1 Re 22:34

34 Or qualcuno scoccò a caso la freccia del suo arco, e ferì il re d’Israele tra la corazza e le falde; onde il re disse al suo cocchiere: "Vòlta, menami fuori del campo, perché son ferito".

1 Re 22:34 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 22:34

And a certain man drew a bow at a venture
Not aiming at the king of Israel, or knowing whereabout he was. In the Targum on ( 2 Chronicles 18:33 ) , this man is said to be Naaman, the general of the army of the king of Syria, and so Jarchi here; but though he did this in his simplicity, as the word signifies, without any intention to smite any particular person; yet God directed the arrow to the man he had marked for destruction, and neither his disguise, nor coat of mail, could secure from that:

and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness:
of which the pieces of armour on him were joined together, the higher and lower parts of it, the breastplate, and what covered the belly; and though these were joined as close as they were capable of joining them in those times, yet the arrow, guided by divine Providence, found its way into his body:

wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, turn thine hand;
or hands, with which he held the reins, and turn the horses on one side:

and carry me out of the host;
where the battle was hottest, to a place more remote and private, that he might have the wound examined, and the blood stopped, and return again, as it seems he did:

for I am wounded;
or rather "I am sick" ^F19, or ill, as the Targum; somewhat out of order, and therefore chose to retire a little while; not caring it should be known that he was smitten and wounded, lest his soldiers should be disheartened.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 (ytylxh) "aegrotare factus sum", Vatablus; "aegrotus factus sum", Junius & Tremellius.

1 Re 22:34 In-Context

32 E quando i capitani dei carri scorsero Giosafat dissero: "Certo, quello e il re d’Israele", e si volsero contro di lui per attaccarlo; ma Giosafat mandò un grido.

33 E allorché i capitani s’accorsero ch’egli non era il re d’Israele, cessarono di dargli addosso.

34 Or qualcuno scoccò a caso la freccia del suo arco, e ferì il re d’Israele tra la corazza e le falde; onde il re disse al suo cocchiere: "Vòlta, menami fuori del campo, perché son ferito".

35 Ma la battaglia fu così accanita quel giorno, che il re fu trattenuto sul suo carro in faccia ai Siri, e morì verso sera; il sangue della sua ferita era colato nel fondo del carro.

36 E come il sole tramontava, un grido corse per tutto il campo: "Ognuno alla sua città! Ognuno al suo paese!"