Advanced Commentary

(ex.: John 3:14-18)

Table of Contents Bible Dictionary
Arts
Questions
Resources/Books

Context
20:8 All <03605> <03605> the leaders <02205> and people <05971> said <0559> to <0413> him, “Do not <0408> give in <08085> or <03808> agree <08085> to his demands <014>.” 20:9 So he said <0559> to the messengers <04397> of Ben Hadad <01130>, “Say <0559> this to my master <0113>, the king <04428>, ‘I will give <07971> you everything <0834> <03605> you demanded at first <07223> from your servant <05650>, but I am unable <03201> <03808> to agree <06213> to this <02088> latest demand <01697>.’” So the messengers <04397> went back <01980> and gave <07725> their report <01697>. 20:10 Ben Hadad <01130> sent <07971> another message to <0413> him, “May <03541> the gods <0430> judge <06213> me severely <03254> if <0518> there is enough dirt <06083> left <05606> in Samaria <08111> for my soldiers <05971> to scoop up in <08168> their hands <08168>.” 20:11 The king <04428> of Israel <03478> replied <06030>, “Tell <01696> him the one who puts on <02296> his battle gear <02296> should not <0408> boast <01984> like one who is taking <06605> it off <06605>.” 20:12 When <01961> Ben Hadad received <08085> this <02088> reply <01697>, he <01931> and the other kings <04428> were drinking <08354> in their quarters <05521>. He ordered <0559> his servants <05650>, “Get ready to attack <07760>!” So they got ready to attack <07760> the city <05892>. 20:13 Now <02009> a <0259> prophet <05030> visited <05066> King <04428> Ahab <0256> of Israel <03478> and said <0559>, “This is what <03541> the Lord <03068> says <0559>, ‘Do you see <07200> this <02088> huge <01419> army <01995>? Look <02005>, I am going to hand <03027> <05414> it over <03027> <05414> to you this very day <03117>. Then you will know <03045> that <03588> I <0589> am the Lord <03068>.’” 20:14 Ahab <0256> asked <0559>, “By whom <04310> will this be accomplished?” He answered <0559>, “This is what <03541> the Lord <03068> says <0559>, ‘By the servants <05288> of the district <04082> governors <08269>.’” Ahab asked <0559>, “Who <04310> will launch <0631> the attack <04421>?” He answered <0559>, “You <0859> will.” 20:15 So Ahab assembled <06485> the 232 <07970> <08147> <03967> servants <05288> of the district <04082> governors <08269>. After <0310> that he assembled <06485> all <03605> <03605> the Israelite <03478> <01121> army <05971>, numbering 7,000 <0505> <07651>. 20:16 They marched out <03318> at noon <06672>, while Ben Hadad <01130> and the thirty-two <08147> <07970> kings <04428> allied <05826> with him were drinking heavily <07910> <08354> in their quarters <05521>. 20:17 The servants <05288> of the district <04082> governors <08269> led <07223> the march <03318>. When Ben Hadad <01130> sent <07971> messengers, they reported back <05046> to him, “Men <0582> are marching out <03318> of Samaria <08111>.” 20:18 He ordered <0559>, “Whether <0518> they come <03318> in peace <07965> or <0518> to do battle <04421>, take <08610> them alive <02416>.” 20:19 They <0428> marched out <03318> of <04480> the city <05892> with the servants <05288> of the district <04082> governors <08269> in the lead and the army <02428> behind <0310> them. 20:20 Each one struck down <05221> an enemy soldier <0376> <0376>; the Syrians <0758> fled <05127> and Israel <03478> chased <07291> them. King <04428> Ben Hadad <01130> of Syria <0758> escaped <04422> on <05921> horseback <05483> with some horsemen <06571>. 20:21 Then the king <04428> of Israel <03478> marched <03318> out and struck down <05221> the horses <05483> and chariots <07393>; he thoroughly <04347> defeated <01419> Syria <0758>. 20:22 The prophet <05030> visited <05066> the king <04428> of Israel <03478> and instructed <0559> him, “Go <01980>, fortify <02388> your defenses. Determine <07200> <03045> what <0834> you must do <06213>, for <03588> in the spring <08141> <08666> the king <04428> of Syria <0758> will attack <05921> <05927> you.” 20:23 Now the advisers <05650> of the king <04428> of Syria <0758> said <0559> to him <0413>: “Their God <0430> is a god <0430> of the mountains <02022>. That’s why <03651> they overpowered <04480> <02388> us. But if <0199> we fight <03898> them in <0854> the plains <04334>, we will certainly <03808> <0518> overpower <02388> them <01992>. 20:24 So do <06213> this <02088>: Dismiss <05493> the kings <04428> from their command <01697>, and replace <07760> <04725> them with military commanders <06346>. 20:25 Muster <04487> an army <02428> like the one <02428> you <0859> lost <05307>, with the same number <07393> <05483> of horses <05483> and chariots <07393>. Then we will fight <03898> them in the plains <04334>; we will certainly <03808> <0518> overpower <02388> them <01992>.” He approved <08085> their plan <06963> and did <06213> as they advised <03651>. 20:26 In the spring <08141> <08666> Ben Hadad <01130> mustered <06485> the Syrian <0758> army and marched <05927> to Aphek <0663> to fight <04421> Israel <03478>. 20:27 When the Israelites <03478> <01121> had mustered <06485> and had received their supplies <03557>, they marched out <01980> to face <07125> them in battle <02583>. When the Israelites <03478> <01121> deployed opposite <05048> them, they were like two <08147> small flocks <02835> of goats <05795>, but the Syrians <0758> filled <04390> the land <0776>. 20:28 The prophet <0430> <0376> visited <05066> the king <04428> of Israel <03478> and said <0559>, “This is what <03541> the Lord <03068> says <0559>: ‘Because <0834> <03282> the Syrians <0758> said <0559>, “The Lord <03068> is a god <0430> of the mountains <02022> and not <03808> a god <0430> of the valleys <06010>,” I <01931> will hand over <03027> <05414> to you this <02088> entire <03605> huge <01419> army <01995>. Then you will know <03045> that <03588> I <0589> am the Lord <03068>.’” 20:29 The armies were deployed <02583> opposite <05227> each other <0428> <0428> for seven <07651> days <03117>. On the seventh <07637> day <03117> the battle <04421> began <07126>, and the Israelites <03478> <01121> killed <05221> 100,000 <0505> <03967> Syrian <0758> foot soldiers <07273> in one <0259> day <03117>. 20:30 The remaining <03498> 27,000 <0505> <07651> <06242> ran <05127> to Aphek <0663> and went into <0413> the city <05892>, but the wall <02346> fell <05307> on <05921> them <0376>. Now Ben Hadad <01130> ran <05127> into <0413> the city <05892> and hid <0935> in an inner room <02315> <02315>. 20:31 His advisers <05650> said <0559> to <0413> him, “Look <02009>, we have heard <08085> that <03588> the kings <04428> of the Israelite <03478> dynasty <01004> are kind <02617>. Allow us to put <07760> sackcloth <08242> around our waists <04975> and ropes <02256> on our heads <07218> and surrender <03318> to <0413> the king <04428> of Israel <03478>. Maybe <0194> he will spare <02421> our lives <05315>.” 20:32 So they put <02296> sackcloth <08242> around <02296> their waists <04975> and ropes <02256> on their heads <07218> and went <0935> to <0413> the king <04428> of Israel <03478>. They said <0559>, “Your servant <05650> Ben Hadad <01130> says <0559>, ‘Please <04994> let me live <05315> <02421>!’” Ahab replied <0559>, “Is he still <05750> alive <02416>? He <01931> is my brother <0251>.” 20:33 The men <0376> took <05172> this as a good omen <05172> and quickly <04116> accepted <02480> his offer, saying <0559>, “Ben Hadad <01130> is your brother <0251>.” Ahab then said <0559>, “Go <0935>, get <03947> him.” So Ben Hadad <01130> came out <03318> to <0413> him, and Ahab pulled <05927> him up <05927> into <05921> his chariot <04818>. 20:34 Ben Hadad said <0559>, “I will return <07725> the cities <05892> my father <01> took <03947> from your father <01>. You may set up <07760> markets <02351> in Damascus <01834>, just <0834> as my father <01> did <07760> in Samaria <08111>.” Ahab then said, “I <0589> want to make a treaty <01285> with you before I dismiss <07971> you.” So he made <03772> a treaty <01285> with him and then dismissed <07971> him. 20:35 One <0259> of the members <01121> of the prophetic guild <05030>, speaking <0559> with <0413> divine <03068> authority <01697>, ordered his companion <07453>, “Wound <05221> me!” But the man <0376> refused <03985> to wound <05221> him. 20:36 So the prophet said <0559> to him, “Because <0834> <03282> you have disobeyed <06963> <08085> <03808> the Lord <03068>, as soon as you leave <01980> me a lion <0738> will kill <05221> you.” When he left <0681> <01980> him, a lion <0738> attacked <04672> and killed <05221> him. 20:37 He found <04672> another <0312> man <0376> and said <0559>, “Wound <05221> me!” So the man <0376> wounded <05221> him severely <06481> <05221>. 20:38 The prophet <05030> then went <01980> and stood <05975> by the road <01870>, waiting for <05921> the king <04428>. He also disguised <02664> himself by putting a bandage <0666> down over <05921> his eyes <05869>. 20:39 When <01961> the king <04428> passed by <05674>, he <01931> called out <06817> to <0413> the king <04428>, “Your servant <05650> went out <03318> into the heat <07130> of the battle <04421>, and then a man <0376> turned aside <05493> and brought <0935> me a prisoner <0376>. He told <0559> me, ‘Guard <08104> this <02088> prisoner <0376>. If <0518> he ends up missing <06485> <06485> for <08478> any reason, you will pay <01961> with your life <05315> or <0176> with a talent <03603> of silver <03701>.’ 20:40 Well, it just so happened <01961> that while your servant <05650> was doing <06213> this <02008> and that <02008>, he <01931> disappeared <0369>.” The king <04428> of Israel <03478> said <0559> to <0413> him, “Your punishment <04941> is already determined <02782> by your <0859> own testimony.” 20:41 The prophet quickly <04116> removed <05493> the bandage <0666> from <05921> his eyes <05869> and the king <04428> of Israel <03478> recognized <05234> he <01931> was one of the prophets <05030>. 20:42 The prophet then said <0559> to <0413> him, “This is what <03541> the Lord <03068> says <0559>, ‘Because <03282> you released <07971> a man <0376> I had determined should die <02764>, you will pay with <08478> your life <05315> and your people <05971> will suffer instead <08478> of his people <05971>.’” 20:43 The king <04428> of Israel <03478> went <01980> home <01004> to Samaria <08111> bitter <05620> and angry <02198>.

• 1Ki 20:13-21 -- The Lord Delivers Israel
• 1Ki 20:22-34 -- The Lord Gives Israel Another Victory
• 1Ki 20:35-43 -- A Prophet Denounces Ahab's Actions

• Ahab

  [ebd] father's brother. (1.) The son of Omri, whom he succeeded as the seventh king of Israel. His history is recorded in 1 Kings 16-22. His wife was Jezebel (q.v.), who exercised a very evil influence over him. To the calf-worshi...
  [isbe] AHAB - a'-hab ('ach'abh, Assyrian a-cha-ab-bu; Septuagint Achaab, but Jer 29:21 f, Achiab, which, in analogy with '-h-y-m-l-k, (')-h-y-'-l, etc., indicates an original 'achi'abh, meaning "the father is my brother"): The comp...
  [smith] (uncle). Son of Omri, seventh king of Israel, reigned B.C. 919-896. He married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of Tyre; and in obedience to her wishes, caused temple to be built to Baal in Samaria itself; and an oracular g...
  [nave] AHAB 1. King of Israel, 1 Kin. 16:29. Marries Jezebel, 1 Kin. 16:31. Idolatry of, 1 Kin. 16:30-33; 18:18, 19; 21:25, 26; other wickedness of, 2 Kin. 3:2; 2 Chr. 21:6; 22:3, 4; Mic. 6:16. Reproved by Elijah; assembles the ...
  

• Samaria

  [ebd] a watch-mountain or a watch-tower. In the heart of the mountains of Israel, a few miles north-west of Shechem, stands the "hill of Shomeron," a solitary mountain, a great "mamelon." It is an oblong hill, with steep but not i...
  [nave] SAMARIA 1. City of, built by Omri, 1 Kin. 16:24. Capital of the kingdom of the ten tribes, 1 Kin. 16:29; 22:51; 2 Kin. 13:1, 10; 15:8. Besieged by Ben-hadad, 1 Kin. 20; 2 Kin. 6:24-33; 7. The king of Syria is led into, by...
  

• Armies

  [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...
  

• Israel

  [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...
  

• ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF

  [isbe] ISRAEL, KINGDOM OF - || I. THE FIRST PERIOD 1. The Two Kingdoms 2. The Ist Dynasty 3. The IInd Dynasty 4. Civil War II. PERIOD OF THE SYRIAN WARS 1. The IIIrd Dynasty 2. World-Politics 3. Battle of Karkar 4. Loss of Territor...
  

• God

  [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...
  

• Ben-hadad

  [nave] BEN-HADAD 1. King of Syria, 1 Kin. 15:18-20; 2 Chr. 16:2-4. 2. A king of Syria, who reigned in the time of Ahab, son of Ben-hadad I, 1 Kin. 20; 2 Kin. 5; 6; 7; 8:7-15. 3. Son of Hazael and king of Syria, 2 Kin. 13:3, 24, 2...
  

• BENHADAD

  [isbe] BENHADAD - ben-ha'-dad (ben-hadhadh; Septuagint huios Hader): The Name I. BENHADAD I 1. The Kingdom of Syria Founded 2. Syria and Judah 3. Shortsightedness of Asa II. BENHADAD II 1. Hadad-'idri of the Monuments 2. Expedition...
  

• Prophecy

  [nave] PROPHECY Concerning Jesus, See: Jesus. Concerning church, See: Church, Prophecies Concerning Prosperity of. Relating to various countries, nations, and cities, see under their respective titles. Respecting individuals, see...
  

• SAMARIA, CITY OF

  [isbe] SAMARIA, CITY OF - sa-ma'-ri-a, (shomeron; Samareia, Semeron, and other forms): (1) Shechem was the first capital of the Northern Kingdom (1 Ki 12:25). Jeroboam seems later to have removed the royal residence to Tirzah (1 Ki...
  

• Micaiah

  [ebd] who is like Jehovah?, the son of Imlah, a faithful prophet of Samaria (1 Kings 22:8-28). Three years after the great battle with Ben-hadad (20:29-34), Ahab proposed to Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, that they should go up again...
  

• Aphek

  [isbe] APHEK - a'-fek ('apheq, "fortress"; Aphek): (1) In Josh 12:18 we should probably read with the Septuagint "the king of Aphek in Sharon." This may correspond to Aphek in 1 Sam 4:1. It was a royal city of the Canaanites whose ...
  [smith] (strength), the name of several places in Palestine. A royal city of the Canaanites, the king of which was killed by Joshua, (Joshua 12:18) probably the same as APHEKAH in (Joshua 15:53) A city, apparently in the extreme nor...
  [nave] APHEK 1. A city of the tribe of Asher, Josh. 19:30. Called Aphik, Judg. 1:31. 2. A city of the tribe of Issachar. Philistines defeat Israelites at, 1 Sam. 4:1-11. Saul slain at, 1 Sam. 29:1, with chapter 31. Probably the ...
  

• PAVILION

  [ebd] a tent or tabernacle (2 Sam. 22:12; 1 Kings 20:12-16), or enclosure (Ps. 18:11; 27:5). In Jer. 43:10 it probably denotes the canopy suspended over the judgement-seat of the king.
  [isbe] PAVILION - pa-vil'-yun: A covered place, booth, tent, in which a person may be kept hid or secret (cokh, Ps 27:5; cukkah--the usual term--Ps 31:20), or otherwise be withdrawn from view. The term is used with reference to God...
  

• Symbols and Similitudes

  [nave] SYMBOLS AND SIMILITUDES Trees of life and knowledge, Gen. 2:9, 17; 3:3, 24; Rev. 22:2. Rainbow, Gen. 9:12, 13. Circumcision, of the covenant of Abraham, Gen. 17:11; Rom. 4:11. Passover, of the sparing of the firstborn, an...
  

• WAR; WARFARE

  [isbe] WAR; WARFARE - wor, wor'-far (milchamah, 'anshe m., "men of war," "soldiers"; polemos, polemein, strateuesthai, stratia): 1. Religious Significance 2. Preliminaries 3. Operations of War 4. Strategy 5. Important Requisites 6....
  

• JOASH

  [smith] (to whom Jehovah hastens, i.e. to help), contracted from JEHOASH. Son of Ahaziah king of Judah (B.C. 884), and the only one of his children who escaped the murderous hand of Athaliah. After his father?s sister Jehoshabeath, ...
  

• ALLIANCE

  [isbe] ALLIANCE - a-li'-ans. 1. In the Patriarchal Stories: Frequent references are made to alliances between the patriarchs and foreigners. Abraham is reported to have had "confederates" among the chiefs of the Canaanites (Gen 14:...
  

• Diplomacy

  [nave] DIPLOMACY. 1 Cor. 9:20-23 See: Tact. Instances of Of Abimelech, Gen. 21:22, 23; 26:26-31. The Gibeonites, in securing a league with the Israelites through deception, Josh. 9:3-16. Of Jephthah, with the king of Moab, uns...
  

• Cord

  [isbe] CORD - kord (chebhet, yether, methar, `abhoth; schoinion): (1) The Arabic chab'l corresponds to the Hebrew chebhel and is still the common name for cord or rope throughout the East. Such ropes or cords are made of goat's or ...
  [nave] CORD Ancient uses of: In casting lots, Mic. 2:5; fastening tents, Ex. 35:18; 39:40; Isa. 54:2; leading or binding animals, Psa. 118:27; Hos. 11:4; hitching to cart or plough, Job 39:10; binding prisoners, Judg. 15:13; measur...
  

• Parables

  [nave] PARABLES Of the trees, Judg. 9:8-15. Of the lamb, 2 Sam. 12:1-6. Of the woman of Tekoa, 2 Sam. 14:5-12. Of the garment torn in pieces, 1 Kin. 11:30-32. Of the prisoner of war, 1 Kin. 20:39-42. Of the thistle and cedar, ...
  

• Ahab Fights the Arameans

  

• A Prophecy about Ahab's Death

  

• How Can Christians Justify War?
  How do you think Joshua, Gideon, David and other Old Testament saints felt about it? Do you suppose they did not know of the commandment "Thou shalt not kill"? They do not appear to have found any difficulty in reconciling th...
• What is the nature of Christs sonship?
  Concerning the eternal Sonship of Christ, Ryrie has this to say: I agree with Buswell (A Systematic Theology of the Christian Religion, pp. 105-12) that generation is not an exegetically based doctrine. The concept it tri...

Back to Commentary Page