1 Kings 20:21

21 and the king of Israel goeth out, and smiteth the horses, and the charioteers, and hath smitten among the Aramaeans a great smiting.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 Antiqu. l. 8. c. 14. sect. 2.
F4 Ibid.

1 Kings 20:21 In-Context

19 And these have gone out of the city -- the young men of the heads of the provinces -- and the force that [is] after them,

20 and smite each his man, and Aram fleeth, and Israel pursueth them, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram escapeth on a horse, and the horsemen;

21 and the king of Israel goeth out, and smiteth the horses, and the charioteers, and hath smitten among the Aramaeans a great smiting.

22 And the prophet cometh nigh unto the king of Israel, and saith to him, `Go, strengthen thyself, and know and see that which thou dost, for at the turn of the year the king of Aram is coming up against thee.'

23 And the servants of the king of Aram said unto him, `Gods of hills [are] their gods, therefore they were stronger than we; and yet, we fight with them in the plain -- are we not stronger than they?