20:1 Now King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled all his army, along with thirty-two other kings with their horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria and besieged and attacked it.
King Ben Hadad II was the son of King Ben Hadad of Syria, who had attacked Israel earlier. He joined with 32 of his vassal kings in an attempt to defeat Israel. This combined Syrian army was about 100,000 strong. Samaria was the capital of Israel at this time.
2 He sent messengers to King Ahab of Israel, who was in the city.
Syria sent messengers to King Ahab in order to negotiate surrender terms. Israel was severely outnumbered and had no chance of victory, unless Jehovah stepped in and helped them. However, Israel had rejected Jehovah and was worshiping Baal at this time.
3 He said to him, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, as well as the best of your wives and sons.’ ”
King Ben Hadad demanded all of Israel’s gold, wives, and sons. The gold would be used to create idols and weapons. Pagans believed that golden idols brought them good luck. The wives and children would be kept as hostages to make sure that Israel remained loyal to Syria as a vassal state.
4 The king of Israel replied, “It is just as you say, my master, O king. I and all I own belong to you.”
King Ahab of Israel agreed to the demands of King Ben Hadad II of Syria.
5 The messengers came again and said, “This is what Ben Hadad says, ‘I sent this message to you, “You must give me your silver, gold, wives, and sons.”
The messengers from King Ben Hadad II also asked for silver. Silver was another soft metal which was used to make idols.
6 But now at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you and they will search through your palace and your servants’ houses. They will carry away all your valuables.”
King Hadad received such an easy answer, that he became arrogant and greedy and asked for more. In addition, he wanted his soldiers to go through the place and treasure house of King Ahab and take away all of his personal valuables.
7 The king of Israel summoned all the leaders of the land and said, “Notice how this man is looking for trouble. Indeed, he demanded my wives, sons, silver, and gold, and I did not resist him.”
Notice that King Ahab did not mind giving up Jezebel or his other wives and sons. However, he did not want to give up his personal belongings.
8 All the leaders and people said to him, “Do not give in or agree to his demands.”
The nation of Israel stood behind their king.
9 So he said to the messengers of Ben Hadad, “Say this to my master, the king, ‘I will give you everything you demanded at first from your servant, but I am unable to agree to this latest demand.’ ” So the messengers went back and gave their report.
King Ahab refused to give up his personal belongings.
10 Ben Hadad sent another message to him, “May the gods judge me severely if there is enough dirt left in Samaria for my soldiers to scoop up in their hands.”
King Ben Hadad made an oath to his pagan gods to completely destroy Israel. This oath was a violation of the Abrahamic Covenant.
11 The king of Israel replied, “Tell him the one who puts on his battle gear should not boast like one who is taking it off.”
King Ahab answered with a Middle Eastern proverb, which would be very similar to modern proverbs of modern nations today. He was saying, “Do not count your chickens before they hatch.” Kings were very arrogant and they loved to show off in front of their court, so this response must have deeply angered King Ben Hadad.
12 When Ben Hadad received this reply, he and the other kings were drinking in their quarters. He ordered his servants, “Get ready to attack!” So they got ready to attack the city.
King Ben Hadad became more arrogant and confident within his drunken orgies. His attack on Israel would violate the Abrahamic Covenant, meaning that his nation would receive a kind-for-kind judgment.
13 Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Do you see this huge army? Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
Jehovah was going to save Jehovah-rejecting Baal-worshiping Israel not because of their goodness, but because of His grace.
14 Ahab asked, “By whom will this be accomplished?” He answered, “This is what the Lord says, ‘By the servants of the district governors.’ ” Ahab asked, “Who will launch the attack?” He answered, “You will.”
Even though King Ahab had rejected Jehovah and chose Baal, Jehovah chose King Ahab to lead the attack.
15 So Ahab assembled the 232 servants of the district governors. After that he assembled all the Israelite army, numbering 7,000.
Syria possessed over 127,000 soldiers. Israel possessed over 7,000 soldiers.
16 They marched out at noon, while Ben Hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were drinking heavily in their quarters.
Noon was the hottest part of the day. Battles usually started in the morning when the weather was cooler. King Ben Hadad and his officers were so confident of victory, that they were partying in a drunken orgy. In the Battle of San Jacinto, Mexico’s Santa Anna made this same mistake against the Texan’s Sam Houston.
17 The servants of the district governors led the march. When Ben Hadad sent messengers, they reported back to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”
The spies reported to King Ben Hadad that a small group of men were marching out of Samaria.
18 He ordered, “Whether they come in peace or to do battle, take them alive.”
King Ben Hadad did not know if they were coming to fight or negotiate a peace treaty. He wanted them all taken alive.
19 They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them.
The Israelite army marched out of the city.
20 Each one struck down an enemy soldier; the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen.
Syria was fighting a supernatural army empowered by Jehovah, so they ran away. King Ben Hadad escaped on horseback.
21 Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated Syria.
Jehovah gave Israel supernatural protection and fighting skills so that they could defeat superior numbers.
22 The prophet visited the king of Israel and instructed him, “Go, fortify your defenses. Determine what you must do, for in the spring the king of Syria will attack you.”
Spring was the normal time of war. It was too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Harvest was during the fall. Jehovah knew the future. He predicted that Syria would return in the fall, so Israel needed to fortify their defenses.
23 Now the advisers of the king of Syria said to him: “Their God is a god of the mountains. That’s why they overpowered us. But if we fight them in the plains, we will certainly overpower them.
The advisers of King Ben Hadad were superstitious pagans. They believed that gods were territorial, like animals and men. They believed that Jehovah was just the god of the hills, and not the god of the plains. They believed that their Syrian gods could defeat Jehovah on their own plains territory. This is the same mistake that secular historians make today. They teach that Jehovah was just a tribal Hebrew god, and not the Creator God of the universe. Satan uses biased and arrogant historians to subtly attack the one true God of the Bible.
24 So do this: Dismiss the kings from their command, and replace them with military commanders.
Instead of the 32 kings leading their vassal states against Israel, King Ben Hadad replaced them with military commanders who knew what they were doing.
25 Muster an army like the one you lost, with the same number of horses and chariots. Then we will fight them in the plains; we will certainly overpower them.” He approved their plan and did as they advised.
King Ben Hadad was going to assemble another 127,000 man army to attack Israel in the spring. He was about to violate the Abrahamic Covenant for a second time.
26 In the spring Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army and marched to Aphek to fight Israel.
There were several towns in Israel named Aphek. The one mentioned here probably lay about 3 miles east of the Sea of Galilee, north of the Yarmuk River.
27 When the Israelites had mustered and had received their supplies, they marched out to face them in battle. When the Israelites deployed opposite them, they were like two small flocks of goats, but the Syrians filled the land.
The 7,000-man Israelite army looked like two small flocks of goats compared to the 127,000-man Syrian army.
28 The prophet visited the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Because the Syrians said, “The Lord is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ”
The Syrians insulted Jehovah when they called him “the god of the mountains.” Jehovah was going to prove to both Israel and Syria that He was the sovereign God over all of creation.
29 The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day.
The Israelite army was supernaturally empowered. They killed 100,000 soldiers in one day.
30 The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them. Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room.
What is the chance of the wall falling down in a city and killing 27,000 Syrian soldiers? Syria insulted Jehovah, so now they had to fight against Him.
31 His advisers said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads and surrender to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.”
Some of the Israelite kings were kind, but some were evil, and others were devoid of divine viewpoint. King Ben Hadad feigned humility by placing sackcloth around his waist and a rope around his neck. The sackcloth was a symbol of humility. If King Ahab decided not to forgive King Ben Hadad, then he could hang him with the rope around his neck.
32 So they put sackcloth around their waists and ropes on their heads and went to the king of Israel. They said, “Your servant Ben Hadad says, ‘Please let me live!’ ” Ahab replied, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”
From later contexts, Jehovah commanded Ahab to execute King Ben Hadad. Instead of executing this evil king who had violated the Abrahamic Covenant and attacked God’s chosen people, King Ahab called him his “brother.” King Ahab treated him like a beloved family member!
33 The men took this as a good omen and quickly accepted his offer, saying, “Ben Hadad is your brother.” Ahab then said, “Go, get him.” So Ben Hadad came out to him, and Ahab pulled him up into his chariot.
When a man was invited into the king’s chariot, then he was honored in a position of favor. Instead of executing this evil Syrian king, King Ahab honored him. There are many evil politicians and judges in the world today who do not like the death penalty, because they are guilty of the same type of crimes. When politicians and judges do not execute the death penalty, then they violate God’s will and place their nation at risk. Biblically-ignorant politicians and judges today are placing murderers, rapists, and child molesters on the street to victimize more men, women, and children.
34 Ben Hadad said, “I will return the cities my father took from your father. You may set up markets in Damascus, just as my father did in Samaria.” Ahab then said, “I want to make a treaty with you before I dismiss you.” So he made a treaty with him and then dismissed him.
King Ben Hadad was very cooperative. He offered to return the cities in which his father took from King Omri. He offered to allow Israelite businesses in his capital city of Damascus. Instead of executing this evil Syrian king, King Ahab wanted to make a treaty with another evil dictator. History has taught that evil dictators do not honor their treaties.
35 One of the members of the prophetic guild, speaking with divine authority, ordered his companion, “Wound me!” But the man refused to wound him.
The school of prophets was a seminary which taught prophets the Word of God. One of the prophets was speaking by divine authority. He asked another one of the students to wound him. However, the student refused to do so. He did not believe God’s word or did not want to follow God’s will.
36 So the prophet said to him, “Because you have disobeyed the Lord, as soon as you leave me a lion will kill you.” When he left him, a lion attacked and killed him.
The prophet predicted that this student’s disobedience would cost him his life. The student committed the sin unto death. He lost his physical life, but not his salvation.
37 He found another man and said, “Wound me!” So the man wounded him severely.
The prophet asked another man to wound him. This other student did not want to be killed by a lion, so he wounded the prophet severely.
38 The prophet then went and stood by the road, waiting for the king. He also disguised himself by putting a bandage down over his eyes.
The prophet placed a bandage around his eyes so that King Ahab would not recognize him.
39 When the king passed by, he called out to the king, “Your servant went out into the heat of the battle, and then a man turned aside and brought me a prisoner. He told me, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he ends up missing for any reason, you will pay with your life or with a talent of silver.’
The prophet asked the king to make an important military decision. An Israelite soldier was commanded to guard a very important and dangerous prisoner. The soldier was told that if the prisoner escaped, the soldier would be executed.
40 Well, it just so happened that while your servant was doing this and that, he disappeared.” The king of Israel said to him, “Your punishment is already determined by your own testimony.”
This very important and dangerous prisoner escaped from the guard. The king’s decision was that the guard was to be executed for not fulfilling his duty.
41 The prophet quickly removed the bandage from his eyes and the king of Israel recognized he was one of the prophets.
The prophet removed his disguise and he was immediately recognized by the King. Israelite kings did not like prophets, because they always predicted bad things for kings.
42 The prophet then said to him, “This is what the Lord says, ‘Because you released a man I had determined should die, you will pay with your life and your people will suffer instead of his people.’ ”
Since King Ahab did not execute the evil King of Syria, then King Ahab will be executed in his place. Also, the citizens of Israel would die in the place of the Syrians.
43 The king of Israel went home to Samaria bitter and angry.
The Israelite kings were always bitter and angry at Jehovah’s prophets, because the prophets kept them from abusing their power and making foolish decisions. The prophets were very similar to the judicial branch of many republic governments.