1 Kings 20:38

38 Then the prophet went and stood by the road. He waited for the king to come by. He pulled his headband down over his eyes so no one would recognize him.

1 Kings 20:38 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:38

So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way,
&c.] As he went from Aphek, the place where the battle had been fought, to Samaria, his royal seat:

and disguised himself with ashes upon his face;
the Targum is, he covered his eyes with a vail, or piece of cloth, which he wrapped about his head, as men do when they have got a wound or bruise in such a part, which seems very probable; for had he besmeared his face with ashes, clay, or dust, or any such thing, he could not so easily have got it off, as in ( 1 Kings 20:41 ) .

1 Kings 20:38 In-Context

36 The prophet said, "You haven't obeyed the Lord. So as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you." The companion went away. And a lion found him and killed him.

37 The prophet found another man. He said, "Please strike me down." So the man struck him down and wounded him.

38 Then the prophet went and stood by the road. He waited for the king to come by. He pulled his headband down over his eyes so no one would recognize him.

39 The king passed by. Then the prophet called out to him. He said, "I went into the middle of the battle. Someone came to me with a prisoner. He said, 'Guard this man. Don't let him get away. If he does, you will pay for his life with yours. Or you can pay 75 pounds of silver.'

40 While I was busy here and there, the man disappeared." "That's your sentence," the king of Israel told him. "You have said so yourself."