1A Ben-hadad, sýrsky kráľ, sobral všetko svoje vojsko, a tridsiati a dvaja kráľovia s ním, a kone a vozy, a odíduc hore obľahol Samáriu a bojoval proti nej. 2A poslal poslov k Achabovi, izraelskému kráľovi, do mesta 3a odkázal mu: Takto hovorí Ben-hadad: Tvoje striebro a tvoje zlato je moje, i tvoje ženy i tvoji najlepší synovia najpeknejší sú moji. 4A izraelský kráľ odpovedal a riekol: Podľa tvojho slova, môj pán kráľ, tvoj som ja i všetko, čo mám. 5A zase prišli poslovia a riekli: Takto hovorí Ben-hadad: Áno, poslal som k tebe s odkazom: Svoje striebro a svoje zlato i svoje ženy i svojich synov dáš mne. 6No, zajtra o tomto čase pošlem svojich služobníkov k tebe, ktorí prekutajú tvoj dom i domy tvojich služobníkov, a bude, že všetku žiadosť tvojich očí položia do svojej ruky a vezmú. 7Vtedy povolal izraelský kráľ všetkých starších zeme a riekol: Poznajte, prosím, a vidzte, že tento hľadá zlé, lebo poslal ku mne pre moje ženy a pre mojich synov, pre moje striebro i pre moje zlato, a neodoprel som mu. 8A všetci starší mu povedali aj všetok ľud: Neposlúchni ani neprivoľ. 9Preto odpovedal poslom Ben-hadadovým: Povedzte môjmu pánu kráľovi: Všetko, o čo si poslal k svojmu služobníkovi po prvé, učiním, ale túto vec nemôžem učiniť. A tak odišli poslovia a doniesli mu odpoveď. 10Vtedy poslal k nemu Ben-hadad a odkázal: Tak nech mi učinia bohovia a tak nech pridajú, jestli sa dostane prachu Samárie po hrsti všetkému ľudu, ktorý je so mnou. 11Na to odpovedal izraelský kráľ a riekol: Hovorte, aby sa nechválil ten, ktorý pripasuje zbraň, ako ten, ktorý ju odpína. 12A stalo sa, keď počul to slovo - a práve pil on i kráľovia v stánoch -, že povedal svojim služobníkom: Rozostavte čaty! A rozostavili proti mestu. 13A hľa, nejaký prorok pristúpil k Achabovi, izraelskému kráľovi, a riekol: Takto hovorí JeHoVaH: Či si videl všetko to veľké množstvo? Hľa, dám ho do tvojej ruky dnes, aby si poznal, že ja som JeHoVaH. 14A keď povedal Achab: Skrze koho? Riekol: Takto hovorí JeHoVaH: Skrze služobníkov kniežat krajov. A ešte povedal: Kto započne boj boj? A on riekol: Ty. 15Vtedy spočítal služobníkov-mládencov kniežat krajov, a bolo ich dvestotridsaťdva; a po nich spočítal všetok ľud, všetkých synov Izraelových, sedem tisíc. 16A vyšiel na poludnie. A Ben-hadad pil opilý, v stánoch, on i kráľovia, tridsiati a dvaja kráľovia, ktorí mu pomáhali. 17A služobníci kniežat krajov vyšli najprv. A Ben-hadad poslal svojich vojakov. A keď mu oznámili, že vraj nejakí mužovia vyšli zo Samárie, 18riekol: Už či vyšli za pokoj, zajmite ich živých, a či vyšli do boja, i tak ich zajmite živých. 19Tedy tí vyšli z mesta, služobníci kniežat krajov, i vojsko, ktoré nasledovalo za nimi. 20A každý zabil svojho muža, takže utekali Sýrovia, a Izrael ich honil. A Ben-hadad, sýrsky kráľ ušiel na koni i niekoľkí jazdcovia. 21A tak vyšiel izraelský kráľ a porazil kone i vozy a porazil Sýrov veľkou porážkou. 22Potom pristúpil prorok k izraelskému kráľovi a riekol mu: Idi, vzmuž sa, a znaj a vidz, čo máš robiť, lebo o rok zase prijde sýrsky kráľ hore proti tebe. 23A služobníci sýrskeho kráľa povedali jemu: Ich bohovia sú bohmi vrchov, preto nás premohli. Ale bojujme s nimi na rovine, a uvidíš, či ich nepremôžeme. 24A učiň toto: odstráň kráľov, každého s jeho miesta, a postav miesto nich vojvodcov. 25A ty si načítaj vojska toľko, koľko bolo vojska, ktoré ti padlo, i koní, koľko bolo koní, i vozov, koľko bolo vozov, a budeme bojovať s nimi na rovine, a uvidíš, či ich nepremôžeme. A poslúchol ich a urobil tak. 26A stalo sa po roku, že spočítal Ben-hadad Sýrov, a odišiel hore do Afeka do boja s Izraelom. 27A synovia Izraelovi, taktiež spočítaní a zaopatrení stravou odišli oproti nim. A tak položili sa synovia Izraelovi táborom naproti nim jako nejaké dva malé kŕdle kôz, a Sýrovia zaplnili zem. 28Vtedy pristúpil muž Boží, prehovoril k izraelskému kráľovi a riekol: Takto hovorí JeHoVaH: Pretože hovoria Sýrovia: JeHoVaH je bohom vrchov a nie bohom dolín, dám všetko to veľké množstvo do tvojej ruky, aby ste vedeli, že ja som JeHoVaH. 29A tak táborili jedni naproti druhým sedem dní. A stalo sa siedmeho dňa, že sa začala bitka, a synovia Izraelovi porazili Sýrov, sto tisíc peších, jedného dňa. 30A tí, ktorí pozostali, utiekli do Afeka, do mesta, kde zase padol múr na dvadsaťsedem tisíc mužov, ktorí boli pozostali. A Ben-hadad utekajúc vošiel do mesta a tu z izby do izby. 31A jeho služobníci mu riekli: Hľa, prosíme, počuli sme, že kráľovia domu Izraelovho sú milosrdní kráľovia, nuž dovoľ, prosíme, žeby sme vzali smútočnú vrecovinu na svoje bedrá a proväzy na svoje hlavy a tak vyjdeme k izraelskému kráľovi, azda zachová živú tvoju dušu. 32A tak opásali svoje bedrá vrecovinou a vzali proväzy na svoje hlavy a prišli k izraelskému kráľovi a riekli: Tvoj služobník Ben-hadad hovorí: Prosím, nech žije moja duša! A on povedal: A či ešte žije? Je mojím bratom. 33A mužovia bedlive pozorovali na to slovo a ponáhľali sa zistiť, či to ozaj tak myslí, a riekli: Tvojím bratom je Ben-hadad. A povedal: Iďte, doveďte ho. A tak vyšiel k nemu Ben-hadad, dal mu vysadnúť na voz. 34A Ben-hadad mu riekol: Mestá, ktoré vzal môj otec od tvojho otca, navrátim, a ulice si zariadiš v Damašku, jako bol zariadil môj otec v Samárii. A ja, povedal Achab, učiním s tebou smluvu a prepustím ťa. A tak učinil s ním smluvu a prepustil ho. 35A nejaký muž zo synov prorokov povedal svojmu druhovi slovom JeHoVaHovým: Nabi ma, prosím! Ale človek ho nechcel udrieť. 36Vtedy mu riekol: Preto, že si neposlúchol hlasu JeHoVaHovho, hľa, keď pojdeš odo mňa, zabije ťa lev. A hneď, ako odišiel od neho, našiel ho lev a zabil ho. 37Potom našiel iného muža, ktorému tiež povedal: Nabi ma, prosím! A muž ho veľmi nabil a doranil. 38A prorok odišiel a postavil sa kráľovi do cesty a prestrojil sa, aby ho nepoznali, dajúc si šatku z hlavy na oči. 39A stalo sa, keď išiel kráľ pomimo, že kričal na kráľa a povedal: Tvoj služobník vyšiel do stredu bitky, a hľa, nejaký muž odbočil a doviedol ku mne muža a povedal: Stráž tohoto muža, lebo ak sa ztratí, bude tvoj život za jeho život, alebo odvážiš hrivnu striebra. 40A stalo sa, že kým tvoj služobník tu a tam robil voľačo, už ho nebolo. - A izraelský kráľ mu povedal: Taký je tvoj súd; ty sám si rozhodol. 41Vtedy rýchle sňal šatku so svojich očí, a izraelský kráľ ho poznal, že je z prorokov. 42A riekol mu: Takto hovorí JeHoVaH: Preto, že si pustil z ruky muža, ktorého som ja odsúdil na smrť, bude tvoj život za jeho život a tvoj ľud za jeho ľud. 43A tak odišiel izraelský kráľ hore do svojho domu, namrzený a nahnevaný, a prišiel do Samárie.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 BEN-HADAD BESIEGES SAMARIA. (
1Kgs 20:1-12)
Ben-hadad the king of Syria--This monarch was the son of that Ben-hadad who, in the reign of Baasha, made a raid on the northern towns of Galilee (
1Kgs 15:20). The thirty-two kings that were confederate with him were probably tributary princes. The ancient kings of Syria and Phśnicia ruled only over a single city, and were independent of each other, except when one great city, as Damascus, acquired the ascendency, and even then they were allied only in time of war. The Syrian army encamped at the gates and besieged the town of Samaria.
2 Thus said Ben-hadad, Thy silver and thy gold is mine--To this message sent him during the siege, Ahab returned a tame and submissive answer, probably thinking it meant no more than an exaction of tribute. But the demand was repeated with greater insolence; and yet, from the abject character of Ahab, there is reason to believe he would have yielded to this arrogant claim also, had not the voice of his subjects been raised against it. Ben-hadad's object in these and other boastful menaces was to intimidate Ahab. But the weak sovereign began to show a little more spirit, as appears in his abandoning "my lord the king" for the single "tell him," and giving him a dry but sarcastic hint to glory no more till the victory is won. Kindling into a rage at the cool defiance, Ben-hadad gave orders for the immediate sack of the city.
12 as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions--booths made of branches of trees and brushwood; which were reared for kings in the camp, as they still are for Turkish pashas or agas in their expeditions [KEIL].
Set yourselves in array--Invest the city.
13 THE SYRIANS ARE SLAIN. (
1Kgs 20:13-20)
behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab--Though the king and people of Israel had highly offended Him, God had not utterly cast them off. He still cherished designs of mercy towards them, and here, though unasked, gave them a signal proof of His interest in them, by a prophet's animating announcement that the Lord would that day deliver the mighty hosts of the enemy into his hand by means of a small, feeble, inadequate band. Conformably to the prophet's instructions, two hundred thirty-two young men went boldly out towards the camp of the enemy, while seven thousand more, apparently volunteers, followed at some little distance, or posted themselves at the gate, to be ready to reinforce those in front if occasion required it. Ben-hadad and his vassals and princes were already, at that early hour--scarcely midday--deep in their cups; and though informed of this advancing company, yet confiding in his numbers, or it may be, excited with wine, he ordered with indifference the proud intruders to be taken alive, whether they came with peaceful or hostile intentions. It was more easily said than done; the young men smote right and left, making terrible havoc among their intended captors; and their attack, together with the sight of the seven thousand, who soon rushed forward to mingle in the fray, created a panic in the Syrian army, who immediately took up flight. Ben-hadad himself escaped the pursuit of the victors on a fleet horse, surrounded by a squadron of horse guards. This glorious victory, won so easily, and with such a paltry force opposed to overwhelming numbers, was granted that Ahab and his people might know (
1Kgs 20:13) that God is the Lord. But we do not read of this acknowledgment being made, or of any sacrifices being offered in token of their national gratitude.
22 the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said--The same prophet who had predicted the victory shortly reappeared, admonishing the king to take every precaution against a renewal of hostilities in the following campaign.
at the return of the year--that is, in spring, when, on the cessation of the rainy season, military campaigns (
2Sam 11:1), were anciently begun. It happened as the prophet had forewarned. Brooding over their late disastrous defeat, the attendants of Ben-hadad ascribed the misfortune to two causes--the one arose from the principles of heathenism which led them to consider the gods of Israel as "gods of the hills"; whereas their power to aid the Israelites would be gone if the battle was maintained on the plains. The other cause to which the Syrian courtiers traced their defeat at Samaria, was the presence of the tributary kings, who had probably been the first to take flight; and they recommended "captains to be put in their rooms." Approving of these recommendations, Ben-hadad renewed his invasion of Israel the next spring by the siege of Aphek in the valley of Jezreel (compare
1Sam 29:1, with
1Sam 28:4), not far from En-dor.
27 like two little flocks of kids--Goats are never seen in large flocks, or scattered, like sheep; and hence the two small but compact divisions of the Israelite force are compared to goats, not sheep. Humanly speaking, that little handful of men would have been overpowered by numbers. But a prophet was sent to the small Israelite army to announce the victory, in order to convince the Syrians that the God of Israel was omnipotent everywhere, in the valley as well as on the hills. And, accordingly, after the two armies had pitched opposite each other for seven days, they came to an open battle. One hundred thousand Syrians lay dead on the field, while the fugitives took refuge in Aphek, and there, crowding on the city walls, they endeavored to make a stand against their pursuers; but the old walls giving way under the incumbent weight, fell and buried twenty-seven thousand in the ruins. Ben-hadad succeeded in extricating himself, and, with his attendants, sought concealment in the city, fleeing from chamber to chamber; or, as some think it, an inner chamber, that is, a harem; but seeing no ultimate means of escape, he was advised to throw himself on the tender mercies of the Israelitish monarch.
32 put ropes on their heads--Captives were dragged by ropes round their necks in companies, as is depicted on the monuments of Egypt. Their voluntary attitude and language of submission flattered the pride of Ahab, who, little concerned about the dishonor done to the God of Israel by the Syrian king, and thinking of nothing but victory, paraded his clemency, called the vanquished king "his brother," invited him to sit in the royal chariot, and dismissed him with a covenant of peace.
34 streets for thee in Damascus--implying that a quarter of that city was to be assigned to Jews, with the free exercise of their religion and laws, under a judge of their own. This misplaced kindness to a proud and impious idolater, so unbecoming a theocratic monarch, exposed Ahab to the same censure and fate as Saul (
1Sam 15:9, &c.). It was in opposition to God's purpose in giving him the victory.
35 A PROPHET REPROVES HIM. (
1Kgs 20:35-42)
Smite me--This prophet is supposed (
1Kgs 20:8) to have been Micaiah. The refusal of his neighbor to smite the prophet was manifestly wrong, as it was a withholding of necessary aid to a prophet in the discharge of a duty to which he had been called by God, and it was severely punished [
1Kgs 20:36], as a beacon to warn others (see on 1Ki. 13:2-24). The prophet found a willing assistant, and then, waiting for Ahab, leads the king unconsciously, in the parabolic manner of Nathan (
2Sam 12:1-4), to pronounce his own doom; and this consequent punishment was forthwith announced by a prophet (see on
1Kgs 21:17).
39 a talent of silver--Ł342.