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1 Kings 20:13-25

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Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad

13 And behold, a prophet came near to Ahab king of Israel and said, "Thus says the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, 1I will give it into your hand this day, 2and you shall know that I am the LORD."
14 And Ahab said, "By whom?" He said, "Thus says the LORD, By the servants of the governors of the districts." Then he said, "Who shall begin the battle?" He answered, "You."
15 Then he mustered the servants of the governors of the districts, and they were 232. And after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand.
16 And they went out at noon, while Ben-hadad 3was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings who helped him.
17 The servants of the governors of the districts went out first. And Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, "Men are coming out from Samaria."
18 He said, "If they have come out for peace, take them alive. Or if they have come out for war, take them alive."
19 So these went out of the city, the servants of the governors of the districts and the army that followed them.
20 And each struck down his man. The Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them, but Ben-hadad king of Syria escaped on a horse with horsemen.
21 And the king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and struck the Syrians with a great blow.
22 Then 4the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, "Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for 5in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you."
23 And the servants of the king of Syria said to him, "Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
24 And do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in their places,
25 and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they." And he listened to their voice and did so.
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1 Kings 20:13-25 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 20

This chapter relates the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, and his insolent demand of Ahab's wives, children, and riches, 1Ki 20:1-12, the sally made out upon him, at the direction of the prophet, and the route made of the Syrian army, 1Ki 20:13-21, the return of the Syrian army the next year, when there was a pitched battle between them and Israel, in which the former were entirely defeated, 1Ki 20:22-30, the peace Ahab made with the king of Syria, 1Ki 20:31-34, and the reproof one of the sons of the prophets gave him for it, which made him very uneasy, 1Ki 20:35-43.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 5

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.