1 Kings 20:1

1 Kings 20:1-12. Ben-hadad king of Syria besieges Samaria. His messages to Ahab (Not in Chronicles)

1. In the LXX. Chapter s 20. and 21. are transposed, apparently with a view of bringing the history in which Elijah plays a part into closer connexion. Josephus also adopts the same order of events in his history. See Ant.viii. 13. 8 and viii. 14. i.

Ben-hadad the king of Syria See above on 1 Kings 15:18. The LXX. always translates the first syllable of this name, writing υἱὸς Ἄδερ. There is nothing to help us to conclude with certainty whether the Ben-hadad of this verse was the same who made a treaty with Asa king of Judah against Baasha king of Israel. Between the death of Baasha and the beginning of Ahab's reign was only about 14 years, so that it is not impossible that he may be the same Ben-hadad mentioned before, but perhaps the probability is in favour of his being a son or grandson with the same name.

gathered all his host together The LXX. adds here -and went up and besieged Samaria," and repeats nearly the same words in the next verse.

thirty and two kings with him These would be princes from the different provinces of Aram (Syria) over whom Ben-hadad at Damascus would be lord superior. They would probably include princes from among the Hittites and Hamathites, who dwelt near at hand and who would be in alliance or perhaps tributaries.

and horses The LXX. gives πᾶς ἵππος -all his cavalry."

besieged Samaria Josephus says that Ahab did not feel equal to meeting his powerful adversary in the field and so shut up himself, and all that he could collect, in the strongest fortresses in the land, himself continuing in Samaria as the best defended.

and warred(R.V. fought) against it The change of rendering is made because the verb is nearly always translated -fight" elsewhere. It is so rendered in 1 Kings 20:23; 1 Kings 20:25 of this chapter.