1 Kings 20:1-25

God’s deliverance of Samaria 20:1-25

God 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. Luckenbill, "Benhadad and Hadadezer," American Journal of Semitic Languages 27 (1911):279; and Julian Morgenstern, "Chronological Data of the Dynasty of Omri," Journal of Biblical Literature 59 (1940):392.] The political reasons for these encounters were of no interest to the writer of Kings, but we know what they were. [Note: See Merrill Unger, Israel and the Aramaeans of Damascus; and Merrill, Kingdom of . . ., pp. 346-47.]

The danger Ben-Hadad posed, as his demands on Ahab continued to escalate, made the Israelite king receptive to the directives of Yahweh’s prophet. The prophet presented Yahweh as Israel’s real deliverer (1 Kings 20:13). The deliverance would demonstrate Yahweh’s power and superiority over Baal (1 Kings 20:13). Ahab willingly followed God’s orders since he had no other hope (1 Kings 20:14). God’s strategy resulted in victory for Israel (1 Kings 20:21). The Lord further directed Ahab to prepare for the Aramean army’s return the next spring (1 Kings 20:22). Late spring and early summer were seasons for military expeditions, because at that time of year in the Middle East, grass was readily available for the horses. Victory was certain, though perhaps not known to Ahab, because of the Arameans’ limited view of Yahweh’s power (1 Kings 20:23; 1 Kings 20:28).