirty Courtiers able to match Benhadad's ſo many more Kings and old experienced Captains and Commanders? and what can ſeven thouſand Men (which is all we can muſter) do againſt ſuch a numberleſs number of the Syrian Army that doth beſiege us, &c?] Not a word of any ſuch murmuring nature do we hear from this Impious Ahab; no, he diſputes not, but diſpatches God's Command. The Prophet had aſſured him before-hand, that by thoſe very Men and Means Victory ſhould be got, that when obtained, the Thanks for it might not be aſcribed to Chance, Baal, or Calves, &c.
Remark the Fifth; Ahab having god God's Word for his Warrant, and God's Inſtruments at his heels (both the 230 Captains, and the 7000 Souldiers, N.B. which Peter Martyr ſuppoſes to be thoſe mentioned, chap. 19 18. that were faithful, and fled thither for Refuge, and all others not daring to adventure upon ſuch a deſperate Deſign) with thoſe he marches forth, not ſtaying to be aſſaulted by the Aſſaulting Syrians, but to Aſſault the Aſſaulters at Noon-time of day, ver. 16. when they were eating and drinking, and ſecure from all fear and expectation of any Aſſault; and when Benhadad himſelf was ſo Jovial with his Kings, that he drank himſelf drunk with exceſſive drinking, ſo could not order or direct for any Defence.
Remark the Sixth; This Hand full of Iſrael, God bleſſeth with a compleat Victory over the vast Host of Syria, ver. 17, to 21.
Mark 1. The young Princes went out firſt as a Forlorn-Hope, to make the firſt On-ſet upon the Syrians. Such Courage had the Lord of Hosts given them to embolden their followers, ver. 17.
Mark 2. Benhadad's Scouts eſpied them firſt coming out of the City; they tell their King, he commands in his Cups [take them Alive] ver. 18. he ſaith not [fight them] for he thought (ſaith Grotius) they needed not ſtrike one ſtroke; the notion of his drunken Noddle was, that he had Victory in his own hands. Beſides, ſuppoſe they had come forth to treat for Peace, the Law of Nations was broke (ſaith P. Martyr) in laying violent hands upon Embaſſadors. This drunken, confident fool thought to win the Field by a word.
Mark 3. The Noon-day Security of the Syrians in the midſt of their ſurfeiting and drunkenneſs, expoſed them to deſtruction, inſomuch that thoſe ſeven thouſand two hundred thirty two of Iſraelites, ſlew at the leaſt, ſo many of thoſe Syrians that were ſent to apprehend them: Every one ſlew his man, ver. 18, 19.
Mark 4. This firſt Succeſs of Iſrael againſt the Syrians, daunted the whole Hoſt, eſpecially the Lord of Hoſts ſtriking them with a Panick fear, they all under conſternation forſook the Field, and fled in dreadful confuſion; yea, boaſting Benhadad and his Kings (ſaith Dr Hall) were more beholden to their Horſes, than to their Gods, or to themſelves for ſafety, ver. 20.
Mark 5. Then the King of Iſrael went out, ver. 21. which expreſſion cauſeth Vatablus to think that Ahab went forth in the laſt place, and not till he ſaw the Syrians put to flight. However, he Rallied what Troops he had, and made a farther purſuit of the Victory, ſlaying thoſe that were attempting to eſcape by Horſes and Chariots, many of which, being amazed with that cowardly paſſion of fear (wherewith the Lord had ſmitten them) made themſelves a prey to the purſuers, and ſo came to paſs the great Slaughter, v. 21.
The third part of this firſt Battle, is the Conſequents of it, ver. 22.
Mark 1. The ſame Prophet that had foretold Ahab of the former Victory (whom ſome ſuppoſe to be Micaiab, or one of thoſe hid by Obadiah) cometh again, and foretells him by a Divine Revelation of the purpoſes of thoſe conquered Syrians, concerning a ſecond Re-encounter at the year's return. Here P. Martyr admires the free Mercy of God, thus to warn a wicked King again.
Mark 2. We hear nothing of Ahab's publick Thanksgiving for his great Victory, or any Reformation of his life. This Prophet bids him, prepare for another Bruſh, and ſtrengthen thy ſelf, and mind thy hits. Here was fair Caution for Ahab to Repent of his Idolatry, and to be reconciled unto God; What means might more ſtrengthen him than his ſo doing?
Mark 3. An Enemy once foil'd (ſaith Peter Martyr) ought not to be contemned; he may Recruit (as here) and make another on ſet: So our ſpiritual Adverſaries alway hate us, though once quell'd, depart only for a ſeaſon, Luke 4.13. prepare therefore for renewed Rallyings, and new Attempts, &c.
Ahab's Second War with Benhadad, wherein are remarkable alſo, Antecedents, Concomitants and conſequents
Firſt the Antecedents afford the firſt Remarks, as, Firſt, The Syrians Conſultation about renewing the War, for recovering their loſt Reputation, as well as Riches, Arms and Lives in their former foul Defeat, ver. 23. wherein they conſult firſt about the Place of their former fight, as altogether inconvenient, ſaying, [Iſrael's Gods are Gods of the Hills, &c.] Indeed the Idolatry of Iſrael at this time had given thoſe blind Pagans too much cauſe to imagin, that Iſrael's Gods were no better than the Syrian Idols. N B. Paganiſm had taught all gentile Nations, that there were ſome Gods of the Woods, ſome of the Rivers, others of the Valleys, and others of the Mountains; and they fancied thoſe to be the Gods of Iſrael; becauſe, 1. it was a Mountainous Country, Deut 12.2▪ 2. Solomon's Temple ſtood upon Mount Sion: 3. Samaria (where they had their late Defeat) was built upon an Hill, &c. 4. Iſrael generally chuſed High Places for the Worſhip of their Gods: Therefore will the Syrians chuſe the plain Champain Country wherein to fight the ſecond Battle, and this would be grateful to the Syrian Gods, which were Gods of the Valleys. Not a word all this time do they tell Benhadad of his Drunkenneſs, and of their own Cowardice, which were the true Cauſes of their late Miſcarriage: They only tell the King a Tale of their Tutelar Gods, which (had they been Gods indeed, Benhadad had notoriouſly diſoblig'd, by his ſo emphatically Swearing by them, that he would turn Samaria into a duſt-heap, yet ſo daſtardly running away without ſo much as one handful of its duſt either in his own, or in any of his Souldiers Hands. N. B. Sure I am, either he groſly ſhirk'd his Gods, or his Gods did ſhirk him: The truth is, becauſe the Syrian Army abounded with Horſemen, a Champain Country was more commodious for them.
Remark the Second; They conſult about the Perſons (as well as Place) who ſhould be chief Commanders, ver. 24, 25. They liked not that their Kings ſhould go again as Captains, looking upon them as of too ſoft an Education, and unexperienced in Military Matters, better at toſſing a Pot than a Pike, and fitter (as one ſaith) to be Knights of Venus than of Bellona: In their ſteads they muſt have expert Captains of his own Subjects, that would be truly valorous for their own Advancement, and better obey the General's Commands than Kings will do, &c.
Remark the Third; Benhadad the King complies and concurs with the Counſel of thoſe his Counſellors, ver. 26. An Army is prepared number for number like the firſt, and they went to fight againſt Iſrael in Aphek, night to which was the great Plain of Gali…ce, and one of the Cities which Benhadad's Father had taken from Iſrael, ver. 34. whither the Syrians might retreat in caſe they were worſted: Then the former Army of Iſrael (the Seven thouſand, and the two hundred and thirty two Nobles in two diſtinct Bodies) Incamped upon the hilly Ground adjacent, where they might the better ſecure themſelves, ver. 27. and thoſe look'd like to two little Flocks of Kids (little for their number, and Kids for their wanting Warlike Proviſions) compared with the better furni…h'd Syrians, who filled the Country. Yet becauſe this few, weak and heartleſs Flock of Kids ſeem'd to be more than indeed they were upon high ground, and becauſe the Syrians had no encouragement from their Gods of the Valleys (as they eſteemed them) to aſſault this feeble Flock of Iſrael while they kept upon the Hills, this might be the reaſon why they faced one another for ſeven days, ver. 29.
Remark the Fourth, The God of Iſrael, out of his compaſſion to Iſrael (under ſo vaſt a diſadvantage of inequality, as well as ſuch notorious unworthineſs through Idolatry) ſends the ſame Man of God again to comfort their bad King, ver. 28. ſaying, [Becauſe the Syrians have ſo undervalued the true Jehovah, as if he were not the Ʋniverſal Lord of all Places, Perſons and Things; though they have changed their Kings into Captains, and their Hills into Valleys, &c. yet ſhall they find more Graves in the Plains, than they did in the Mountains before, and more prodigious Deſtruction ſhall now befal them, that Ahab and Iſrael (tho' Idolatrous) may know that the Lord, and not Baal, is the true God, for God will work for his own great Name's ſake, but not for your ſake, Ezek. 20.8, 14, 22, 24. and 36.21, 22.
Now come the Concomitants, the ſecond Part, in which there be,
Remark the Firſt, The Battle joins, after they had ſtood in Battle aray each againſt other for ſeven days, upon the ſeventh day, ver. 29. From whence it is manifeſt (ſaith P. Martyr) that they exerciſed Military Matters upon their Sabbath day, as they had done at Jericho's Siege, Joſh▪ 6.15. at leaſt one of thoſe ſeven Days was the Sabbath: Then did this handful of Iſrael (having the God of Iſrael, the Lord of Hoſts with them) fall on and ſlew an Hundred thouſand Syrians, which was manifold more than every one his Man, as they had done in the firſt Battle, ver. 20.
Remark the Second; The reſt ran to Aphek for Refuge, ver. 30. but no place can ſecure Blaſphemers from the ſtroke of divine Vengeance, the very Walls of that City (under which they ſhelter'd themſelves) were over-turn'd by an Earthquake (as Jericho's Walls had been before) and deſtroyed twenty and ſeven thouſand more by falling upon them: Thus the Lord's hand ſupplied the few hands of Iſrael.
The Third Part is the Conſequents of this Fight, from ver. 31, to ver. 43. wherein is a Narrative in general, of the baſe abuſe Ahab made of this glorious Victory; he being the Conquering King, moſt fordidly made a League with Benhadad the Conquered King.
Remarks upon it are, Firſt, The making of this League, wherein,
Mark 1. The moving Cauſe; Proud Benhadad (that had boaſted ſuch big words of the Dust of Samaria, and ſwore by his Gods he would kill and conquer all before him,) is now glad to hide his haughty Head in the darkeſt hole he could find in Aphek; his Courtiers come and finding his pride turned into fear, they comfort him with hope of Mercy from the fame [That the Kings of Iſrael were merciful Kings, &c.] ver 31. Indeed David and Solomon were ſo, but Baaſha, Zimri, &c. were not ſo. However, ſure I am, the God of Iſrael is ſo to ſuch as are truly penitent, which we have heard and ſeen, &c.
Mark 2. The Viciſſitude of Human Affairs (ſaith P. Martyr:) Ahab had called this proud Man his Lord, &c. ver. 4.9 but now it is [Thy Servant Benhadad] ver. 32. His Crown is turned into a Rope, and Robes into Sack cloth; 'twas [Thy Lord Benhadad ſaith] now 'tis [Thy Servant Benhadad ſaith, Let me live, &c.]
Mark 3. This humble ſeeking of mercy in ſo ſubmiſſive a manner, created in Ahab a credulous and fooliſh courteſie, ver. 33. ſaying, [He is my Brother]; Was he not ſlain among the Multitude? I will embrace him as my Brother; yet this Brother fought with Ahab for his Life not long after, Chap. 22.31.
Mark 4. The Meſſengers catch at this word [Brother] as the drowning man ſnatches at any twig; N. B. So ought we to do at any Promiſe, hearkning what God will ſpeak to our diſtreſſed Spirits, Pſal. 85.8. They bring to him this Brother, ver. 33. the Covenant is ſtruck, ver. 34. which Benhadad kept not, for Ramoth Gilead was not reſtored, Chap. 22.4. Benhadad eſcapes Ahab, but not Hazael, 2 Kings 8.15. His Preſervation from preſent evil, was but his Reſervation for greater, &c.
Remark the Second, is, Ahab's Reproof for making a League with Benhadad.
Mark 1. A Seer diſguiſeth himſelf like a Soldier, and bids one of his Brother-Seers in the Name of the Lord to ſmite him, that he might be a Sign to Ahab, ver. 35. but becauſe he refuſed it (being diſobedient to the word of the Lord wherewith he was acquainted) a Lion ſlew him, ver. 36.
Mark 2. But the ſecond Son of the Prophets he ſpake to for the ſame end, did not dare to diſobey the Word of the Lord, though it ſeemed unreaſonable to human Reaſon, ſeeing many ſmite the Prophets at the Devil's bidding, when God forbids it [do my Prophets no harm, Pſal. 105.15.] but this was when God commanded, and therefore he obeys, and not only ſmites but wounds him, ver. 37. fearing that Inſtance of Diſobedience, chap. 13.24. and here alſo.
Mark 3. This wounded Seer then ſlurried his Face with Aſhes caſt upon the blood that ran out of his ſlaſhed Cheeks, way-lays Ahab, who had he appear'd as a Prophet, would not have heard him, eſpecially now when ſo fluſhed with his Victory, but he ſeeming one of his wounded Souldiers, had Audience, ver. 38.
Mark 4. He propounds his Parable much like to Nathan's, 2 Sam. 12.2, 3, 4. whereby he made Ahab judge againſt himſelf, as David had been, ver. 39, 40. there wanted only this here that was there, [Thou art the Man] diſmiſſing Benhadad.
Mark 5. The ſeeming Souldier diſcovers himſelf a real Seer, ſaying to Ahab [Thy Life ſhall go for his, and thy People for his,] ver. 41, 42. Saul ſpared Agag, and thou ſparedſt a Blaſphemer, ver. 28. (ſuch are dead by Law, Levit. 24.16.) and one whom God had plagu'd with two Defeats.
Mark 6. This Doom damps Ahab's triumphant Joy, having had many Experiences that God ſuffers not the words of his Prophets to fall to the ground, yet neither confeſſes he his Folly, nor calls upon God for pardoning his Sin, and putting away the Puniſhment, &c.