1 Kings 22:34

_AND A CERTAIN MAN DREW A BOW AT A VENTURE, AND SMOTE THE KING OF ISRAEL BETWEEN THE JOINTS OF THE HARNESS: WHEREFORE HE SAID UNTO THE DRIVER OF HIS CHARIOT, TURN THINE HAND, AND CARRY ME OUT OF THE HOST; FOR I AM WOUNDED._ And a certain man drew a bow at a venture. There is no evidence that this archer was one of the captains who had received special instructions from their Syrian master to search for Ahab. He is called simply 'a man,' for "certain" is a supplement introduced by our translators: it is equivalent to 'one drew a bow,' and that person, too, did it without any particular aim. "At a venture" х_ LªTUMOW_ (H8537)] - in his simplicity; i:e., without any hostile or destructive purpose. [The Septuagint, in opposition to the Hebrew text, renders the word by: eustochoos, with a good aim.] AND SMOTE THE KING OF ISRAEL BETWEEN THE JOINTS OF THE HARNESS х_ BEEYN_ ...

29-40 Ahab basely intended to betray Johoshaphat to danger, that he might secure himself. See what they get that join with wicked men. How can it be expected that he should be true to his friend, who has been false to his God! He had said in compliment to Ahab, I am as thou art, and now he was indeed taken for him. Those that associate with evil-doers, are in danger of sharing in their plagues. By Jehoshaphat's deliverance, God let him know, that though he was displeased with him, yet he had not deserted him. God is a friend that will not fail us when other friends do. Let no man think to hide himself from God's judgment. God directed the arrow to hit Ahab; those cannot escape with life, whom God has doomed to death. Ahab lived long enough to see part of Micaiah's prophecy accomplished. He had time to feel himself die; with what horror must he have thought upon the wickedness he had comm...

Verse 34. _DREW A BOW AT A VENTURE_] It is supposed that he shot, as the archers in general did, not aiming at any person in particular. The word לתמו _lethummo_, which we translate _in his simplicity_, has been variously understood; _in his integrity, his uprightness;_ _in his perfection_; i.e., to the utmost of his _skill_ and _strength_. This is most probably the meaning; and may imply both _aim_ and _power_, having his _butt full in view_. In cases where the archers wished to do the greatest execution, they bent their bows, and pulled till the subtending string drew back the _arrow up to its_ _head_. This they could not do _always_, because it required their whole strength; and they could not put forth their utmost effort each time and continue to discharge many shots. Our old national ballad of the _Chevy-chace_ mentions the slaying of Sir Hugh Montgomery, who had slain Earl Percy...

AT A VENTURE - literally, as in the margin, i. e. without intent to kill the king. BETWEEN THE JOINTS OF THE HARNESS - literally, as in the margin. The “joints” were probably pieces of armor which attached the breast-plate to the helmet or to the greaves. The arrow entered between the breastplate and one of these “joints.” breastplates made of metal scales were common both in Egypt and Assyria. TURN THINE HAND - literally, “turn thy hands.” The driver of a chariot, both in Egypt and Assyria, held the reins with his two hands....

EXPOSITION THE EXPEDITION OF AHAB AND JEHOSHAPHAT AGAINST HRAMOTH-GILEAD. THE DEATH OF AHAB. THE REIGNS OF JEHOSHAPHAT AND AHAZIAH. 1 KINGS 22:1 AND THEY CONTINUED [rather, _rested_._ _Heb. _sate_, _dwelt_._ _Cf. Judges 5:17. The LXX. has ἐκάθισε, sing.] THREE YEARS WITHOUT WAR [The Hebrew explains the "rested"—_there was not war, _etc. See Ewald, 286 g

AND A CERTAIN MAN DREW A BOW AT A VENTURE,.... Not aiming at the king of Israel, or knowing whereabout he was. In the Targum on 2 Chronicles 18:33, this man is said to be Naaman, the general of the army of the king of Syria, and so Jarchi here; but though he did this in his simplicity, as the word signifies, without any intention to smite any particular person; yet God directed the arrow to the man he had marked for destruction, and neither his disguise, nor coat of mail, could secure from that: AND SMOTE THE KING OF ISRAEL BETWEEN THE JOINTS OF THE HARNESS: of which the pieces of armour on him were joined together, the higher and lower parts of it, the breastplate, and what covered the belly; and though these were joined as close as they were capable of joining them in those times, yet the arrow, guided by divine Providence, found its way into hi

CHAPTER 22 THE DEATH OF AHAB _ 1. Jehoshaphat and Ahab (1 Kings 22:1)_ 2. The prophet Micaiah (1 Kings 22:13) 3. The battle and Ahab's death (1 Kings 22:29) 4. Jehoshaphat of Judah (1 Kings 22:41; 1 Kings 2 Chron. 19-20) 5. Ahaziah, King of Israel (1 Kings 22:51) Three years passed without war between Syria and Israel. In the third year Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to Ahab. Jehoshaphat's son and heir-apparent ha

AHAB'S ATTACK ON RAMOTH-GILEAD AND HIS DEATH. The death of Ahab must have taken place before or during the year 854 B.C., when the battle of Qarqara was fought, and his name is mentioned in the Assyrian inscription (p. 69). The question is, did he take part in that battle as a vassal of Bir-' idri (Ben-hadad) before or after the war related in 20. In the latter case his death was probably later in 854 B.C. The chapter is a continuation of the latter case his 20, and from the same source with additions. Jehoshaphat, whose son married Ahab's daughter (2 Kings 8:18), is present as Ahab's ally. Here, as in 1 Kings 20, 21, there is no allusion to the Baal worship. Ahab's prophets are prophets of Yahweh, and the king can muster four hundred. The rivalry is between true and false prophecy. It is not known where Ramoth-gilead (the heights of G.) actually was. It was a most important place, menti...

AT. VENTURE. in his innocence, or to its full stretch. HARNESS. coat of mail. TURN THINE HAND. This is Ahab's history; 2 Chronicles 18 is Jehoshaphat's. Hence nothing about Jehovah's help....

_And a_certain _man_ Josephus has given him a name. -A certain youth of the royal family of Adad [i.e. Ben-hadad] whose name was Aman." -Fate, the inevitable," he says, -found Ahab out even without his robes." _drew a bow_[R.V. HIS BOW] _at a venture_ The noun is definite in form in the Hebrew, so that the change is necessary. The word rendered -at a venture" is translated in other places, and on the margin of A.V. and R.V. -in his simplicity." It is also rendered -in his integrity" (Proverbs 19:1) and -in his uprightness" (Proverbs 28:6). The idea appears to be that the man taking aim at some one, was quite unaware at whom he was shooting. He levelled at some enemy and hit him, not knowing how he had contributed to the victory. -At a venture" must therefore not be taken to mean