1 Kings 20:1

Syrian-Israeli Conflicts: Ben-Hadad vs. Ahab of Israel

1 Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered all of his army, and thirty-two kings [were] with him, and horses and chariots. He went up and laid siege against Samaria and fought with it.

1 Kings 20:1 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:1

And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together,
&c.] This was Benhadad the second, the son of that Benhadad, to whom Asa sent to help him against Baasha, ( 1 Kings 15:18 )

and there were thirty and two kings with him;
these were heads of families, so called, and at most governors of cities under Benhadad; petty princes, such as were in the land of Canaan in Joshua's time:

and horses and chariots;
how many is not said:

and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it;
he went up with such an intent, but had not as yet done it in form; what moved him to it cannot be said precisely, whether an ambitious view of enlarging his dominions, or because the king of Israel paid not the tribute his father had imposed upon him, see ( 1 Kings 20:34 ) , however, so it was, through the providence of God, as a scourge to Ahab for his impiety.

1 Kings 20:1 In-Context

1 Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered all of his army, and thirty-two kings [were] with him, and horses and chariots. He went up and laid siege against Samaria and fought with it.

2 He sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel.

3 He said to him, "Thus says Ben-Hadad: 'Your silver and your gold are mine, and your women and your best sons are mine.'"

4 Then the king of Israel answered and said, "As your word, my master the king; I [am] yours, and all that is mine [is yours]."

5 The messengers returned and said, "Thus says Ben-Hadad, saying, 'I sent to you saying, "Your silver and gold are mine, and your women and your best sons you must give to me."