1 Kings 20:21

21 Also the king of Israel went out, and smote (the) horses and chariots, and he smote Syria with a full great vengeance. (And the king of Israel went out, and struck down the horses and the chariots, and he struck down the Syrians with a very 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 Therefore the young men of the princes of (the) provinces went out, and the residue host followed (them);
20 and each smote the man that came against him. And (the) men of Syria fled, and Israel pursued them; also Benhadad, the king of Syria, fled on an horse with his knights.
21 Also the king of Israel went out, and smote (the) horses and chariots, and he smote Syria with a full great vengeance. (And the king of Israel went out, and struck down the horses and the chariots, and he struck down the Syrians with a very great slaughter.)
22 Forsooth a prophet nighed to the king of Israel, and said, Go thou, and be strengthened, and know, and see, what thou shalt do; for the king of Syria shall ascend against thee in the year following (for the king of Syria shall also come against thee next year).
23 Soothly the servants of the king of Syria said to him, The Gods of hills be the Gods of the sons of Israel (The gods of the hills be the gods of the Israelites), therefore they overcame us; but it is better that we fight against them in [the] field places, and we shall get them there.
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.