1 Kings 20:21

21 King Ahab took to the field, captured the horses and chariots, and inflicted a severe defeat on the Syrians.

1 Kings 20:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:21

And the king of Israel went out
Of Samaria; when he saw the Syrians fleeing, and his army pursuing, he went forth, perhaps, with more forces, who were now willing to join with him; Josephus ^F3 says, Ahab had another army within the walls:

and smote the horses and chariots;
that is, the men that rode on horses; and in chariots, the Syrian cavalry:

and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter;
how many were slain is not said; but the Jewish historian ^F4 says they plundered the camp, in which were much riches, and great plenty of gold and silver, and took their chariots and horses, and returned to the city of Samaria.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F3 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 14. sect. 2.
F4 Ibid.

1 Kings 20:21 In-Context

19 The young soldiers led the attack, followed by the Israelite army,

20 and each one killed the man he fought. The Syrians fled, with the Israelites in hot pursuit, but Benhadad escaped on horseback, accompanied by some of the cavalry.

21 King Ahab took to the field, captured the horses and chariots, and inflicted a severe defeat on the Syrians.

22 Then the prophet went to King Ahab and said, "Go back and build up your forces and make careful plans, because the king of Syria will attack again next spring."

23 King Benhadad's officials said to him, "The gods of Israel are mountain gods, and that is why the Israelites defeated us. But we will certainly defeat them if we fight them in the plains.

Footnotes

• [a]. [One ancient translation] captured; [Hebrew] destroyed.