1 Kings 20:9

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:9

Wherefore he sent unto the messengers of Benhadad ,.... Upon the advice the elders had given him, and encouraged thereby, though in a poor sneaking manner after all: tell my lord the king, all that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do ; owning him as his lord, and himself as his servant, and promising to grant his first demand, though so insolent, in the sense he understood him, of paying tribute to him for it: but this thing I may not do ; to have not only all... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 20:1-11

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 20:1-21

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 20:1-43

The Purgatory of Nations and Kings. The two invasions of Israel by the armies of Syria, and their defeat by the finger of God, may suggest some lessons as to God's dealings with nations, and with oppressive and tyrannical kings. Two considerations must, however, be borne in mind here. First, that the present age, unlike the Mosaic, is not a dispensation of temporal rewards and punishments. It is true that even now men do receive a rough sort of retribution, according to their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 20:9

Wherefore [Heb. and ] he said unto the mcaeengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king [He still employs the same obsequious language as in verse 4], All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may [Heb. can ] not do [At first sight it appears as if Ahab objected to the search (verse 6), i.e; plunder, of his house and capital much more than to the surrender of his wives to shame and of his children to slavery. But we must remember that a man... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 20:9

" This thing I may not do ." "Better die than live in disgrace," says the Greek proverb. The king of Samaria was in a similar strait to those four logical lepers who, a few years later, in another siege, lay at the gate of the city ( 2 Kings 7:4 ). He could but die in any case, and he might perchance live if he stood on his defence. Even a worm will turn when trod upon. We should think scorn of Ahab, had he not made a stand for his life and wife and children. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 20:9-11

1 Kings 20:9-11. This thing I may not do If I would do it, I cannot; because my people will not suffer it. If the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls, &c. If I do not assault thy city with so potent and numerous an army, as shall turn it all into a heap of dust, and shall be sufficient to carry it all away, though every soldier take but one handful of it. See the like boast, 2 Samuel 17:13. The king of Israel said, Let not him that girdeth, &c. Do not triumph before the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:1-43

Defeat of Ben-hadad (20:1-43)Ahab appeared to be in serious trouble when a combined army of Syria (Aram) and neighbouring states besieged the Israelite capital Samaria and demanded heavy payments. Ahab at first submitted (20:1-4), but when their demands increased, he changed his mind and decided to fight (5-12).A prophet assured Ahab that God would give Israel victory (13-15). Ahab’s plan, based on the prophet’s advice, was to send a large group of young men ahead to distract the Syrians, then... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 Kings 20:1-25

God’s deliverance of Samaria 20:1-25God dealt gently (cf. 1 Kings 19:12) with the Northern Kingdom at this time in the Divided Monarchy to continue to move His people back to Himself. This pericope records the first of three battles the writer recorded in 1 Kings between Ahab and the kings of Aram, Israel’s antagonistic neighbor to the northeast. The first of these evidently took place early in Ahab’s reign (ca. 874). Ahab’s adversary would have been Ben-Hadad I (900-860 B.C.). [Note: See D. D.... read more

Group of Brands