Explanation: In 1 Kings 20, Benhadad, the king of Syria, came against Ahab, King of Israel (Kings of Judah and Israel Chart), and besieged Israel's capital city, Samaria. Benhadad demanded all of Ahab's silver, his gold, and the best of his wives and children. Ahab agreed; but Benhadad escalated his demands and told Ahab that he also wanted to search the houses of Ahab and his servants and take whatever he wanted (1-6).
     Ahab gathered the elders of the land; and when he told them Benhadad's demands, they told him not to agree. Ahab then told Benhadad that he would agree to the original terms but not to the search and seizure terms. Benhadad told Ahab that he would come against him with overwhelming force and that there would be so many soldiers plundering the city that not even handfuls of dust would be left. But Ahab told him not to boast until the battle was over. When Benhadad heard this message he was drinking; and he responded by sending his troops against Samaria (7-12).
     At that time, a prophet came to Ahab and told him that the LORD would show himself to be the LORD by delivering the Syrians into the hand of Ahab. Ahab ordered the battle and gathered seven thousand two hundred and thirty two warriors -- two hundred and thirty two of the princes of the provinces, and the other seven thousand from the rest of Israel (13-15).
     First, Ahab sent out the two hundred and thirty two princes of the provinces and their troops (drawn, perhaps, from the seven thousand) at noon while Benhadad and the thirty two kings who were his allies were again drinking. Benhadad commanded his men to capture them (16-18).
     But Ahab's troops slaughtered the Syrians and chased them. Benhadad escaped (19-21).
     The prophet spoke again to Ahab telling him to strengthen himself because Benhadad would return again at the turn of the year (22).
     Benhadad's servants told him that they had been defeated because the gods of Israel were gods of the hills; so they told him to fight Israel in the plains (23-25).
     At the turn of the year, the Syrians went to Aphek to fight Israel. They filled the area; but Israel was like two little flocks before them. A man of God came and told Ahab that he would enable Ahab to defeat the Syrians because they said that He was a god of the hills, not a god of the valleys. After seven days Israel began the battle and killed a hundred thousand Syrians (26-29).
     The rest of the Syrians fled to Aphek, but a wall collapsed and killed twenty seven thousand of them. Benhadad fled to an inner chamber within the city. His servants advised him to ask for mercy, which he did. Ahab received him as a brother; and they made a covenant (30-34).
     In preparation for delivering a message to Ahab, a prophet asked a man to wound him. But he refused; and the prophet told him that a lion would kill him for his disobedience. This happened. The prophet then asked another man to wound him; and he did so. So the prophet waited for Ahab. When Ahab came by, the prophet pretended to be someone who had lost a prisoner of war and he had to pay for the misdeed with his life or by paying a talent of silver. Ahab said he would have to pay the penalty. The prophet revealed his true identity and told Ahab that Ahab and his people would pay with their lives for letting Benhadad go, because the LORD had dedicated Benhadad to utter destruction; but Ahab failed to carry out this sentence from God. And Ahab returned to Samaria greatly depressed (35-43).
     [ Sermons: William Still. Sinclair B Ferguson. Various. ]
     [ Illustration: Today's image depicts the main event in today's chapter, the defeat of Benhadad of Syria by Ahab of Israel. ]

     ³⁵ And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him. ³⁶ Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him. ³⁷ Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him. ³⁸ So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. ³⁹ And as the king passed by, he criedunto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and bought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing [to be missing he is missing], then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. ⁴⁰ And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it. ⁴¹ And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. ⁴² And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. ⁴³ And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

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