1 Kings 20

Benhadad besiegeth Samaria and his first demand is granted him verse 1 &c. the second his denied him 5 therefore he prepareth to storm the city 10 Achab maketh defence by a prophet counsel or promise and gotteth twice the victory 13 Benhadad is fain to hide himself 30 Achab maketh peace with him 33 a prophet that first suffereth himself to be smitten 35. reproveth Achab ,39.

1. And Benhadad the king of Syria [Heb. Aram that is Syria and so in the sequel see Genesis 10 on verse 22 and22 on verse 21] gathered all his strength together and two and thirty kings were with him [doubtless not so great kings as Benhadad was compare Genesis 14 the annotate on verse 1] and horses and charets and he marched up and besieged Samaria and warred against it.

2. And he sent messenger to Achab king of Israel into the city.

3. And he said unto him thus said Benhadad thine silver and thine gold that is mine besides thy wives and thy children they are mine [that is belong to me as my own that is they send them to the forth with if thou wouldst have peace and have me desist from besieging thy city that is was his intent and meaning some do gather below from verse 5,6 although Achab seemeth to have interpreteth his words only of the sovereign and supremacy which he sought to have over him his wives his children and his estate by this siege as appeareth by verse 4,7,9.]

4. And the king of Israel answered and said according to thy word my Lord the king I am thine [that is thy vassal acknowledging thee to be my sovereign &c.] and all that I have.

5. then came the messengers again and said thus speaketh Behadad saying I sent indeed to thee saying thou shalt deliver me thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy children [as if he had said it is true as I sent word unto thee and thyself wast fain to acknowledge that all thy own belongs to me but it was to this end that thou shouldst have transmitted the same unto me forth with actually without delay which being not performed I shall tomorrow &c. as it followeth in the sixth verse.]

6. But I will send tomorrow about this time my servants unto thee to search thine house and the houses of the servants some conceive that hereby aggraveteth his first demand perceiving the pullfilanimity of Achab by his answer mentioned above verse 4 for now he not only desireth Achabs but also his servant estate ]and it shall come to pass that they shall put into their hands all the desirable of thine eyes [that is whatsoever thou willingly seest with desire still to keep it by thee] and take it away.

7. Then the king of Israel called all the eldest of the land [see Leviticus 4 on verse 15] and said consider I pray and see that this man seeketh evil [that I mine and my kingdoms ruine not being contempt with the reasonable terms that I have proferred him]for he had sent to me for my wives and for my children and for my silver and for my Gold and I denied it not unto him [viz. in subjection of mine estate unto him as my sovereign and protector though not delivering up the propriety thereof.]

8. But all the eldest and all the people said unto him hearken not unto him nor consent.

9. Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad tell my Lord the king all that thou didst send me thy servant at the first I will do [which Achab understood of the sovereignty and supremacy in the civil jurisdiction and not of the propriety and use see above the annotate on verse 3] but this thing I cannot do so the messengers departed and brought him [viz. king Benhadad] word again.

10. And the king Benhadad sent unto him and said the Lord do so unto me and so add thereunto [see above chapter 19 on verse 2]if the dust of Samaria shall suffice the handful of all the people that follow my footsteps [Heb. that are at my feet see Exodus 11:8 and Judges 4:10 with the annotate the meaning is that he had so much people in his camp that was not dust enough in Samaria in every one of his man to take an handful of it.]

11. But the king of Israel answered and said speak to him let not him that girdeth himself boast himself as he that loosneth himself [that is let not him that armeth himself for the battle carry himself before he hath gotten the victory as he that disarmes himself after he hath had the victory it is a proverb of this like sence when we say the song of triumph is not the sing before the victory.]

12. And it came topass when he heard this word when he was drinking he and the kings in the tents that he said unto the servants lay on [that is your weapon and all the instruments of war to put yourselves in array to storm the city and to take it by force] and they laid on against the city.

13. And behold a prophet stepped to Achab the king of Israel and said thus saidth the lord hast thou seen all this great multitude behold I will deliver them this day unto thine hand that thou mayst know that I am the lord [so below verse 28 this is the end of all the mercies of God that he may be rightly acknowledged seriously thanked and faithfully served.]

14. And Achab said; by whom? and; he said; thus saith the LORD; by the young men of the chief of the Provinces: [under stand by these the servants and pages of the prines of the Provinces, and tribes, or the young gentlemen son of Lords of the Land, that lived with the King, or foot-men, which were practised in armes] and he said who shall bind the battle ?[that is as some translate it order teh battle to set the battle in array or as others who shall begin the battle to wit we Israelites ? or shall we wait till the Syrians fall upon us? the like phrase is also 2 Chronicles 13:3] and he said thou.

15. Then he numbered the Lord of the governors of the countries and there were two hundred thirty and two and after them he numbered all the people all the children of Israel seven thousand.

16. And they marched forth at noon now Benhadad drank himself drunk in the tents he and the kings and the two and thirty kings led him.

17. And the lids of the governors of the country marched forth first but Benhadad sent forth so he and they told him saying they are men marched out of Samaria [the meaning is that he having understood by his guard that some men shewed themselves about the city sent to enquite what they were the report was that there were men march out of the city.]

18. And he said whether they become in peace take them alive whether there also become out of the battle take them alive.

19. So these lads of governors of countries marched out of the city and the hosts that followed them [Heb. that was after them.]

20. And everyone slew his man [viz. everyone of the Israelites slew one of the Syrians that came to take the Israelites alive] so that the Syrians fled and Israel pursued unto them but Benhadad the king of Syria escape on an horse with certain horsemen.

21. And the king of Israel marched forth and smote the horses and charets so that he made a great slaughter among the Syrians.

22. Then slept that prophet[of whom mention is made above verse 13] the king of Israel said unto him go strengthen thyself and mark and see what thou shalt do [to wit not only by using human means but especial by obtaining the divine sustenance by true repentance]for at the return of the year [that is at the coming of the summer when the camps are wont to take the field to enjoy the opportunity of food and victual so below verse 26 compare 2 Samuel 11:1 1 Chronicles 20:1 2 Chronicles 26:10] the king of Syria will march up to thee.

23. For the servants of the king of Syria said unto him [namely to their king] their Gods are Gods of the mountain[that is dwelling upon the mountains as they conceive that can only help their people there and not in the plain] ]therefore they were stronger than we but surely let us fight against them on the plain field if we had not stronger than they[add with all the conceal curse or judgement as let us perish or lose our honour or let us &c. to wit lets see or lay the wages others shall we not be stronger? so below verse 25 see Genesis 14 on verse 23 this was made known to the prophet either by some report that come to him the revelation of God whereof see the excellent example 2Kings 6.8.]

24. Therefore do this thing remove the kings [viz. whose help he formerly had used above verse 1,16] every one out of his place [that is out of the command which he had in thine army]and put land governors [that is Lord Lords and princes of thine own land which are better known to thee and will truster to thee] in their room.

25. And thou number thee an army like that army which is fallen [that perished or was slain in battle see Genesis 14 on verse 10] of thine [Heb. or of out of thee that is which being in thy service were while slain by the Israelites see above on verse 20 and 21] and horses as those and charets and those charets and let us fight against them on the plain field if we be not stronger than they [see above on verse 23] and he hearkened unto their voice and did so.

26. Now it came to pass at the return of the year the Benhadad mustered the Syrians, and he marched up to Aphek, [A city lying in the tribe of Aser, which the Syrians in this expedition (as appears by the following 30 verse) seem to have gotten in their power. See of this city, Joshua 13:4 and 19.30. Judges 1:31.] to war against Israel.

27. The children of Israel were also mustered, and were provided of victual [others were found in full number]and marched to meet them and the children of Israel camped themselves over against them like two naked great of flocks of goats[to these the army of the Israelites divided in twain is compared to shew that there were not only in few numbers but also weak in the warlike preparation and armes in comparison of the Syrians] but the Syrias filled the land.

28. And the man of God [viz. the prophet of whom mention is made verse 13and22 on some other]slept on and spake unto the king of Israel and said thus saith the Lord is a God of the mountains and he is not a God of the Low grounds therefore I will deliver all the great multitude in thine hand that ye may know that I am the Lord [see above on verse 13.]

29. And these were camped over against those seven dates now it came to pass on the seventh day that the battle began and the children of the Israel smote on the Syrians an one hundred and foot men on one day.

30. And the rest fled to Aphek into the city [see above on verse 26 it seemeth by this that the Syrians had taken this city] and the wall fell upon seven and twenty thousand men that were left Benhadad also fled and came into the city from chamber into chamber [so below chapter 22 on verse 25 the meaning is that Benhadad being much dismayed at his great defeat and being afraid of his own person fled from chamber into another not knowing where to hide himself others into a chamber inner chambers understand a secret withdrawing room or hidden place made in some chamber for safety.]

31. Then said his servants unto him behold now weave heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings [Heb. kings of mercy or loving kindness [let us I pray put loins [they will signify by this token that they had deserved death and begged for mercy as with great sorrow and humility off the heart see Genesis 37 on verse 34[and ropes over heads [which malefactors also at this day are fain to have about their necks in token that they’re worthy of death]and go forth to the king of Israel it may be he will save thy soul [that is person so in the sequel see above chapter 19 on verse 4] alive.

32. Then they girded sacks about their loins and ropes about their heads and came to the king of Israel and said thy servant of Benhadad saith I pray thee let my soul live and he said is he then yet alive? he is my brother[that is to whom I am ready to shew kindness as to a brother.]

33. Now the man did diligently observe and did hastily catch it to wit the king of Israel had called their king his brother came from an upright heart and whether he meant true brotherhood or whether his speech were only a deceitful feigning of the mouth ]and said thy brother Benhadad is alive and he said come bring him [Heb. take him that is take him and bring him see Genesis 12 on verse15]then Benhadad came forth to him and he caused him to come up unto charets.

34. And he [viz. Benhadad said cities which my father took from thy father I will restore [see of these cities above chapter 15 on verse 20] and make streets for thee in the Damascus as my father made in Samaria [by streets here understand market places out of Achab might gather some tributes or places of judicature in which the supreme judgments should belong to him or certain conquite-port and fronter towns in the country that should be in his power and I answered Achab will let thee go with this covenant so be made a covenant go with him and let him go.

35. Then a certain man of the sons of prophets [which were young men instructed by the true doctrine of the prophets in the true doctrine directed to the true religion and exhortation to the uprightness of life they had their colledges wherein the prophet whereas their fathers 2Kings 2.12 and they as their children as are likewise so called here and 1Samuel 10.12 2Kings 2.3,5 & Isaiah 8:18 compare Judges 17 on verse 10]said unto his neighbour by the word of the Lord [that is by Gods command which he acquainted this his neighbour with] smite me I pray thee [the word smiting signifying here not slaying r killing as it doth in the following verse but smiting or beating with the first stick rope &c. so as death following thereupon as Exodus 21:15,18 Proverbs 23:13 and below verse37]and the man refused to smite him [wherein did ill seeing he understood that it was command of God.]

36. And he said unto him because thou hast not been obedient to the voice of the voice of the God behold when thou shalt be departed from me then a lion shall smite [that is kill slay so Genesis 32:11 Levites 24.21 and above verse 20&c. &c. Genesis 8 on verse 21] thee and when he was departed from him then a lion found him smote him.

37. After that he found another man and said smite me I pray thee and that man smote him smiting wounding [that is he smote a long while together and very much so that he hurt and wounded him.]

38. Then the prophet departed and stood before the king on the way and distinguished himself with ashes [others with a scarf or covering the Hebrew word rendered here distinguished signifieth properly to change oneself so as not to be known which this prophet did by strewing ashes upon his face or as others translate it by putting a covering upon his eyes below chapter 22 on verse 30 it signifieth to change and disguise a mans self by changing his apparel compare above chapter 14 verse2.]

39. And it came to when the king passed by that he cried to the king [as having some matter to tell him] and said thy servant was gone forth into the mids of the battle and behold a man turned aside and brought a man aside unto me [meaning a prisoner to keep him that he should not run away]and said keep this man if any wise he be missed then shall thy soul in the room of his soul [that is thy life be of his life that is thou shalt die for him so below verse 42 item Exodus 21:2,3] or thou shalt weigh [that is pay] a talent of silver [see of the value hereof and above chapter 16 on verse 24.]

40. Now it came to pass when thy servant was busy here & there that he [to wit the captive or prisoner] was not there then said the king of Israel unto him so is thy judgment [that is such is thy own judgement understand teh judgment or sentence of condemnation whereby a man is pronounced guilty and worthy of punishment so is the word judging also taken Luke 19:22 John 12:48 1Corinthians 6.2] thou hast past it thy self [the meaning is thou bringest thy own edict or sentence along with thee seeing thou didst undertake keepest with thee seeing thou didst undertake to keep the man upon the terms by thee already related.]

41. Then he made haste and took the ashes away from his eyes [see above verse 38and the annotate thereon] and the king of Israel knew him that he was one of the prophets.

42. And he said unto him thus said the Lord because thou hast let go thine hand the name [namely Benhadad]whom I banned that is whom I have to be slain and utterly destroyed see Deuteronomy 2 on verse 34] therefore thy soul shall be in the room of his soul thy people in the room of his people.

43. And the king of Israel went away displeased [that is peevish discontented fretful] and angry to his house and came to Samaria.