1Kings 19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

1Kings 19:2,3 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the Gods do to me and more also, if I make not your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose and went for his life.(got up and got away from there).and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah and left his servant there.

1Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a juniper tree and he requested for himself that he might die and said, It is enough. Now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers.

1Kings 19:5,6 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked and behold, there was a cake baken on the coals and a cruse.(a pot or jar for holding liquids).of water at his head. And he did eat and drink and laid him down again.

1Kings 19:7,8 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time and touched him and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. And he arose and did eat and drink and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

Matthew Henry's Commentary: God left Elijah to himself, to show that when he was bold and strong, it was in the Lord that he was this way and in the power of God's might, but by himself he was no better than his forefathers. God knows what he designs us for, though we do not, what services, what trials and He will take care that we are furnished with what is needed at all times:.Romans 8:28.

1Kings 19:9 And he came thither unto a cave and lodged there and behold, the word of the Lord came to him and he said unto him, What are you doing here, Elijah?

1Kings 19:10 And he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars and slain your prophets with the sword and I, even I only, am left and they seek my life to take it away.

1Kings 19:11 And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an Earthquake, but the Lord was not in the Earthquake.

At this time Elijah was not seeing the great power of the true God in his life and was discouraged, so God showed Elijah where His presence was.

1Kings 19:12 And after the Earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still small voice.

1Kings 19:13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle.(a large over-garment).and went out and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him and said, What are you doing here, Elijah?

1Kings 19:14 And he said, I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down thine altars and slain your prophets with the sword and I, even I only, am left and they seek my life, to take it away.

Elijah is saying, With all the work I've done to reveal the true God to people, they are not responding, even killing all the prophets before me, so what's the use?

1Kings 19:15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you come there, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

Hazael, an officer in the army of the evil Benhadad king of Syria, took the opportunity of making himself king by getting rid of Benhadad who was in bed recovering from a sickness:.2Kings 8:7-15.

1Kings 19:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi.(actually Jehu was the.grandson.of Nimshi; compare this verse with these verses:.2Kings 9:2,14; the Bible often uses son & grandson, etc. with the same word, so one has to know where in lineage the individual may be).shall you anoint to be king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shall you anoint to be prophet in thy room.

1Kings 19:17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapes the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay. And him that escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 

God was angry with stupid ancient Israel's following of satanic ways of child sacrifice, murder and worship of idols made with their own hands:.2Kings 13:3.

1Kings 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal and every mouth which has not kissed him.

1Kings 19:19 So he departed thence and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him.(this was a gesture of love, as a father would wrap his child in a blanket; an act showing he cared; Elijah felt deeply moved towards Elisha, somehow knowing that Elisha was to follow in his footsteps later). 

1Kings 19:20,21 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again. For what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him and took a yoke of oxen and slew them and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen and gave unto the people and they did eat. Then he arose and went after Elijah and ministered unto him.

1Kings 19:20,21 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother and then I will follow thee.(come with me to say goodbye and I'll come right now). And he said unto him, Go back again. For what have I done to thee?.(or, as JFB's Commentary adds: 'go, but keep in mind the ceremony I have just performed on you, because it is not I, but the Creator who calls you.).And he returned back from him and took a yoke of oxen.(two; oxen were paired with a crossbar with two U-shaped pieces that encircled the necks of a pair of oxen or other draft {suited for or used for drawing heavy loads, oxen and other draft animals} animals working together).and slew them and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen and gave unto the people and they did eat.(Elijah showed up when Elisha was out rounding up some oxen to cook for guests visiting his parents, so he finished that and no doubt ate, having invited Elijah to also eat and then said goodbye to his parents and went with Elijah). Then he arose and went after Elijah and ministered unto him.(helped and learnt from Elijah).

1Kings 20:1,2 And Benhadad the king of Syria.(circa.B.C.E. 850).gathered all his host together and there were thirty and two kings with him and horses and chariots and he went up and besieged.Samaria and warred against it. And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city and said unto him, Thus says Benhadad,

1Kings 20:3 Your silver and your gold is mine, your wives also and your children, even the goodliest.(the better children), are mine.

Notice, that for greedy low consciousness types, it's never enough.

1Kings 20:4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to your saying, I am yours and all that I have.

Ahab was doing his best to be friendly and keep the peace. Notice the deferent reply; trying to keep peace:.Romans 12:18 "If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men."

The true God's standard is:.2Thessalonians 3:16 "Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord is with you all."

But if an enemy keeps at you, it's time to ask for God's help and follow what comes to your mind. That could be wait on God () or it could be go get him or a combination of both:.Joshua 10:1-41.

1Kings 20:5,6 And the messengers came again and said, Thus speaks Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children, yet I will send my servants unto you tomorrow about this time and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put it in their hand and take it away.

This guy was a ghoul, being out to take all he could and leave the other with as little as necessary, not caring at all in leaving others in degrading and ruinousconditions:.Jeremiah 8:12; Zephaniah 2:15; ignorant, low consciousness King Benhadad had a mind that was cruel and devoid of any concern for anyone but himself. He never came to see that the Earth is for all on it and neither today do others of low consciousness.

1Kings 20:7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, Mark.(take notice of this situation), I pray you and see how this man seeks.(has intent to carry out).mischief.(original 'evil'). For he sent unto me for my wives and for my children and for my silver and for my gold and I denied him not.

He didn't have much of a choice if he wanted to maintain peace (1Peter 3:10,11), but he seemed to be a giving man who just wanted to maintain peace. At least his children would remain living, he probably figured and somehow he would get by, he no doubt thought.

1Kings 20:8-12  And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent. Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king all that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing .I may not do. And the messengers departed and brought him word again. And Benhadad sent unto him and said, The Gods do so unto me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girds on his harness boast himself as he that puts it off. And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.

1Kings 20:8-12  And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent. Wherefore.(because of his counsel with the elders regarding the situation).he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king.(he was respectful), all that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do.(at the first was verse 3 above), but this thing.(verses 5,6).I may.(original for word 'may' is 'cannot', meaning, will not do).not do. And the messengers departed and brought him.('him' being Benhadad).word again. And Benhadad sent unto him and said, The Gods do so unto me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.(meaning, in its general sense this phrase is undoubtedly a boast that the number of Benhadad's troops was such as to make resistance vain and foolish; we may parallel it with the saying of the Trachinian at Thermopylae, that the Persian arrows would 'darken the light of the Sun'. Probably the exact meaning is 'When your town is reduced to ruins, as it will be if you resist, the entire heap will not suffice to furnish a handful of dust to each soldier of my army, because so many are they and so few are all you'. It was a boastful.intimidatory.stance, an 'I'm greater than you' threatening approach. Here there was, along with the boast, a threat in the message' ...comprised from Barnes New Testament Notes); Clark's Commentary adds 'I shall bring such an army that there will scarcely be room for them to stand in Samaria and its vicinity'; and comprised from Poole's Commentary which adds 'my army is so huge in number that they will turn your city into a heap of dust and the number of my army so great, that they could each carry one handful of the dust from your destruction and it would all be removed'). And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girds on his harness boast himself as he that puts it off.(Clark's Commentary 'Tell him, Let not him who girds himself and goes down to the battle, boast as he who has conquered and already returned from it'). And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.(went out against them).

1Kings 20:13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus says the Lord, Have you seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day and you shall know that I am the Lord.

1Kings 20:14-21 And Ahab said, By whom.(Ahab wanted to know how this was all going to come about)? And he said, Thus says the Lord, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, You. Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces and they were two hundred and thirty two and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand. And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions.(the temporary places set up for rest for them as they headed toward Ahab), he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him. And the young men of the princes of the provinces.(Ahab's men).went out first and Benhadad sent out his men and they told him.(Benhadad had sent men and they saw what was going on and returned and told Benhadad), saying, There are men come out of Samaria.(coming towards us from the city of Samaria). And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive or whether they be come out for war take them alive. So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city and the army which followed them. And they slew every one his man and the Syrians fled and Israel pursued them and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on a horse with the horsemen. And the king of Israel went out and smote the horses and chariots and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

1Kings 20:22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel and said unto him, Go, strengthen yourself and mark and see what you do, for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

1Kings 20:22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel.(Ahab at this time, verses 1 and 2 above).and said unto him, Go, strengthen yourself and mark and see what you do.(Barnes New Testament Notes: 'That is, collect troops, raise fortifications, obtain allies; take all the measures you can to increase military strength. Be not rash, but consider well every step, for a great danger is impending), for at the return of the year the king of Syria.(Benhadad at this time, verses 1 and 2 above).will come up against thee.

1Kings 20:23-27 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their Gods are Gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we, but let us fight against them in the plain and surely we shall be stronger than they. And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place and put captains in their rooms. And number you an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot and we will fight against them in the plain and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice and did so. And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. And the children of Israel were numbered and were all present and went against them. And the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids, but the Syrians filled the country.

1Kings 20:23-27 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him.(said unto Benhadad), Their Gods are Gods of the hills.(they, the Israelites, have the advantage when they are in the hills); therefore they were stronger than we.(and that's why we lost last time), but let us fight against them in the plain and surely we shall be stronger than they. And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place and put captains in their rooms.(comprised from Clark's Commentary and Poole's Commentary: 'The kings were not acquainted with military affairs or, their skills lacked competency, so they should be replaced with experienced military captains and they should fight only on the plains to be sure of victory; use of experienced soldiers of Benhadad's own subjects was preferred as they, Benhadad figured, would faithfully obey the commands of the general; Benhadad figured the kings may have been somewhat.reluctant to follow his general's commands and that the men from his own army would probably use their utmost skill and valor.for their own interest and advancement and thus use this opportunity to prove themselves). And number you an army.(get the necessary number of men and raise up another army at least as strong as the one that was lost in the last battle with them), like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot and we will fight against them in the plain and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice.(the advice of Benhadad's servants).and did so. And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered.(mustered).the Syrians and went up to Aphek.(a location on the road from Syria to Israel in the level plain east of Jordan which was a common field of battles with Syria; now called Fik, at the head of the wady Fik, six miles east of the sea of Galilee on the great road between Damascus, Nabulus and Jerusalem).to fight against Israel. And the children of Israel were numbered.(mustered).and were all present and went against them. And the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids.(in comparison there were so few of them), but the Syrians filled the country.

1Kings 20:28 And there came a man of God and spake unto the king of Israel and said, Thus says the Lord, Because the Syrians have said, The Lord is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into your hand and you shall know that I am the Lord.

1Kings 20:29-34 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined. And the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day. But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber. And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins and ropes upon our heads and go out to the king of Israel, peradventure he will save your life. So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads and came to the king of Israel and said, Your servant Benhadad says, I pray you, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? He is my brother. Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him and did hastily catch it. And they said, Your brother is Benhadad? Then he said, Go you, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him and he caused him to come up into the chariot. And Benhadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from your father, I will restore and you shall make streets for you in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send you away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him and sent him away.

1Kings 20:29-34 And they pitched one over against the other seven days.(the armies were close to each other and sat and looked at each other for a week). And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined. And the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day. But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber. And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth on our loins and ropes upon our heads and go out to the king of Israel, peradventure he will save your life. So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads and came to the king of Israel and said, Your servant Benhadad says, I pray you, let me live. And he.(Ahab).said, Is he yet alive? He is my brother.(wasn't his actual brother, but Ahab was not vengeful and decided to be kind to Benhadad, thereby contributing to peace). Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him and did hastily catch it.(comprised with Barnes Notes: the meaning of this verse is that the men from the first moment of their arrival were on the watch to note what king Ahab of Israel would say and the moment he let fall the expression "He is my brother" they caught it up and repeated it, fixing him to it as it were and thus hopefully preventing any possible chance of him recanting. By the Oriental law of 'dakheel' anyone is at any time entitled to put himself under the protection of another, be that other his friend or his greatest enemy and if the man applied to does not at once reject him and if the slightest forms of friendly speech pass between the two, the bond is complete and must not be broken. Benhadad's friends were on the watch to obtain for him 'dakheel' and the single phrase "He is my brother" having been accepted by them on his {Benhadad's} part, was sufficient to complete the bond and secure the life of the captive {Benhadad}. Ahab having called Benhadad his brother, treated him as he would a brother; he took him up into his chariot of which there could not be a greater honor). And they said, Your brother is Benhadad? Then he said, Go you, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him and he caused him to come up into the chariot. And Benhadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from your father, I will restore and you shall make streets for you in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send you away with this covenant.(a covenant is an agreement). So he made a covenant with him and sent him away.

1Kings 20:35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour in the word of the Lord, Smite me, I pray you.(this begins an actual story of a happening with a lesson).

1Kings 20:36-42 And the man refused to smite him. Then said he unto him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall slay you. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him and slew him. Then he found another man and said, Smite me, I pray you. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him. So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way and disguised himself with ashes upon his face. And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king and he said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man unto me and said, Keep this man. If by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life or else you shall pay a talent of silver. And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, so shall your judgment be; yourself has decided it. And he hasted and took the ashes away from his face and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. And he said unto him, Thus says the Lord, Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life and your people for his people.

Ahab should have followed what the prophet of God told him;.Adam Clarke's Commentary:."By this emblematical action he intended to inform Ahab that, as the man forfeited his life who refused to smite him when he had the Lord’s command to do it; so he, Ahab, had forfeited his life, because he did not smite Benhadad when he had him in his power to do so; strange how Benhadad sought mercy, although it may have been just a ploy of his selfishness; he was shown mercy by Ahab and then Ahab really got in trouble for it;.the Old Testament accounts of such things were so different when compared to the New Testament accounts of things, such as...; why was the Creator as described in the Old Testament appearing so different as compared to the New Testament? It appears as different, but let's consider Ahab here as comprised with.American Tract Society Bible Dictionary:.Ahab the seventh king of Israel, succeeded his father Omri B.C.E. 918 and reigned twenty-two years. His wife was the terrible bitch Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal king of Tyre; she was an ambitious and passionate idolatress, through whose influence the worship of Baal and Ashtoreth was introduced in ancient Israel. Ahab erected in Samaria a house of Baal and set up images of Baal and Ashtoreth; idolatry and wickedness became fearfully prevalent and the king."did more to provoke the Lord to anger than all the kings that were before him". In the midst of this great apostasy, God visited the land with three years of drought and famine and then, at Mount Carmel reproved idolatry by fire from heaven and by the destruction of four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. About six years later, Benhadad, king of Syria, invaded Israel with a great army, but was ignominiously defeated and still more disastrously so the year after, when Ahab took him captive, but soon released him and thus incurred the displeasure of God. In spite of the warnings and mercies of the Creator, Ahab went on in his ways of sin and at length, after the murder of Naboth, his crimes and abominable idolatries were such that God sent Elijah to denounce.judgments upon him and his seed.{meaning his children:.2Kings 3:1-3; 2Kings 10:1}. These were in part deferred, however, by his humiliation: 1Kings 21:17-29. Soon after, having gone with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, to regain Ramoth-gilead from the Syrians and joined battle with them in defiance of the Creator, he was slain and dogs licked up his blood at the pool of Samaria:.1Kings 16:29-33; 22:40.

1Kings 20:43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased and came to Samaria.

....continues to Chapter 21

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