63 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel,.... Supposed by the Jewish writers to be Micaiah the son of Imlah, 1 Kings 22:9 one of those perhaps that Obadiah hid in the cave, and now is sent out publicly on an errand to Ahab: saying, thus saith the Lord, hast thou seen all this great multitude? considered what a vast number...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Ahab said, by whom?.... Knowing he had no army with him sufficient to go out with against the Syrian army: and he said, thus saith the Lord, even by the young men of the princes of the provinces; either such, as Kimchi thinks, who were brought up with him; or, as others, the sons of governors of provinces, who were kept as hostages, that their...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two,.... A very small number to go forth against so great an army as the host of the Syrians, and these raw unexperienced young men: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand; which could never...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they went out at noon,.... From Samaria, the two hundred and thirty two young men, and the 7000 Israelites, openly, with great spirit and courage, fearless and undaunted; but it is not said that Ahab went out at the head of them; it seems as if he did not by what is said, 1 Kings 20:21, but Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him. And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria. And he said, — In his drunken fury,” he said,” —
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first,.... From Samaria, before the 7000 did: and Benhadad sent out; of his pavilion, a messenger or messengers to his sentinels, to know what news, and how matters stood, whether Ahab had sent any message, signifying his compliance with his terms: and they told him, saying, there are men...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said, whether they be come out for peace,.... To propose terms of peace: take them alive; make them prisoners, which was contrary to the laws of nations: or whether they be come out for war, take them alive; he made no doubt of their being easily taken; but he would not have them be put to death, that he might examine them, and know the...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. They were not to be so easily taken as Benhadad imagined.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city,.... First, as before observed, and marched forwards towards the Syrian camp: and the army which followed them; consisting of 7000 men.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them. And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the King of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen. And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they slew everyone his man,.... The Syrian army, or at least a body of men detached from them, met them, opposed them, and fought them, and they slew of them 7232 men; as many as they themselves were: and the Syrians fled; not expecting such a rebuff: and Israel pursued them; to make some further advantage of their victory: and Benhadad the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king of Israel went out,.... Of Samaria; when he saw the Syrians fleeing, and his army pursuing, he went forth, perhaps, with more forces, who were now willing to join with him; Josephus (c) says, Ahab had another army within the walls: and smote the horses and chariots; that is, the men that rode on horses; and in chariots, the Syrian...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the prophet came to the king of Israel,.... The same that came to him before: and said unto him, go, strengthen thyself; exhorted him to fortify his cities, especially Samaria, and increase his army, that he might be able to oppose the king of Syria: and mark, and see what thou doest: observe his moral and religious actions, and take heed that...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. Another year would bring another war, so they must be prepared.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him,.... His ministers of state, his privy counsellors: their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they were stronger than we; and beat them in the last battle; this notion they might receive from what they had heard of Jehovah delivering the law on Mount Sinai to Moses, and of the miraculous things...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are god of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. It was a current heathenish idea, that there was one god for a mountain, another for a stream, another for a plain; and these men imagined...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And do this thing,.... Also take this further piece of advice: take the kings away, every man out of his place: for being brought up delicately, they were not inured to war, nor expert in the art of it; and being addicted to pleasure, gave themselves to that, and drew the king into it, which they observed was the case before, though they did not...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms: “Do not let the kings, who have their own armies, govern them, for that creates divisions in the camp; but appoint captains in their place.”
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And number thee an army like the army that thou hast lost,.... Raise an army of an equal number, which they supposed he was able to do: horse for horse and chariot for chariot; as many horses and chariots as he had before: and we will fight against them in the plain; where they could make use of their horses and chariots to greater advantage than...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And number thee an army, like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so. And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to...