1 Kings 22:31

31 Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!”

1 Kings 22:31 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:31

But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains
that had the rule over his chariots
This was the number of his kings in the first battle with Israel, and of his captains in the second, ( 1 Kings 20:1 1 Kings 20:24 1 Kings 20:25 ) , and the same number he had now, being very probably not only the number of his chariots, but the division of his army was into so many battalions, under the command of these captains of chariots:

saying, fight neither with small nor great;
of those that belonged to Jehoshaphat:

save only with the king of Israel;
and his men; for it can hardly be thought that his orders were to fight with none, nor kill any in the battle but Ahab personally; though it is very probable he might give them directions to aim at him chiefly, knowing that, if he was killed or taken, his army would flee or surrender; and he might be desirous of getting him into his hands, as he had been in his; and the rather his spite was against him, as he was the mover of the war.

1 Kings 22:31 In-Context

29 So King Ahab of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah led their armies against Ramoth-gilead.

30 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle.

31 Meanwhile, the king of Aram had issued these orders to his thirty-two chariot commanders: “Attack only the king of Israel. Don’t bother with anyone else!”

32 So when the Aramean chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat in his royal robes, they went after him. “There is the king of Israel!” they shouted. But when Jehoshaphat called out,

33 the chariot commanders realized he was not the king of Israel, and they stopped chasing him.