1 Kings 15:20

20 So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered ¹Ijon, ²Dan, ³Abel-beth-maacah and all ⁴Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali.

1 Kings 15:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 15:20

So Benhadad hearkened unto King Asa, and sent the captains of
the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel
He broke off his alliance with the king of Israel; and as he had a standing army, with proper officers, he sent them directly to take the cities of Israel:

and he smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth,
with all the land of Naphtali;
places which lay on the northern part of Israel, the nearest to Syria. Ijon some place in the tribe of Naphtali, others in Asher; it seems to be on the extreme border of the land northward, as Dan also was; hence the phrase from Dan to Beersheba, i.e. from north to south. Abelbethmaachah is the same with Abelmaim, ( 2 Chronicles 16:4 ) which perhaps is the same with that Abela, placed by Jerome

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 between Damascus and Paneas, supposed to be the Enhydra of Pliny {y}. Cinneroth is the same with Gennesaret, a fruitful country in Galilee, from which is a sea or lake of that name, mentioned in the New Testament, and was in the tribe of Naphtali, the land of which was seized upon at this time.

F24 De loc. Heb. fol. 83. K.
F25 Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 19.

1 Kings 15:20 In-Context

18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king's house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying,

19 "Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me."

20 So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali.

21 When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and remained in Tirzah.

22 Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah -none was exempt -and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had built. And King Asa built with them Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 15:29
• 2. Judges 18:29; 1 Kings 12:29
• 3. 2 Samuel 20:15; 2 Kings 15:29
• 4. Joshua 11:2; Joshua 12:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "smote"