1 Reis 20

1 Reis 20

Chart from recommended resource Jensen's Survey of the OT - used by permission 1 Kings Chart from Charles Swindoll THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL (NOTE: Many consider Amaziah and Hezekiah as "good" kings) SEE ALSO: ESV chart - kings of Israel - more information ESV chart - kings of Judah - more information Another Chart with Variable Dates for Reigns of Kings 1 Kings 20:1 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. Benhadad: 1Ki 15:18,20 2Ki 8:7-10 2Ch 16:2-4 Jer 49:27 Am 1:4 Thirty and two: 1Ki 20:16,24 Ge 14:1-5 Jdg 1:7 Ezr 7:12 Isa 10:8 Eze 26:7 Da 2:37 and horses: Ex 14:7 De 20:1 Jdg 4:3 1Sa 13:5 Isa 37:24 besieged: Lev 26:25 De 28:52 2Ki 6:24-29 17:5,6 1 Kings 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: 1 Kings 15:18-20+ (KING ASA'S CAPITULATION TO ARAM) Then Asa took all the silver and the gold which were left in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the treasuries of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants. And King Asa sent them to Ben-hadad the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion, king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying, 19 “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you a present of silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me.” 20 So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah and all Chinneroth, besides all the land of Naphtali. Dale Ralph Davis summarizes 1 Kings 20-22 - We must therefore realize how the Bible writer has arranged the last three chapters of 1 Kings. As he united chapters 17–19 around the ‘God war’, so he combines chapters 20–22 into another triad in which each chapter emphasizes the failure of Ahab and how the word of God stands opposed to him. Because of Ahab’s spineless moderation, both Ahab and Israel stand under doom (1Ki 20:42); because of his heartless oppression, his household will be exterminated (1Ki 21:21–24); and because of his thick-headed obtuseness, his life is forfeit (1Ki 22:19–23, 29–38). No other king receives such a literary battering from the sacred writer, but no other king the likes of Ahab had come along (1Ki 21:20, 25; cf. 16:30, 33). Chapters 20–22 then intend to display Ahab’s repeated (and fatal) opposition to the word of Yahweh. ESV Study Bible has an interesting note - After Elijah’s recruitment of Elisha, one expects to read of his anointing of Hazael as king over Syria and of Jehu as king over Israel (cf. 1Ki 19:15–18). Instead, one finds a story in which a different prophet appears and in which a different king of Syria (Ben-hadad) loses a war with Ahab. The message of ch. 19 is thus underlined: Elijah is not the only servant of God left, in spite of what he has claimed (1Ki 19:10, 14); and the quiet ways of God must take their course for a while before the events spoken of in 1Ki 19:17 come to pass. (Bolding added) Brian Bell - It seemed that in the last chapter the only thing that we were waiting for was Ahab & Israel’s judgment...but remember...our patient God, is a God who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires to grant life and forgiveness. As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness (turn your life around, reverse your evil ways), O people of Israel! Why should you die? Ezek.33:11 And so...see if you pick up on, in the story this evening...God’s grace, mercy, loving kindness, wisdom given, His omnipotence, & His providence as we read through this. Their national religion faded. God’s Word lost its place. So dry rot & decay ate away the strength of the national heart. Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army - Ben-Hadad means “son of Hadad” where Hadad was a storm god of both Edom and Syria and is related to the Arabic root "make a loud rise," such as falling rain. The title Ben-hadad is like Pharaoh or Caesar which could refer to several individuals. Aram is another name for Syria. the region north and east of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Ben-Hadad Hadad or Adad was the god of storm and thunder, and, as was common in that epoch of history, kings were seen as sons of the primary god of the region. The reason for this war is not given but likely is because Ahab had refused to pay tribute to Ben-Hadad. There are 3 Ben-hadads mentioned in the Bible. in the time of Asa, King of Judah, 1 Kgs. 15:18,20; 2 Chr. 10:2,4 in the time of Ahab, King of Israel, 1 Kings 20; 2 Kgs. 6:24; 8:7,9 in the time of Amaziah, King of Judah and Jehoahaz, King of Israel, 2 Kgs. 13:3,24-25 Gotquestions.org says "In 1 Kings 20, Ben-Hadad once again attacks the northern kingdom of Israel, where Ahab is now the king. It is possible that this is the same Ben-Hadad who attacked in 1 Kings 15, or it could be a son, Ben-Hadad II. It seems that this time Ben-Hadad is attacking on his own without consideration for any treaty with Judah. And this time, although he had 32 kings helping him (1 Kings 20:1), he is defeated by King Ahab and the army of Israel. About three years later, Israel and Syria renew their conflict, leading to Ahab’s final battle and death (1 Kings 22)." Dilday - “Ben-Hadad may be the same king Asa enlisted against Baasha in 15:18; or he may be that king’s son or grandson by the same name.” (See Preacher's Commentary - Vol. 09: 1 and 2 Kings - Page 29) And there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots - While the kings were probably minor tribal chiefs, still the army would be a massive force arrayed against Samaria (cf "great multitude" in 1Ki 20:13), the capital of the Northern Kingdom. And later (1Ki 20:29, 30) we see 127,000 Arameans were killed substantiating the premise that this was a large force. And he went up and besieged Samaria (“watch-mountain” or “watch-tower”) and fought against it - Samaria was located about 30 miles north of Jerusalem and about 6 miles northwest of Shechem. Samaria is referred to as “the hill of Samaria” in 1Ki 16:24, and the elevation provided a natural defense with 3 steep slopes making assaults difficult and forcing invaders to lay siege instead of storming the city. In addition to having only one easy access point, Samaria had its own water supply. QUESTION - Who were the Arameans? ANSWER - Aram was the Hebrew designation for the nation of Syria, so the Arameans mentioned in the Bible are Syrians. In fact, some translations such as the ESV and KJV, when translating the Hebrew word for “Aramean,” substitute the word Syrian instead (see 2 Kings 7:6). The Arameans lived on an elevated tableland, and the topography is reflected in the fact that the word Aram comes from a root meaning “heights.” Aram Naharaim in Genesis 24:10 means “highland of the two rivers.” The borders of Aram encompassed a broad region immediately to the northeast of Israel, extending to the Euphrates River and including Mesopotamia. Among the major cities inhabited by ancient Arameans were Damascus (Genesis 14:15) and Hamath (Numbers 13:21). Much later, Syrian Antioch was built and is mentioned in the New Testament (Acts 11:19; 13:1). The various kingdoms comprising ancient Aram gradually unified under Damascus, which grew to be the most dominant of the Aramean kingdoms. When Abraham sought a wife for his son Isaac, he sent a servant to the land of Aram to find Rebekah (Genesis 24:10; 25:20). Laban, Jacob’s father-in-law, is called an Aramean in Genesis 31:10. Jacob himself is called “a wandering Aramean” in Deuteronomy 26:5, since both his mother and his grandfather were from Mesopotamia and therefore considered Arameans by the Hebrews. During the reign of King David, the Arameans of Damascus came to the help of another group of Syrians. David defeated them, and the Arameans were forced to pay tribute (2 Samuel 8:5–6). Later, the Arameans joined forces with the Ammonites in war against Israel (2 Samuel 10). The Israelites defeated Aram again and kept them in subjugation. This arrangement lasted through the reign of King Solomon (1 Kings 4:21). After the time of Solomon, the Arameans were a perennial thorn in Israel’s side. They fought Israel during King Ahab’s time, and Israel won (1 Kings 20). In another battle, however, they killed Ahab (2 Chronicles 18:34). They raided Israel (2 Kings 6:8) and later laid siege to the capital, Samaria (verse 24). Elisha predicted the atrocities that the Arameans would commit (2 Kings 8:12). The Arameans fought King Joram of Israel and wounded him (2 Kings 8:28). And they fought King Joash of Judah and wounded him (2 Chronicles 24:23–25). The eventual fall of Jerusalem at the hands of Babylon was aided by the Arameans (2 Kings 24:2). In a wonderful demonstration of God’s grace and power, Elisha healed Naaman the Syrian of leprosy (2 Kings 5). Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was an enemy of Israel, but he humbled himself enough to seek the Lord’s help. Naaman discovered that God is merciful to all those who call upon Him—even Arameans—and that discovery drastically changed Naaman’s worldview: “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel” (2 Kings 5:15). QUESTION - Who was Ben-Hadad in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org ANSWER - Ben-Hadad seems to have been the title of the reigning king of Aram (Syria). Ben-Hadad means “son of Hadad.” Hadad or Adad was the god of storm and thunder, and, as was common in that epoch of history, kings were seen as sons of the primary god of the region. In the Bible, Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram, is mentioned in 1 Kings 15:18–22; throughout 1 Kings 20; 2 Kings 6:24; 8:9; 13:24–25; 2 Chronicles 16:2–4; Jeremiah 49:27; and Amos 1:4. Since Ben-Hadad is a title much like Pharaoh or President, the term can refer to different individuals at different times. The context of each passage must be studied to determine just who is involved. Most students of history accept the existence of three Ben-Hadads who ruled in Damascus: Ben-Hadad I, who ruled c. 900–860 BC; his son (or grandson) Ben-Hadad II, who ruled 860–841; and another, unrelated Ben-Hadad, the son of the man who assassinated Ben-Hadad II. In 1 Kings 15:18, Ben-Hadad is designated as the son of Tabrimmon, the son of Hezion. In this passage, King Asa of Judah makes a treaty with Ben-Hadad to help protect himself against the king of Israel, who was threatening Judah. (This is also recorded in 2 Chronicles 16:2–4.) Ben-Hadad sent soldiers against Israel and King Baasha and conquered a number of towns, bringing some relief to Judah. In 1 Kings 20, Ben-Hadad once again attacks the northern kingdom of Israel, where Ahab is now the king. It is possible that this is the same Ben-Hadad who attacked in 1 Kings 15, or it could be a son, Ben-Hadad II. It seems that this time Ben-Hadad is attacking on his own without consideration for any treaty with Judah. And this time, although he had 32 kings helping him (1 Kings 20:1), he is defeated by King Ahab and the army of Israel. About three years later, Israel and Syria renew their conflict, leading to Ahab’s final battle and death (1 Kings 22). In 2 Kings 6–7, about nine years after Ahab’s death, Ben-Hadad II invades Israel and lays siege to Samaria, the capital. The siege went on for so long that the people in the city were starving to death. However, in the middle of the night, the Lord caused the Aramean army to hear sounds of an advancing army. Thinking the king of Israel was receiving help from foreign nations, all of Ben-Hadad’s men fled, leaving everything behind. In 2 Kings 8, the prophet Elisha travels to Damascus and relays a paradoxical prophecy to Ben-Hadad II, who was ill: “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die” (verse 10). Just as Elisha said, Ben-Hadad began to recover from his illness, but then a man named Hazael murdered Ben-Hadad and took the throne of Aram. In 2 Kings 13, Hazael is succeeded by his son, who is also named Ben-Hadad. This final Ben-Hadad was defeated three times by King Jehoash of Israel, fulfilling another prophecy of Elisha (2 Kings 13:1–25). In Jeremiah 49:27, the word of the Lord says, “I will set fire to the walls of Damascus; it will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.” At the time of Jeremiah’s prophecy, none of the Ben-Hadads mentioned above would have been alive. The reference may be to the current king of Aram or perhaps to a fortress that had been built by and now bore the name of a former king. In Amos 1:4 we have a similar prophecy: “I will send fire on the house of Hazael that will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.” By this time, the original Ben-Hadad had been killed, and Hazael was king. As above, “the fortress of Ben-Hadad” could simply refer to a fortress of the current king or to a specific fortress that was known by that name. In summary, Ben-Hadad is the title of the Aramean king, “son of Hadad,” a prominent deity in the region. Several kings of Aram had extensive interaction with the kingdom of Israel and attacked several times. The Lord used Ben-Hadad and the Arameans to bring judgment on rebellious Israel, but He punished Aram for her evil, as well. 1 Kings 20:2 Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad, 2Ki 19:9 Isa 36:2-22 37:9,10 1 Kings 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad QUESTION - Who was King Ahab in the Bible? ANSWER - Ahab was one in a line of increasingly evil kings in Israel’s history, starting with the reign of Jeroboam. King Ahab “did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him” (1 Kings 16:30). Among the events chronicled in Ahab’s life that led to his downfall was his marriage to an evil woman named Jezebel who had a particular hatred for God’s people (1 Kings 18:4). Because of his marriage to a pagan woman, Ahab devoted himself to the worship of the false gods Baal and Asherah in Israel (1 Kings 16:31–33). The evil of King Ahab was countered by the prophet Elijah who warned Ahab of coming judgment if he did not obey the Lord. Ahab blamed Elijah for bringing trouble on Israel (1 Kings 18:17), but it was Ahab’s promotion of idolatry that was the true cause of the three-and-a-half-year famine (verse 18). In a dramatic confrontation between Elijah and Ahab’s false prophets, God proved to Israel that He, not Baal, was the true God (1 Kings 18:16–39). All of Ahab’s men of Baal were killed that day (verse 40). King Ahab also disobeyed the Lord’s direct command to destroy Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram. God set it up so that Ahab would lead Israel to victory, but Ahab made a treaty with the king he was supposed to kill (1 Kings 20). “Therefore,” God told Ahab through an unnamed prophet, “it is your life for his life, your people for his people” (verse 42). The event that sealed Ahab’s doom was his murder of an innocent man (1 Kings 21). Ahab coveted a vineyard belonging to a man named Naboth. The king offered to buy the vineyard, but Naboth refused, because the Law forbade him to sell it (1 Kings 21:2–3; cf. Leviticus 25:23). While Ahab sulked about it in his palace, his wife arranged Naboth’s murder. Once the vineyard’s owner was out of the way, King Ahab took the vineyard for himself. Elijah came to Ahab and told him the Lord would deal with him by cutting off all his descendants. Also, Ahab himself would suffer an ignoble fate: “In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!” (1 Kings 21:19). Upon hearing this, Ahab “tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly” (verse 27). In response to Ahab’s repentance, God mercifully postponed the destruction of Ahab’s dynasty until after Ahab was dead (verse 29). The prophesied judgment against Ahab came true exactly as Elijah predicted. God used Ahab’s own false prophets to entice him into going to the battle at Ramoth-Gilead, where he was hit by a “random” arrow and slowly bled to death in his chariot. Later, “they washed the chariot at a pool in Samaria (where the prostitutes bathed), and the dogs licked up his blood, as the word of the Lord had declared” (1 Kings 22:38). After Ahab’s death, Jehu killed Jezebel (2 Kings 9) and all of Ahab’s descendants (2 Kings 10). King Ahab was justly judged by God because he disobeyed the Lord’s direct commands, he abused his responsibility as Israel’s king, and he led God’s people right into idolatry. In the end, “there was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols” (1 Kings 21:25–26). 1 Kings 20:3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’” Ex 15:9 Isa 10:13,14 1 Kings 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BEN-HADAD'S HUMILIATING REQUEST OF AHAB Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine - To take the silver and gold was one thing, but to take the wives and children was surely meant to be a humiliating request of Ahab. The Pulpit Commentary: Nothing reveals Ben-hadad’s object more clearly than the mention of Ahab’s wives. When we consider how jealously the seraglio of an Eastern prince is guarded, and how the surrender of the harem is a virtual surrender of the throne (2Sa 16:21, 22), and certainly a surrender of all manhood and self respect, we see that his aim was to wound Ahab in his tenderest point, to humble him to the lowest depths of degradation, and possibly to force a quarrel upon him. 1 Kings 20:4 The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” I am yours,: Lev 26:36 De 28:48 Jdg 15:11-13 1Sa 13:6,7 2Ki 18:14-16 1 Kings 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries AHAB'S UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have - My lord, O king is Ahab addressing Ben-Hadah as an inferior to a superior. In spite of the ridiculous nature of the request, spineless Ahab is ready to capitulate. Ahab's weakness reminds us of the prophecy in Lev 26:36 "I will also bring weakness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies." Ahab is spineless as he is willing to compromise family and wealth in face of the military threat. David Guzik reasons that "Ahab believed he was in no position to resist Ben-Hadad. No doubt, the national and military might of Israel was greatly weakened by the three-and-a-half-year drought and famine that had just ended." 1 Kings 20:5 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,” 1 Kings 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries BEN-HADAD RECEIVES AHAB'S AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER 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,” 1 Kings 20:6 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.’” NET 1 Kings 20:6 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." CSB 1 Kings 20:6 But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your palace and your servants' houses. They will lay their hands on and take away whatever is precious to you.'" ESV 1 Kings 20:6 Nevertheless I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and lay hands on whatever pleases you and take it away.'" NIV 1 Kings 20:6 But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.'" NLT 1 Kings 20:6 But about this time tomorrow I will send my officials to search your palace and the homes of your people. They will take away everything you consider valuable!'" search: 1Sa 13:19-21 2Sa 24:14 2Ki 18:31,32 desirable, Ge 27:15 Ezr 8:27 Isa 44:9 Jer 25:34 La 1:7,10 Ho 13:15 Joe 3:5 *margins SHOCKING ESCALATION OF DEMANDS 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 - NLT = "But about this time tomorrow I will send my officials to search your palace and the homes of your people. They will take away everything you consider valuable!'" Ben-Hadad sees Ahab's spineless surrender so in his greed he adds that he will take anything desirable from Ahab! Sin is never satiated! 1 Kings 20:7 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.” NET 1 Kings 20:7 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." CSB 1 Kings 20:7 Then the king of Israel called for all the elders of the land and said, "Think it over and you will see that this one is only looking for trouble, for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn't turn him down." ESV 1 Kings 20:7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, "Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him." NIV 1 Kings 20:7 The king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, "See how this man is looking for trouble! When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him." NLT 1 Kings 20:7 Then Ahab summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, "Look how this man is stirring up trouble! I already agreed with his demand that I give him my wives and children and silver and gold." the elders: 1Ki 8:1 2Ki 5:7 1Ch 13:1 28:1 Pr 11:14 Please observe : 2Ki 5:7 looking for trouble Job 15:35 Ps 7:14 36:4 62:3 140:2 Pr 6:14 11:27 24:2 Da 11:27 Ro 3:13-18 I did not refuse him 1Ki 20:4 1 Kings 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries AHAB CONVENES A COUNCIL 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 - We have to at least give Ahab credit for seeking counsel from the elders. Ahab explains the over the top demands of Ben-hadad. It is interesting that Ahab does not seek advice from Baal, possibly because he remembers the impotence of Baal against Yahweh on Mount Carmel. 1 Kings 20:8 All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 1 Kings 20 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries WISE COUNSEL FROM ELDERS All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent (Lit - "do not be willing").” - The wisdom of the elders is to refuse Ben-Hadad. The elders apparently understood that to surrender to Ben-Hadad's over the top request would mark the beginning of the end of the kingdom of Israel. Warren