1 Kings 20:21

21 And the king of Israel went out and smote the horsemen and the chariots and smote the Syrians with a great slaughter.

1 Kings 20:21 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:21

And the king of Israel went out
Of Samaria; when he saw the Syrians fleeing, and his army pursuing, he went forth, perhaps, with more forces, who were now willing to join with him; Josephus F3 says, Ahab had another army within the walls:

and smote the horses and chariots;
that is, the men that rode on horses; and in chariots, the Syrian cavalry:

and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter;
how many were slain is not said; but the Jewish historian F4 says they plundered the camp, in which were much riches, and great plenty of gold and silver, and took their chariots and horses, and returned to the city of Samaria.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 14. sect. 2.
F4 Ibid.

1 Kings 20:21 In-Context

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army followed after them.
20 And each one smote the man that came against him; and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them. And Benhadad, the king of Syria, escaped on a horse with some of the horsemen.
21 And the king of Israel went out and smote the horsemen and the chariots and smote the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and consider, and see what thou must do, for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.
23 And the slaves of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the mountains; therefore, they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010