1 Kings 20:1-12--Ahab's Wars with Syria

1 Kings 20:1-12
English Standard Version

Ahab's Wars with Syria
20 Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army together. Thirty-two kings were with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and closed in on Samaria and fought against it. 2 And he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: 3 ‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children also are mine.’” 4 And the king of Israel answered, “As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.” 5 The messengers came again and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.” 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.’”

​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.” 8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9 So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you first demanded of your servant I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. 10 Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “The gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” 11 And the king of Israel answered, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.’” 12 When Ben-hadad heard this message as he was drinking with the kings in the booths, he said to his men, “Take your positions.” And they took their positions against the city.

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Elisha may have anointed the new king of Syria already, but it appears he has not taken the throne yet as the king of Syria, Beh-hadad, gathered together all his army along with the armies of all the nations allied to him, thirty-two kings in all, along with all their horses and chariots, to close in on Israel and attempt to make war with it.

Ben-hadad sent messengers to king Ahab to tell him, "Your silver and your gold are mine; your best wives and children are also mine."  Ahab answered Ben-hadad saying, "As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours and all that I have."  (Ahab gave unconditional surrender to the superior forces he was up against).  Ben-hadad had expected Ahab to deliver his silver, gold, women and children upon his surrender, but since he sent only the message of surrender back, Ben-hadad told him to expect that his servants would arrive the next day (by the same time) to come and take all they wanted by force from the king and and all of Israel.  Whatever was to their pleasure, they would take away.

Then the king called all the elders together to let them know "This man is seeking trouble."  Why?  Because Ahab said he was willing to give him everything he asked for and yet he still acts this way.  Then the elders tell the king to neither listen, nor consent because he had changed the terms of the arangement.  Ahab is to tell Ben-hadad that he will follow the terms of the original agreement, but cannot agree to these new terms that allow troops to come and take anyone and anything they like.

Ben-hadad makes a threat to turn the nation into dust as he says that will have to be enough for all of his servants to be happy with, because it will be all that's left when he's done with "Samaria" (the nation is known by the name of its capital city--that's common in the Bible and even today).  Ahab essentially answers back telling him that those are mighty big words for someone who can't fight and just wants to get everyone to surrender.  He essentially tells Ben-hadad to "put up or shut up."  Ben-hadad has no possible answer to this challenge other than to go to war with Israel.

Will the LORD fight for Israel to save them or is the LORD using Syria to judge them for their wickedness and idolatry?  Has the nation really repented of their evil and wicked ways?  We'll get an answer to that next time.