1 Kings 20:22-29

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 20:22-30

We have here an account of another successful campaign which Ahab, by divine aid, made against the Syrians, in which he gave them a greater defeat than in the former. Strange! Ahab idolatrous and yet victorious, a persecutor and yet a conqueror! God has wise and holy ends in suffering wicked men to prosper, and glorifies his own name thereby. I. Ahab is admonished by a prophet to prepare for another war, 1 Kgs. 20:22. It should seem, he was now secure, and looked but a little way before him.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:22

And the prophet came to the king of Israel ,.... The same that came to him before: and said unto him, go, strengthen thyself ; exhorted him to fortify his cities, especially Samaria, and increase his army, that he might be able to oppose the king of Syria: and mark, and see what thou doest : observe his moral and religious actions, and take heed that he did not offend the Lord by them, as well as make military preparations: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:23

And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him ,.... His ministers of state, his privy counsellors: their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they were stronger than we ; and beat them in the last battle; this notion they might receive from what they had heard of Jehovah delivering the law on Mount Sinai to Moses, and of the miraculous things done lately on Mount Carmel, as well as of their worship being in high places, especially at Jerusalem, the temple there being built on an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:24

And do this thing ,.... Also take this further piece of advice: take the kings away, every man out of his place : for being brought up delicately, they were not inured to war, nor expert in the art of it; and being addicted to pleasure, gave themselves to that, and drew the king into it, which they observed was the case before, though they did not care to mention it; and if they were tributaries or allies, they would not fight as men do for their own country: and put captains in their... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:25

And number thee an army like the army that thou hast lost ,.... Raise an army of an equal number, which they supposed he was able to do: horse for horse and chariot for chariot ; as many horses and chariots as he had before: and we will fight against them in the plain ; where they could make use of their horses and chariots to greater advantage than on hills and mountains, see Judges 1:19 . and surely we shall be stronger than they ; and beat them: and he hearkened unto... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:26

And it came to pass at the return of the year ,.... In the spring, or autumn, as some think; see Gill on 2 Samuel 11:1 . that Benhadad numbered the Syrians ; took a muster of his army, to see if he had got the number he had before: and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel ; not that in Judah, Joshua 15:53 , rather that in Asher, Joshua 19:30 , but it seems to be that which Adrichomius F12 Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 35. places in Issachar, near to the famous camp of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:27

And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present ,.... The same as before; the two hundred and thirty two young men of the princes of the provinces, and 7000 of the people, not one was missing: and went against them ; out of Samaria, towards Aphek: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids : being few and weak, the two hundred and thirty two young men in one body, and the 7000 in another: but the Syrians filled the country : with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:28

And there came a man of God ,.... The same as before, 1 Kings 20:13 or had come F16 ויגש "accesserat", Vatablus. before the little army went out to meet the Syrians; though he might go to Ahab when encamped, for his encouragement: and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, thus saith the Lord, because the Syrians have said, the Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys ; See Gill on 1 Kings 20:23 . therefore will I deliver, all this great multitude into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 20:29

And they pitched one over against the other seven days ,.... Very probably the Israelites pitched upon an hill, and the Syrians waited till they changed their position, not caring to fall upon them, though so very supernumerary to them, for the reason before given: and so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined ; or they that made war drew nigh, as the Targum, and both sides engaged in battle: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians 100,000 footmen in one day ;... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 20:23

Their gods are gods of the hills - It is very likely that the small Israelitish army availed itself of the heights and uneven ground, that they might fight with greater advantage against the Syrian cavalry, for Ben-hadad came up against Samaria with horses and chariots, 1 Kings 20:1 . These therefore must be soon thrown into confusion when charging in such circumstances; indeed, the chariots must be nearly useless. Let us fight against them in the plain -... read more

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