1 Kings 20:1

THE WAR BETWEEN AHAB AND BEN-HADAD

In this chapter, the ministry of Elijah is, for the moment, passed over; and we have the record of God's dealings with Ahab in his struggle against Benhadad. This change of emphasis is seized upon by some critics as "evidence of another source," but that explanation of the change is not correct. The apparent change is only apparent, there being no genuine change whatever. In 1 Kings 20 God is still trying to convince Ahab that Jehovah is the true God (1 Kings 20:13,28).

Elijah was not really available in this situation, because, as we saw in the last chapter, he declared that, "It is enough," thus believing that any further pursuit of a change in Ahab was hopeless. Therefore God, whose merciful forbearance with Ahab's unbelief far exceeded that of the discouraged Elijah, gave Ahab two great victories over Benhadad. Why? "That Ahab shall know that I am Jehovah" (1 Kings 20:13). Thus, the purpose of this chapter is exactly the same as that of 1 Kings 19.

Furthermore, a victory of Israel over the aggression of Damascus was, in God's eternal purpose, absolutely necessary. If Damascus had been successful in the complete subjugation of Israel, Judah also would have quickly fallen, and the chosen people would have been destroyed.

The victories which God gave Ahab in this chapter came at a time when they brought no glory whatever to Ahab. The victories were dramatically the victories of God, not the victories of Ahab. He had already surrendered in shame and disgrace, and thus, both Ahab and Jezebel should have discerned how helpless and useless their pagan god Baal was to provide any effective help or relief for Israel. How wonderful was the mercy and forbearance of God that these further opportunities to accept the Truth were provided for this excessively wicked royal couple!

It is amazing that some of the commentators speak of "the much more favorable light"[1] in which Ahab is presented in this chapter, but such opinions are due to the blindness of some alleged "scholars" to what is obviously the most shameful and incompetent behavior of this "jackass king" Ahab. Ahab deserved such a designation as much as Ishmael whom God referred to as "a wild ass among men" (Genesis 16:12). It is an unqualified mystery to us how anyone can find any "favorable light" on Ahab in this chapter.

Keil described the actions of Ahab here as, "Cruel ... blind ... inconsiderate ... and thoroughly impolitic ... and as being due to unprincipled weakness, vanity and blindness."[2] We may add that his actions were clear-cut disobedience of God's will, treachery against his own people, and as unqualifiedly stupid as one could possibly imagine.

It is disgusting to find some writers who speak flatteringly of Ahab's mercy and kindness to a beaten foe. "He is courageous, merciful and resourceful."[3]

"It is folly to praise the lenient policy of Ahab, and to condemn the harsh policy of the prophets. God was concerned with protecting His people Israel. Benhadad had already caused enough destruction and death in Israel. In making a covenant with Benhadad, Ahab violated God's law that forbade foreign alliances. God delivered Benhadad into Ahab's hand in order that Ahab might execute him, and Ahab's failure to do it resulted in untold suffering and hardship for God's people."[4]

There is no certain chronology available for this section of Kings. "The battle of Qarqar occurred in 853 B.C.; and, at that time, according to extra-Biblical sources, Ahab was in alliance with Damascus and nine other Aramaean kingdoms against Shalmanezer III of Assyria, but Ahab was fatally wounded fighting against the king Damascus at Ramoth-gilead in 852 B.C."[5] Scholars do not agree on just how to fit all these together, but there could be no great importance of doing so, even if we could. "No chronological data are given us in the long but fragmentary details of Ahab's reign."[6]

SAMARIA WAS DEFEATED; BEN-HADAD'S INSULTING DEMANDS

"And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together; and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. And the king of Israel answered and said, It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king, I am thine, and all that I have. And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, I sent indeed unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; but I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thy house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away."

Nothing is said here about how long the siege of Samaria had been going on, but it evidently had lasted a long time. The defeat of Israel was so complete that Ahab agreed to the harsh terms of surrender proposed by Benhadad. But that was not enough to appease the covetous greed of Benhadad; he amended his proposal to include the privilege of raping the whole city, searching the houses of all the people, and looting everything of value.

Of special interest is Ahab's agreement to turn all of his wives into the possession of Benhadad. Jezebel, of course, was the leading woman in that harem; "And how frenzied must have been the thoughts of that terrible woman when she saw that her Baal and that Astarte, to whom her father was a priest, and all those hundreds of priests, and the temple to Baal which she had built, and all those blood-stained invocations and pompous ceremonies they held - that all of that had UTTERLY failed to save her, that now all hope was lost, and her husband had agreed to hand her over as part of the loot required by a conquering enemy."[7] And then, when Jehovah the God of Israel saved her, there is no evidence that she exhibited the slightest degree of appreciation!

"Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives, and thy children" (1 Kings 20:3). Jamieson thought that, "Ahab agreed to submit, probably thinking that it meant no more than the payment of tribute."[8] We doubt the validity of that interpretation, but, even if it is correct, Benhadad's amended terms of surrender left no doubt of what he demanded.

Ahab's pitiful extremity here is instructive. "If God is not allowed to rule over us, then our enemies shall command us. A rebel to God is a slave to everything else."[9] Ahab knew that Baal was powerless to help him, and he had no reason to believe that God would aid him, and he here revealed himself as contented to buy his life on any terms whatever, being willing to live like a beggar rather than to die like a courageous king should, defending his people.