Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, "Yes, your brother Ben-hadad." "Go and get him!" said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot. Now the men were looking for a sign of hopeIn the context of 1 Kings 20, the men referred to are the servants of Ben-hadad, the king of Aram. After a series of defeats, they are desperate for a favorable outcome. This phrase highlights the human tendency to seek hope even in dire circumstances. Biblically, hope is often associated with trust in God's deliverance, as seen in Psalms and the Prophets. Here, however, the hope is placed in human negotiation rather than divine intervention. and they quickly grasped at this word
The servants of Ben-hadad are quick to seize any opportunity for mercy. This reflects the urgency and desperation of their situation. In the ancient Near Eastern context, words and treaties were often seen as binding, and the servants are attempting to secure a favorable outcome through diplomacy. This can be contrasted with the biblical emphasis on God's word as the ultimate source of truth and hope. and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.”
Referring to Ben-hadad as "your brother" is a diplomatic strategy to appeal to King Ahab's sense of kinship and alliance. In ancient times, calling someone "brother" was a way to establish a bond or treaty. This phrase can be compared to the biblical concept of brotherhood among believers, which is based on spiritual kinship rather than political expediency. “Go and get him!” said the king.
King Ahab's response indicates a willingness to negotiate and show mercy. This decision is significant in the historical context, as it reflects Ahab's political strategy rather than adherence to divine command. Ahab's actions can be contrasted with the biblical expectation of kings to follow God's directives, as seen in the lives of other Israelite leaders. Then Ben-hadad came out,
Ben-hadad's emergence signifies a shift in the power dynamics. Historically, this moment represents a temporary reconciliation between Israel and Aram. Theologically, it can be seen as a missed opportunity for Ahab to assert God's sovereignty over Israel's enemies, as God had previously delivered Aram into Ahab's hands. and Ahab had him come up into his chariot.
Inviting Ben-hadad into his chariot symbolizes acceptance and alliance. In ancient cultures, sharing a chariot was a sign of friendship and partnership. This act can be seen as a failure on Ahab's part to uphold God's command to destroy Israel's enemies, as outlined in earlier scriptures. It contrasts with the biblical theme of separation from ungodly alliances, as emphasized in the laws given to Israel. Persons / Places / Events 1. AhabThe king of Israel, known for his idolatry and weak leadership, often influenced by his wife Jezebel. 2. Ben-hadadThe king of Aram (Syria), who had previously attacked Israel but was now seeking mercy from Ahab. 3. The MenServants or messengers of Ben-hadad, who were seeking a favorable response from Ahab. 4. ChariotA symbol of power and status, indicating Ahab's acceptance and alliance with Ben-hadad. 5. Israel and AramTwo neighboring nations often in conflict, with Israel under Ahab's rule and Aram under Ben-hadad. Teaching Points Discernment in AlliancesAhab's decision to ally with Ben-hadad was based on political expediency rather than seeking God's will. Believers should seek God's guidance in forming relationships and alliances. The Danger of CompromiseAhab's actions demonstrate the danger of compromising God's commands for personal gain or peace. Christians are called to stand firm in their faith and convictions. God's Sovereignty and Human ResponsibilityDespite God's deliverance, Ahab's failure to act according to God's will shows the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. Believers must align their actions with God's purposes. The Power of WordsThe men quickly grasped Ahab's words as a sign of hope. This highlights the power of words and the importance of speaking truth and life in our interactions. Repentance and ObedienceAhab's account is a reminder of the need for genuine repentance and obedience to God. Believers should regularly examine their hearts and actions to ensure alignment with God's will. Bible Study Questions 1. What can we learn from Ahab's decision to spare Ben-hadad about the importance of seeking God's guidance in our decisions? 2. How does Ahab's alliance with Ben-hadad reflect the dangers of compromising our faith for worldly gain? 3. In what ways can we ensure that our words and actions align with God's will, as opposed to seeking personal advantage? 4. How does the account of Ahab and Ben-hadad challenge us to consider the alliances and relationships we form in our own lives? 5. Reflect on a time when you faced a decision similar to Ahab's. How did you seek God's guidance, and what was the outcome? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Kings 20:13-21Earlier in the chapter, God delivers Ben-hadad into Ahab's hands, showing His power and desire for Israel to recognize Him as the true God. 1 Kings 21:25-26Highlights Ahab's continued disobedience and idolatry, influenced by Jezebel, contrasting with God's earlier deliverance. 2 Chronicles 18:28-34Ahab's alliance with Jehoshaphat and his eventual downfall, showing the consequences of ungodly alliances. Proverbs 16:18Speaks to the pride that precedes destruction, relevant to Ahab's decision to spare Ben-hadad. Romans 12:2Encourages believers to be transformed by renewing their minds, contrasting Ahab's worldly decision-making. People Ahab, Aram, Ben, Benhadad, Ben-hadad, Hadad, Israelites, SyriansPlaces Aphek, Damascus, Samaria, SyriaTopics Ahab, Ben, Benhadad, Ben-hadad, Ben-ha'dad, Bring, Brother, Carriage, Catch, Catching, Caused, Causeth, Chariot, Diligently, Forth, Hadad, Hasted, Hasten, Hastened, Hastily, Hurried, Mind, Observe, Observed, Omen, Phrase, Pick, Quick, Quickly, Sign, Watching, Whether, YesDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 20:33 5252 chariots Library The Lost Opportunity
TEXT: "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."--1 Kings 20:40. There is a very striking incident connected with this text. The great battle is raging, a certain important prisoner has been taken, and if you read between the lines you seem to know that upon him depend many of the issues of war. His skill in leading the enemy had been marvelous, his courage in the thick of the fight striking; …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas IscariotPutting on the Armour
And the king of Israel answered and said. Tell him. Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.'--1 KINGS xx. 11. For the Young. Ahab, King of Israel, was but a poor creature, and, like most weak characters, he turned out a wicked one, because he found that there were more temptations to do wrong than inducements to do right. Like other weak people, too, he was torn asunder by the influence of stronger wills. On the one side he had a termagant of a wife, stirring …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Letter of the Synod to the Emperor and Empress.
(Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. VII., col. 577.) To our most religious and most serene princes, Constantine and Irene his mother. Tarasius, the unworthy bishop of your God-protected royal city, new Rome, and all the holy Council which met at the good pleasure of God and upon the command of your Christ-loving majesty in the renowned metropolis of Nice, the second council to assemble in this city. Christ our God (who is the head of the Church) was glorified, most noble princes, when your heart, …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils Nature of the Renderings
From the text we now turn to the renderings, and to the general principles that were followed, both in the Old and in the New Testament. The revision of the English text was in each case subject to the same general rule, viz. "To introduce as few alterations as possible into the Text of the Authorised Version consistently with faithfulness"; but, owing to the great difference between the two languages, the Hebrew and the Greek, the application of the rule was necessarily different, and the results …
C. J. Ellicott—Addresses on the Revised Version of Holy Scripture The Practice of Piety in Glorifying God in the Time of Sickness, and when Thou Art Called to Die in the Lord.
As soon as thou perceivest thyself to be visited with any sickness, meditate with thyself: 1. That "misery cometh not forth of the dust; neither doth affliction spring out of the earth." Sickness comes not by hap or chance (as the Philistines supposed that their mice and emrods came, 1 Sam. vi. 9), but from man's wickedness, which, as sparkles, breaketh out. "Man suffereth," saith Jeremiah, "for his sins." "Fools," saith David, "by reason of their transgressions, and because of their iniquities, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Kings 20:33 NIV1 Kings 20:33 NLT1 Kings 20:33 ESV1 Kings 20:33 NASB1 Kings 20:33 KJV
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