1 Kings 20:23-33

23 Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "¹Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore * they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely * we will be stronger than they.

24 "Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place,

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 will be stronger than they." And he listened to their voice and did so.

Another Aramean War

26 ²At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to ³Aphek to fight against Israel.

27 The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, ⁴but the Arameans filled the country.

28 Then ⁵a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, "Thus says the LORD, 'Because * the Arameans have said, "⁶The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys," therefore ⁷I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.' "

29 So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 * foot soldiers in one day.

30 But the rest fled to ⁸Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 * * men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city ⁹into an inner chamber.

31 ¹⁰His servants said to him, "Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us ¹¹put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life."

32 So ¹²they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, "¹³Your servant Ben-hadad says, 'Please let me live.' " And he said, "Is he still alive? He is my brother."

33 Now the men took this as an omen, and quickly catching his word said, "Your brother Ben-hadad." Then he said, "Go, bring him." Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he took him up into the chariot.

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1 Kings 20:23-33 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 13

1. 1 Kings 14:23; Jeremiah 16:19-21; Romans 1:21-23
2. 1 Kings 20:22
3. 2 Kings 13:17
4. Judges 6:3-5; 1 Samuel 13:5-8
5. 1 Kings 17:18
6. 1 Kings 20:23
7. 1 Kings 20:13
8. 1 Kings 20:26
9. 1 Kings 22:25; 2 Chronicles 18:24
10. 1 Kings 20:23-26
11. Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31
12. 1 Kings 20:31
13. 1 Kings 20:3-6

Footnotes 6

[a]. Lit "number"
[b]. Lit "smote"
[c]. Lit "soul"
[d]. Lit "divined"
[e]. Lit "caught from him"
[f]. Lit "caused him to come up"