1 Kings 22:38

38 They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed),[a] and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared.

1 Kings 22:38 in Other Translations

KJV
38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake.
ESV
38 And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it, according to the word of the LORD that he had spoken.
NLT
38 Then his chariot was washed beside the pool of Samaria, and dogs came and licked his blood at the place where the prostitutes bathed, just as the LORD had promised.
MSG
38 They washed down the chariot at the pool of Samaria where the town whores bathed, and the dogs lapped up the blood, just as God's word had said.
CSB
38 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed [in it], according to the word of the Lord that He had spoken.

1 Kings 22:38 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:38

And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria
After the body was taken out, very likely the chariot driver, who drove it into the pool, and plunged it into it, as the word signifies, to cleanse it from the blood of his master:

and the dogs licked up his blood;
mixed with the water of the pool; the Septuagint adds, "the swine", which is not probable, such creatures not being bred in the land of Israel:

and they washed his armour;
his coat of mail, through the joints of which the blood issued, and ran upon it. The word is sometimes used for whores, and is so translated here in the Greek version, and by Munster and Castalio; and both Ben Gersom and Abarbinel say, that women, who were harlots, washed here in his blood, mixed with water; and so Josephus F21 writes, that afterwards it was a custom for whores to wash in this pool; though some say F23 two whores were painted on Ahab's chariot, by the order of Jezebel, to inflame his lust, and these were what were washed; but the word signifies armour, or rather ornaments, clothes, jewels

and now all this was according to the word of the Lord which he spake;
both by Elijah, that as the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, so they should his, as they now did, though not in the same place; nor was it necessary to fulfil the prophecy, (See Gill on 1 Kings 21:19), though some have thought F24 that his blood, mixed with the water of the pool of Samaria, was carried in a stream down to Jezreel, and there licked by the dogs, where Naboth's was; but chiefly what was spoken by Micaiah is here respected, that thus Ahab fell at Ramothgilead, as he had prophesied, ( 1 Kings 22:17 1 Kings 22:20 1 Kings 22:28 ) and his life went for the life of Benhadad, as he had before declared, ( 1 Kings 20:42 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 15. sect. 6.
F23 See Jarchi & Kimchi in loc.
F24 Kimchi in loc.

1 Kings 22:38 In-Context

36 As the sun was setting, a cry spread through the army: “Every man to his town. Every man to his land!”
37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried him there.
38 They washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the LORD had declared.
39 As for the other events of Ahab’s reign, including all he did, the palace he built and adorned with ivory, and the cities he fortified, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
40 Ahab rested with his ancestors. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S 1 Kings 21:19

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "Samaria and cleaned the weapons"
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