1 Kings 20:28-43

28 The man of God came again. He said to the king of Israel, "This is what the LORD says: Because the Arameans said that the LORD is a god of the hills but not a god of the valleys, I will hand over their entire army to you. Then you will know that I am the LORD."

29 They camped facing one another for seven days, and on the seventh day the battle started. The Israelites killed 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers in one day.

30 The survivors fled to Aphek, the city where the wall fell on 27,000 of them. Benhadad had also fled. He came to the city and hid in an inner room.

31 His officers told him, "We have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful. Allow us to dress in sackcloth, put ropes around our necks, and go to the king of Israel. Maybe he'll let you live."

32 So they dressed in sackcloth and put ropes around their necks. They went to the king of Israel and said, "Your servant Benhadad says, 'Please let me live.'" Ahab asked, "He's still alive? He's my brother."

33 The men, watching for a good sign, were quick to take him at his word. "Benhadad is your brother," they said. Ahab said, "Bring him here." When Benhadad arrived, Ahab had him come up on the chariot with him.

34 Benhadad told him, "I will give back the towns my father took from your father. You may set up trading centers in Damascus as my father did in Samaria." Ahab said, "If you will put this into a treaty, I will let you go." So Ahab made a treaty with Benhadad and let him go.

35 A disciple of the prophets spoke to a friend as the word of the LORD had told him. [The disciple said,] "Punch me," but the man refused to punch him.

36 The disciple said, "Since you didn't obey the LORD, a lion will kill you when you leave me." When the friend left, a lion found him and killed him.

37 Then the disciple found another man. He said, "Punch me." The man punched him hard and wounded him.

38 Then the prophet, disguised with a bandage over his eyes, waited for the king by the road.

39 When the king passed by, the disciple called to him. "I went to fight in the battle. A man turned around and brought a prisoner to me. He said, 'Guard this prisoner. If he gets away, you will pay for his life with your own life or be fined 75 pounds of silver.'

40 But while I was busy doing other things, he got away." The king of Israel told him, "That's your own penalty. You have determined it yourself."

41 Then he quickly took the bandage off his eyes. The king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42 The prophet told him, "This is what the LORD says: You let the man go. He was claimed by God and should have been killed. For that reason your life will be taken in place of his life and your people in place of his people."

43 Resentful and upset, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.

1 Kings 20:28-43 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.