1 Kings 22:38

38 His chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria, where the prostitutes bathed. The dogs licked up his blood, as the LORD had predicted.

1 Kings 22:38 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:38

And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria
After the body was taken out, very likely the chariot driver, who drove it into the pool, and plunged it into it, as the word signifies, to cleanse it from the blood of his master:

and the dogs licked up his blood;
mixed with the water of the pool; the Septuagint adds, "the swine", which is not probable, such creatures not being bred in the land of Israel:

and they washed his armour;
his coat of mail, through the joints of which the blood issued, and ran upon it. The word is sometimes used for whores, and is so translated here in the Greek version, and by Munster and Castalio; and both Ben Gersom and Abarbinel say, that women, who were harlots, washed here in his blood, mixed with water; and so Josephus F21 writes, that afterwards it was a custom for whores to wash in this pool; though some say F23 two whores were painted on Ahab's chariot, by the order of Jezebel, to inflame his lust, and these were what were washed; but the word signifies armour, or rather ornaments, clothes, jewels

and now all this was according to the word of the Lord which he spake;
both by Elijah, that as the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, so they should his, as they now did, though not in the same place; nor was it necessary to fulfil the prophecy, (See Gill on 1 Kings 21:19), though some have thought F24 that his blood, mixed with the water of the pool of Samaria, was carried in a stream down to Jezreel, and there licked by the dogs, where Naboth's was; but chiefly what was spoken by Micaiah is here respected, that thus Ahab fell at Ramothgilead, as he had prophesied, ( 1 Kings 22:17 1 Kings 22:20 1 Kings 22:28 ) and his life went for the life of Benhadad, as he had before declared, ( 1 Kings 20:42 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 15. sect. 6.
F23 See Jarchi & Kimchi in loc.
F24 Kimchi in loc.

1 Kings 22:38 In-Context

36 At sundown a cry went through the army, "Every man to his own city! Every man to his own property!"
37 When the king was dead, he was brought to Samaria to be buried.
38 His chariot was washed at the pool of Samaria, where the prostitutes bathed. The dogs licked up his blood, as the LORD had predicted.
39 Isn't everything else about Ahab--everything he did, the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he fortified--written in the official records of the kings of Israel?
40 Ahab lay down in death with his ancestors. His son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.
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