1 - 6 Ben-hadad Besieges Samaria
1 Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, and there [were] thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it. 2 Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad, 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’” 4 The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,” 6 but about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will take in their hand and carry away.’”
A believer like Elijah can have their highs and lows. A wicked man like Ahab has only lows, despite so much evidence of God’s goodness. This chapter also shows this. God is good to Ahab, but he ignores it and reacts to it in pure willfulness.
In this chapter we hear nothing from Elijah. He has resigned and the LORD has accepted his resignation. He still has three tasks to complete. His service is over, although we hear from him once more. We do come across several prophets in this history. We also see that Ahab hasn’t changed. In this history God gives Ahab the opportunity to deal with a great enemy, Aram or Syria. He doesn’t do that and then dies later by the hand of the Syrians. An evil spared by us will not spare us and we will perish by it.
Yet something has changed because of the Carmel. The people have been reminded that there is a God in Israel. Also the hearts of the people are inclined toward God again. Then God sends blessing. That is astonishing when at the same time we see how little the people do with it. Here we see a gracious God. With a small trace of repentance God shows grace. We will also see this with Ahab in the next chapter. God also proves that He is the holy God.
The kings who go with Ben-hadad will be tribal princes. All cities have their own king. Syria is an important enemy of the ten tribes. They besiege Samaria. The enemy does not want to continue the siege and proposes a compromise, in which he sets the conditions. He proposes to Ahab to escape further siege and starvation.
Here we see that Ahab hasn’t changed. When Ben-hadad attacks him and makes a foolish proposal, he accepts it. Ahab is prepared to extradite his wives and children, as long as he stays out of harm. He even calls Ben-hadad “my lord”. He does not think about taking refuge in God. He accepts the proposal. Because of this he would also have to hand in Jezebel.
In his hubris Ben-hadad makes another demand. He wants to send his servants into town to take away everything they want.
7 - 12 Ahab Consults the Elders
7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and see how this man is looking for trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” 8 All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9 So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. 10 Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” 11 Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell [him], ‘Let not him who girds on [his armor] boast like him who takes [it] off.’” 12 When [Ben-hadad] heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station [yourselves].” So they stationed [themselves] against the city.
Ben-hadad’s second proposal panics Ahab. Now everything that is desirable in his eyes will be taken (verse 6). That goes too far for him. Instead of resorting to God, he calls together the elders with whom he consults as a man of the world. He is a weak man and cannot decide for himself. The elders advice him not to accept Ben-hadad’s proposal.
In his answer to Ben-hadad, Ahab does not repeat the strong answer of the elders, but gives a weak answer. He reiterates his willingness to meet the first demand and once again calls Ben-hadad “my lord”.
Ben-hadad has been agitated and now wants to take over the city. He poetically points to the enormous army he has. Ahab responds with a proverb. This saying means as much as: You shouldn’t have a big mouth before you have achieved results. The saying we have for that is: You should not share out the bearskin before the bear is dead.
13 - 21 A Prophet Promises Ahab Victory
13 Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 14 Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he answered, “You.” 15 Then he mustered the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, [even] all the sons of Israel, 7,000. 16 They went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the temporary shelters with the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17 The young men of the rulers of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out and they told him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.” 18 Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.” 19 So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20 They killed each his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21 The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.
Then a prophet appears on stage. Possibly the prophet is one of the 7,000, or one of the 100 hidden by Obadiah. It is God’s concern that Ahab will know that He is the LORD. This will happen because He executes the judgment.
The prophet gives some indications on behalf of God how Ahab can win the battle. Miraculously Ahab listens to this, perhaps because he sees no other possibility. God comes to his aid in pure grace. Once again He wants to show that He is there. He is going to help Ahab in spite of everything, for the sake of the faithful in the people. Ahab’s indifferent attitude does not prevent God from His intention to save his people despite this unwilling king.
Ahab is interested in this deliverance and informs how it will go. The prophet tells him that this will be done by a selection of young men. God uses the suitability of the persons, while it is clear that He Himself gives the victory, for there are few. We also see this with Gideon and his 300 men (Jdg 7:2,21). When asked by Ahab who should take the initiative to fight, the prophet answers that he should take the initiative.
Ben-hadad is so overconfident, that he allows himself to drink himself drunk in the middle of the day. He has no eye for the danger that threatens. Diffused by the drink, he thinks he can ward off this danger. His men have only to capture the men of Ahab.
It runs differently. The men of Ahab defeat every man they meet. They are inviolable to the men of Ben-hadad. That is only because of the LORD. When Israel was God’s people, the people always won through Him. Never did the people gain a victory because they were the superior.
22 - 25 The Prophet Informs Ahab
22 Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.” 23 Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, [and] surely we will be stronger than they. 24 Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25 and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.
When the battle is won, the prophet warns Ahab that Ben-hadad is not definitively defeated. Ben-hadad will come back. The prophet tells him to consider what to do. He has a year to do so.
Ben-hadad is also considering. He and his men evaluate the situation. A proposal is being made that will be successful in the next battle. Ben-hadad gets the advice to fight in the plain, because “their gods are gods of the mountains”. This makes it a battle between God and the idols. Here we hear how the servants of the king of Syria think about God. Today theologians also speak so about God, as a god of a primitive people, a god they themselves invented.
26 - 29 Israel Beats the Syrians Again
26 At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27 The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country. 28 Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of [the] mountains, but He is not a god of [the] valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 29 So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed [of] the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day.
When the armies have positioned themselves opposite each other, a man of God comes. He tells Ahab that the battle that is about to break loose is a battle in which the LORD will prove His Name. Because His Name is at issue, He gives Israel victory.
It is not about the victory in itself, but about getting to know the power of the LORD. God does not only allow things, but works them to show that He is there. Thus Job did not accept what happened to him from the hand of Satan, but from the hand of God (Job 1:21b).
They defeat a huge number of enemies. The LORD mocks those who mock Him. As for Ahab, he has another lesson to learn. As in verse 13, it is written in verse 28 that Ahab should acknowledge by the victory, that God is the LORD.
30 - 34 Ahab Spares Ben-hadad
30 But the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber. 31 His servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life.” 32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins and [put] ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 33 Now the men took this as an omen, and quickly catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he took him up into the chariot. 34 [Ben-hadad] said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” [Ahab said], “And I will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.
What does Ahab do after the victory? He is surprised to hear that Ben-hadad is still alive. He even appears to be pleasantly surprised. A living enemy is a more beautiful trophy than a dead one. At the same time he calls this enemy of God and His people “my brother”. However, he is not his brother, but his enemy. He proves kindness to the wrong person. God loves man, but not his sins. Therefore He commands man to repent and He also gave His Son. God loves His children, but not their wrong deeds.
Ahab is persuaded by Ben-hadad to a misplaced show of grace and lets him live. Ben-hadad gives him back a number of cities and makes a covenant with him. Ahab does not deal definitively with this enemy of God and His people. In this way he proves his insensitivity to the will of God.
The wicked Ahab fraternizes with a wicked man. The application for us is that we do not condemn evil in our brother if we live in evil ourselves. It will be more so that the evil in the brother attracts us, because it sends out a signal that we can continue doing evil.
Ben-hadad talks beautifully and promises Ahab a trading place. Ahab takes the bait and lets him go. He has the king of Syria in his power. God has given him in his power to kill him, but he lets him go. Thus Saul spared Agag, and also the cattle, while God had commanded to eradicate everything. Then Samuel kills that evil power (1Sam 15:8-9,32-33). Ahab should have done that here.
35 - 43 Ahab’s Covenant Judged
35 Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. 36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and killed him. 37 Then he found another man and said, “Please strike me.” And the man struck him, wounding him. 38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40 While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided [it].” 41 Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets. 42 He said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of [your] hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43 So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.
This history may have ended for Ahab, but for God it is not. Ahab has made it clear that he does not acknowledge God, even after God has so graciously given outcome in his hopeless situation. He abuses grace as a reason for fulfilling his own desires.
We become witnesses of the preparation of a message for Ahab. A son of the prophets, a pupil-prophet, must go and bring Ahab the message from God that God will punish his failure. The pupil-prophet must make use of a similarity that he must play himself. For this it is necessary that another pupil-prophet beats him in such a way that he is wounded and must be connected. What the prophet has to do shows the seriousness of what Ahab has done. It is no small matter. The prophet must look like a soldier who comes out of battle wounded.
If the pupil-prophet to whom he asks to strike him refuses to do so, that refusal is punished with death. This shows the seriousness that the word of the prophet must be taken as the word of God. The man who refuses to strike the pupil-prophet is killed because he has not listened to the voice of the LORD. The prophet must have been known as such.
We must remember that this is not about two ordinary people, but about a prophet who tells another prophet to strike him. It must be known that the prophet who refuses, knows that it is a word of the LORD, but that he will not strike the other, against the word of the LORD. He chooses not to harm his fellow prophet, but with this he is disobedient to the LORD. This must be punished, given the seriousness of the situation. We see something similar with the man of God from Judah in 1 Kings 13. His disobedience is also punished with being killed by a lion (1Kgs 13:20-24,26).
We must not only fulfill our tasks that we understand and agree with, but we must also fulfill a task, simply because it is asked of us. We need to teach our children to obey, even if they do not understand or see the point in it. We should not always explain in detail to our children why we want them to do something. It is not about negotiations, but about teaching them obedience. The whole of society is a society of negotiation and only then doing. We must make sure that this spirit does not take hold of our families.
Then he asks another pupil-prophet to strike him, this one does. The other man strikes him so hard that he injures him. This may be to indicate that the prophet identifies with the pain God feels about the infidelity of the leader of His people. The prophet dresses his wound in a way that makes him unrecognizable. In this way he “waited for the king by the way”.
When the king arrives, he speaks to him. He asks the king for mercy because he has done something that costs him his life or a large sum of money. He tells what happened. He was “busy here and there” when the man he had to guard escaped. Being busy here and there is a bad thing for a soldier who must always be attentive.
When the prophet has spoken, Ahab passes judgment. With this he judges himself. This is also the case with David after his sin with Bathsheba, who, after a parable, passes judgment and is told: “You are the man! (2Sam 12:7a). Ahab should have struck Ben-hadad and will now be struck himself, just as the prophet who refused to strike the man of God was struck himself. He has been busy here and there, so he has been negligent in doing what he had to do.
The lesson for us is to remove the evil from the midst of the church (1Cor 5:13b), not only in view of the honor of God, but also in view of our own salvation. If we don’t stop the evil, it will grow and affect everything. Ahab let Ben-hadad go and will now die by Ben-hadad. God has never been merciful to evil. We see this in the judgment of His Son.
Ben-hadad himself has also come to an end. He is murdered by Hazael according to the word of the LORD to Elijah. Hazael suffocates him in a blanket (2Kgs 8:15).
The reaction of a man so graciously treated by God to the message he receives is terrible. God always bothers him. But he does not understand that it is to his own salvation. His reaction is a total rejection of all God’s proofs of grace. If we react grumpily to God’s actions with us we are in a bad mood. Then it turns out that we only think of our own pleasures and find God troublesome, Someone Who does not grant us our pleasures.
We may stand before the Lord and ask, “Lord, what is there of Ahab in my heart? Am I willing to give up all kinds of things, as long as they don’t come up with things that I consider important? Do I recognize the proofs of Your help in the fight against the enemy, that I may honor You for the victory? Or did I make an alliance with the enemy somewhere?” We can pray: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way” (Psa 139:23-24).