And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city ,.... Who there remained, and attempted not to go forth and meet him, and stop his progress, though he must have passed great part of his dominions to come to Samaria: and said unto him, thus saith Benhadad ; by them, his messengers, as follows. read more
Thy silver and thy gold is mine ,.... Not of right, but reckoning it as good as in his hands, Ahab not being able to resist him: and thy wives also ; for it seems he had more than Jezebel: and thy children ; which were many, for he had no less than seventy sons, 2 Kings 10:1 , even the goodliest are mine : some aggravate this, as if his view was to commit the unnatural sin with his male children, when in his possession. read more
And the king of Israel answered and said, my lord, O king ,.... So he said to Benhadad's messengers, representing him, as acknowledging his sovereignty over him: according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have : which he understood of holding all that he had of him, by giving him homage, and paying him tribute; not that he was to deliver all his substance, and especially his wives and children, into his hands. read more
And the messengers came again ,.... From Benhadad: and said, thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, although I have sent unto thee, saying : at the first message: thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children ; into his possession, and not as Ahab understood it, that he should be his vassal, and pay a yearly tribute for his quiet enjoyment of them; yet even this he would not now abide by, growing still more haughty upon the mean submission of Ahab, as by... read more
Yet I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time ,.... He gave him twenty four hours to consider of it: and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants ; the royal palace, and the houses of the noblemen, and even of every of his subjects in Samaria: and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant (or desirable) in thine eyes, they shall put it in, their hand, and take it away ; not be content with what should be given, but search for more; and if any in... read more
I am thine , and all that I have - He probably hoped by this humiliation to soften this barbarous king, and perhaps to get better conditions. read more
Whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes - It is not easy to discern in what this second requisition differed from the first; for surely his silver, gold, wives, and children, were among his most pleasant or desirable things. Jarchi supposes that it was the book of the law of the Lord which Ben-hadad meant, and of which he intended to deprive Israel. It is however evident that Ben-hadad meant to sack the whole city, and after having taken the royal treasures and the wives and children... read more
The Spirit of War. In human histories so much is made of brilliant uniforms, scientific discipline, skilful manoeuvres, exploits, surprises, and successes, that readers are carried away with "the pomp and circumstance" of so-called "glorious war." In the text we have the other side; and we are reminded of the appeal of James: "From whence come wars and fightings among you? Come they not hence, even of your own lusts that war in your members?" ( James 4:1 .) Conspicuous amongst these is— ... read more
Veiled Mercies . I. AHAB 'S EXTREMITY ( 1 Kings 20:1-11 ). God's goodness to the froward is shown by His bringing them into circumstances where they may prove and know Him. The clouds they "so much dread are big with mercy." 1 . The land is overrun and the capital besieged . The fruit of sin is difficulty and disaster. The land and the life which will not acknowledge God will know at last what it is to be bereft of His protecting care and the ministrations of His goodness.... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 20:1-11
Here is, I. The threatening descent which Ben-hadad made upon Ahab's kingdom, and the siege he laid to Samaria, his royal city, 1 Kgs. 20:1. 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 (1 Kgs.... read more