1 Kings 20:35-43

A Prophet Brings Charges Against Ahab

35 There was a group that was called the company of the prophets. A message from the LORD came to one of their members. He said to his companion, "Strike me down with your weapon." But the man wouldn't do it.

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."

41 Then the prophet quickly removed the headband from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets.

42 He told the king, "The LORD says, 'You have set a man free. But I had said he should be set apart to the LORD in a special way to be destroyed. So you must pay for his life with yours. You must pay for his people's lives with the lives of your people.' "

43 The king of Israel was angry. He was in a bad mood. He went back to his palace in 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.