1 Kings 20:35-43

A Prophet Condemns Ben-hadad's Release

35 And a certain man of ¹the sons of the prophets said to his fellow ²at the command of the LORD, "Strike me, please." But the man refused to strike him.

36 Then he said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down." And as soon as he had departed from him, ³a lion met him and struck him down.

37 Then he found another man and said, "Strike me, please." And the man struck him--struck him and wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, ⁴disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes.

39 And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, "Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, 'Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, ⁵your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent^[a] of silver.'

40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone." The king of Israel said to him, "So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it."

41 Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42 And he said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction,^[b] therefore ⁶your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.'"

43 And the king of Israel ⁷went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.

1 Kings 20:35-43 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.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kgs. 2:3, 5, 7, 15
• 2. 1 Kings 13:17, 18
• 3. [1 Kings 13:24]
• 4. 1 Samuel 28:8
• 5. [2 Kings 10:24]
• 6. [See ver. 39 above]
• 7. 1 Kings 21:4

Footnotes

• [a]. A talent was about 75 pounds or 34 kilograms
• [b]. That is, set apart (devoted) as an offering to the Lord (for destruction)