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19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth : and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

20 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?

21 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.

CHAPTER XX.

This chapter is the history of a war between Ben-hadad king of Syria, and Ahab king of Israel, in which Ahab was once, and again, victorious. We read nothing

of Elijah or Elisha in all this story; Jezebel's rage, it is probable, was abated, and the persecution of the prophets began to cool; which gleam of peace Elijah

improves; he appears not at court, but, being told how many thousands of good

people there were in Israel, more than he thought of, employs himself, as we may suppose, in founding religious houses, schools, or colleges, of prophets, in several parts of the country, to be nurseries of religion, that they may help to

reform the nation, when the throne and court would not be reformed: while they

Matt. 8. 21, 22. Luke 9. 61, 62. ⚫ Go return. a 2 Sam. 24. 22.

thou art gone, shall carry on thy work, and be a remaining witness against the apostacy of Israel, and even he shall slay the children of Bethel, that idolatrous city." Note, The wicked are reserved to judgment. Evil pursues sinners, and there is no escaping it; to attempt an escape, is but to run from one sword's point upon another. See Jer. 48. 44. He that flees from the fear, shall fall into the pit; and he that gets up out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare. Elisha, with the sword of the Spirit, shall terrify and wound the consciences of those who escape Hazael's sword of war, and Jehu's sword of justice; With the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked, Is. 11. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 8. Hos. 6. 5. It is a great comfort to good men, and good ministers, to think that God will never want instruments to do his work, in his time, but when they are gone, others shall be raised up to carry it on.

VI. The comfortable information God gives him of the number of Israelites who retained their integrity, though he thought he was left alone; (v. 18,) I have left me seven thousand in Israel, (beside Judah,) which have not bowed the knee to Baal. Note, 1. In times of the greatest degeneracy and apostacy, God has always had, and will have, a remnant faithful to him, some that keep their integrity, and do not go down the stream. The apostle mentions this answer of God to Elijah, (Rom. 11. 4,) and applies it to his own day, when the Jews generally rejected the Gospel; Yet, says he, at this time also there is a remnant, v. 5. 2. It is God's work to preserve that remnant, and distinguish them from the rest, for without his grace they could not have distinguished themselves: I have left me; it is therefore said to be a remnant, according to the election of grace. 3. It is but a little remnant, in comparison with the degenerate race; what is 7000 to the thousands of Israel? Yet when those of every age come together, they will be found many more, 12,000 sealed out of each tribe, Rev. 7. 4. 4. God's faithful ones are often his hidden ones, (Ps. 83. 3,) and the visible church scarcely visible; the wheat lost in the chaff, and the gold in the dross, till the sifting, refining, separating day comes. 5. The Lord knows them that are his, though we do not; he sees them in secret. 6. There are more good people in the world, than some wise and holy men think there are. Their jealousy of themselves, and for God, makes them think the corruption is universal; but God sees not as they do. When we come to heaven, as we shall miss a great many whom we thought to have met there, so we shall meet a great many whom we little thought to have met there. God's love often proves larger than man's charity, and more extensive.

V. 19-21. Elisha was named last in the orders God gave to Elijah, but is first called, for by him the other two were to be called. He must come in Elijah's room; yet Elijah is forward to raise him, and is far from being jealous of his successor, but rejoices to think that he shall leave the work of God in such good hands.

Concerning the call of Elisha, observe, 1. That it was a surprising call: Elijah found him by divine direction, or, perhaps, he was, before, acquainted with him, and knew where to find him. He found him, not in the schools of the prophets, but in the field; not reading, or praying, or sacrificing, but ploughing, v. 19. Though a great man, (as appears by his feast, v. 21,) master of the ground, and oxen, and servants, yet he did not think it any disparagement to him, to follow his business himself, and not only to inspect his servants, but himself to lay his hand to the plough. Idleness is no man's honour, nor is husbandry any man's disgrace. An honest calling in the world does not at all put us out of the way of our heavenly calling; any more than it did Elisha, who was taken from following the plough, to feed Israel, and to sow the seed of the word; as the apostles from fishing, to catch men. Elisha inquired not after Elijah, but was anticipated with this call. We love God, and choose him, because he chose us, and loved us first,

were thus busied, God favoured the nation with the successes we here read of, which were the more remarkable, because obtained against Ben-hadad king of Syria, whose successor, Hazael, was ordained to be a scourge to Israel; they must shortly suffer by the Syrians, and yet now triumph over them, that, if possible, they might be led to repentance by the goodness of God. Here is, 1. Ben-hadad's descent upon Israel, and his insolent demand, v. 1-12. II. The defeat Ahab gave him, encouraged and directed by a prophet, v. 13-21. III. The Syrians rallying again, and the second defeat Ahab gave them, v. 22-90. IV. The covenant of peace Ahab made with Ben-hadad, when he had him at his mercy, (v. 31-34,) for which he is reproved and threatened by a prophet, v. 35-43.

AND Ben-hadad the king of Syria 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.

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad,,

3 Thy silver and thy gold is mine: thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine. 4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;

a le. 10. 13, 14.

2. That it was a powerful call: Elijah did but cast his mantle upon him, (v. 19,) in token of friendship, that he would take him under his care and tuition, as he did under his mantle, and to be one with him in the same clothes, or, in token of his being clothed with the spirit of Elijah; now he put some of his honour upon him, as Moses on Joshua, (Num. 27. 20;) but when Elijah went to heaven, he had the mantle entire, 2 Kings 2.13. And immediately he left the oxen to go as they would, and ran after Elijah, and assured him that he would follow him presently, v. 20. An invisible hand touched his heart, and unaccountably inclined him by a secret power, without any external persuasions, to quit his husbandry, and give himself to the ministry. It is in a day of power, that Christ's subjects are made willing, (Ps. 110. 3,) nor would any come to Christ, unless they were thus drawn, Elisha came to a resolution presently, but begged a little time, not to ask leave, but only to take leave of his parents. This was not an excuse for delay, like his, (Luke 9. 61,) that desired he might bid them farewell that were at home; but only a reservation of the respect and duty he owed to his father and mother. Elijah bade him go back, and do it, he would not hinder him; nay, if he would, he might go back, and not return, for any thing he had done to him. He will not force him, nor take him against his will; let him sit down and count the cost, and make it his own act. The efficacy of God's grace preserves the native liberty of man's will, so that they who are good are good of choice, and not by constraint; not pressed men, but volunteers.

3. That it was a pleasant and acceptable call to him, which appears by the farewell feast he made for his family, v. 21. Yet he not only quitted all the comforts of his father's house, but exposed himself to the malignity of Jezebel, and her party; it was a discouraging time for prophets to set out in. A man that had consulted with flesh and blood, would not be fond of Elijah's mantle, nor willing to wear his coat; yet Elisha, cheerfully, and with a great deal of satisfaction, leaves all, to accompany him. Thus Matthew made a great feast, when he left the receipt of custom to follow Christ..

4. That it was an effectual call: Elijah did not stay for him, lest he should seem to compel him, but left him to his own choice, and he soon arose, went after him, and not only associated with him, but ministered to him, as his servitor, poured water on his hands, 2 Kings 3. 11. It is of great advantage to young ministers, to spend some time under the direction of those that are aged and experienced, whose years teach wisdom; and not to think much, if occasion be, to minister to them. Those that would be fit to teach, must have time to learn: and those that hope, hereafter, to rise and rule, must be willing, at first, to stoop and serve.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XX. V. 1-11. Here is,

I. Ben-hadad's threat to make a descent upon Ahab's kingdom, What and the siege he laid to Samaria, his royal city, v. 1. the ground of the quarrel was, we are not told; covetousness and ambition were the principle, which would never want some pretence or other. David, in his time, had quite subdued the Syrians, and made them tributaries to Israel, but Israel's apostacy from God makes them formidable again. Asa had tempted the Syrians to invade Israel once, (ch. 15. 18-20,) and now they did it of their own accord: it is dangerous bringing in a foreign force into a country, posterity may pay dear for it. Ben-hadad had with him 32 kings, who were either tributaries to him, and bound in duty to attend him, or confederates with him, and bound in interest to assist him; how little did the title of king look, when all these poor petty governors pretended to it!

II. The treaty between these two kings; surely Israel's Defence was departed from them, or else the Syrians could not have marched so readily, and with so little opposition, to Samaria, the head and heart of the country, a city lately built, and

6 Yet I will send my servants unto thee to-morrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is "pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.

7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief; 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.

8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.

9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first, I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.

10 And Ben-hadad 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.

11 And the king of Israel answered and said,

• desirable. b 2 Kings 5. 7. † kept not back from him. e c. 19. 2. are al my feet, Ex. 11. 8. Judg. 4, 10. d'Prov. 27. 1. § word. I or, tents.

therefore, we may suppose, not well fortified, but like to fall quickly into the hands of the invaders; both sides are aware of this, and therefore,

1. Ben-hadad's proud spirit sends Ahab a very insolent demand, v. 2, 3. A parley is sounded, and a trumpeter (we may suppose) is sent into the city, to let Ahab know that upon these terms he will raise the siege-That Ahab become his vassal, nay, his villain, and not only pay him a tribute out of what he has, but make over his title to Ben-hadad, and hold all at his will, even his wives and children, the goodliest of them: the manner of expression is designed to gall them; "All shall be mine, without exception."

2. Ahab's poor spirit sends Ben-hadad a very disgraceful submission; it is general indeed, he cannot mention particulars in his surrender, with so much pleasure as Ben-hadad did in his demand, but it is effectual, I am thine, and all that I have, v. 4. See the effect of sin; (1.) If he had not, by sin, provoked God to depart from him, Ben-hadad could not have made such a demand; sin brings men into such straits, by putting them out of divine protection; if God do not rule us, our enemies shall; a rebel to God, is a slave to all besides. Ahab had prepared his silver and gold for Baal, (Hos. 2. 8,) justly therefore it is taken from him; such an alienation amounts to a forfeiture. (2.) If he had not, by sin, wronged his own conscience, and set that against him, he could not have made such a mean surrender; guilt dispirits men, and makes them cowards; he knew Baal could not help, and had no reason to think that God would, and therefore is content to buy his life upon any terms; skin for skin, and all that is dear to him, he will give for it; he will rather live a beggar, than not die a prince,

3. Ben-hadad's proud spirit rises, upon his submission, and becomes yet more insolent and imperious, v, 5, 6. Ahab had laid his all at his feet, at his mercy, expecting that one king would use another generously, that this aknowledgment of Benhadad's sovereignty would have contented him; the honour was sufficient for the present, and he might, hereafter, make use of it if he saw cause; Satis est prostrasse leoni—It suffices the lion to have laid his antagonist prostrate; but this will not serve: (1.) Ben-hadad is as covetous as he is proud, and cannot go away, unless he have the possession as well as the dominion; he thinks it not enough to call it his, unless he have it in his hands; he will not so much as lend Ahab the use of his own goods above a day longer. (2.) He is as spiteful as he is haughty; had he come himself to select what he had a mind for, it had been some respect to a crowned head, but he will send his servants to insult the prince, and hector over him, to rifle the palace, and strip it of all its ornaments; nay, to give Ahab the more vexation, they shall be ordered, not only to take what they please, but, if they can learn which are the persons or things that Ahab is, in a particular manner, fond of, to take those; Whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall take that away We are often crossed in that which we most dote upon; and that proves least safe, which is most dear. (3.) He is as unreasonable as he is unjust, and will construe the surrender Ahab made for himself, as made for all his subjects too, and will have them also to lie at his mercy; "They shall search, not only thy house, but the houses of thy servants too, and plunder them at discretion." Blessed be God for peace and property, and that what we have we can call our own.

4. Ahab's poor spirit begins to rise too, upon his growing insolence; and if it becomes not bold, yet it becomes desperate, and he will rather hazard his life than give up all thus. (1.) Now he takes advice of his privy council, who encourage him to stand it out. He speaks but poorly, (v. 7,) appeals to them whether Ben-hadad were not an unreasonable enemy, and did not seek mischief. What other could he expect from one who, without

*That is, a person appropriated and enslaved.-ED,

Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself, as he that putteth it off.

12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad 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.

13 And, behold, there **came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.

14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

15 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.

16 And they went out at noon: but Ben-hadad approached. e ver. 29.

or, Place the engines; and they placed engines. tor, servants, 11 bind, or, tie. f Judg. 7. 7.

any provocation given him, had invaded his country, and besieged his capital city? He owns to them how he had truckled to him before, and would have them advise him what he should do in this strait; they speak bravely, (v. 8,) Hearken not to him, nor consent; promising no doubt, to stand by him in the refusal. (2.) Yet he expresses himself very modestly in his denial; (v. 9,) he owns Ben-hadad's dominion over him; "Tell my lord the king, I have no design to affront him, nor to recede from the surrender I have already made; what I offered at first, I will stand to, but this thing I may not do; I must not give what is none of my own." It was a mortification to Ben-hadad, that even such an abject spirit as Ahab's was, dares deny him; yet it should seem by his manner of expressing himself, that he durst not have done it, if his people had not animated him. 5. Ben-hadad proudly swears the ruin of Samaria; the threatening waves of his wrath, meeting with this check, rage and foam, and make a noise; in his fury, he imprecates the impotent revenge of his gods. If the dust of Samaria serve for handfuls for his army, (v. 10,) so numerous, so resolute, an army will he bring into the field against Samaria; and so confident is he of their success, it will be done as easily as the taking up of a handful of dust: all shall be carried away, even the ground on which the city stands. Thus confident is his pride, thus cruel is his malice; this prepares him to be ruined, though such a prince and such a people are unworthy of the satisfaction of seeing him ruined.

6. Ahab sends him a decent rebuke to his assurance; dares not defy his menaces, only reminds him of the uncertain turns of war; (v. 11,) "Let not him that begins a war, and is girding on his sword, his armour, his harness, boast of victory, or think himself sure of it, as if he had put it off, and were come home a conqueror.' This was one of the wisest words that ever Ahab spake, and is a good item or memento to us all: it is folly to boast before, of any day, since we know not what it may bring forth, (Prov. 27. 1;) but especially to boast of a day of battle, which may prove as much against us, as we promise ourselves it will be for ns. It is impolitic to despise an enemy, and to be too sure of victory is the way to be beaten. Apply it to our spiritual conflicts; Peter fell by his confidence: while we are here, we are but girding on the harness, and therefore must never boast as though we had put it off. Happy is the man that feareth always, and is never off his watch.

V. 12-21. The treaty between the besiegers and the besieged being broken off abruptly, we have here an account of the battle that ensued immediately;

I. The Syrians, the besiegers, had their directions from a drunken king, who gave orders over his cups, as he was drinking, (v. 12,) drinking himself drunk, (v. 16,) with the kings in the pavilions, and this, at noon. Drunkenness is a sin which armies and their officers have, of old, been addicted to. Say not thou then that the former.days were, in this respect, better than these, though these are bad enough; had he not been very secure, he would not have sat to drink; and had he not been intoxicated, he would not have been so very secure: security and sensuality went together in the old world, and Sodom, Luke 17.26, &c. Ben-hadad's drunkenness was the forerunner of his fall, as Belshazzar's was, Dan. 5. How could he prosper, that preferred his pleasure before his business, and kept his kings to drink with him, when they should have been at their respective posts to fight for him? In his drink, 1. He orders the town to be invested, the engines fixed, and every thing got ready for the making of a general attack, (v. 12,) but stirs not from his drunken club to see it done; Wo unto thee, O land, when thy king is such a child. 2. When the besieged made a sally, (and, by that time, he was far gone,) he gave orders to take them alive, (v. 18,) not to kill them, which might have been done more easily and safely, but to seize them, which gave them an opportunity of killing the aggressors; so imprudent was he in the orders he gave, as well as unjust, in ordering them to be taken

was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.

17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.

18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.

20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.

21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year, the king of Syria will come up against thee.

gc. 16. 9. ver. 12. Prov. 23. 29-32. Hos. 4. 11. Is. 54. 15. i Judg. 7. 21, 22. E. 9. 11. 2 Kings 6. 12. 2 Sam. 11. 1. Ps. 115. 2, 3. Is. 42. 8.

prisoners, though they came for peace, and to renew the treaty; thus, as is usual, he drinks, and forgets the law, both the policies and the justice of war.

II. The Israelites, the besieged, had their directions from an inspired prophet, one of the prophets of the Lord, whom Ahab had hated and persecuted: And behold, a prophet, even one, drew near to the king of Israel; so it may be read, v. 13. Behold, and wonder, that God should send a prophet with a kind and gracious message to so wicked a prince as Ahab was; but he did it, 1. For his people Israel's sake, who, though wickedly degenerated, were the seed of Abraham his friend, and Jacob his chosen, the children of the covenant, and not yet cast off. 2. That he might magnify his mercy, in doing good to one so evil and unthankful; might either bring him to repentance, or leave him the more inexcusable. 3. That he might mortify the pride of Ben-hadad, and check his insolence: Ahab's idolatry shall be punished hereafter, but Ben-hadad's haughtiness shall be chastised now; for God resists the proud, and is pleased to say that he fears the wrath of the enemy, Deut. 32. 26, 27. There was but one prophet, perhaps, to be had in Samaria, and he drew near with this message, intimating that he had been forced to keep at a distance; Ahab, in his prosperity, would not have borne the sight of him, but now he bids him welcome, when none of the prophets of the groves could give him any assistance; he inquired not for a prophet of the Lord, but God sent one to him, unasked, for he waits to be gracious.

Now, (1.) This prophet animates him with an assurance of victory, which was more than all the elders of Israel could give him, (v. 8,) though they promised to stand by him. This prophet, who is not named, (for he spake in God's name,) tells him, from God, that this very day the siege should be raised, and the army of the Syrians routed, v. 13. When the prophet said, Thus saith the Lord, we may suppose Ahab began to tremble, expecting a message of wrath: but he is revived, when it proves a gracious one. He is reminded of the use he must make of this blessed turn of affairs; "Thou shall know that I am Jehovah, the sovereign Lord of all:" God's foretelling a thing that was so very unlikely, proved that it was his own doing. (2.) He instructs him what to do for the gaining of this victory. [1.] He must not stay till the enemy had attacked him, but must sally out upon them, and surprise them in their trenches. [2.] The persons employed must be the young men of the princes of the provinces, the pages, the footmen, who were few in number, but 232, utterly unacquainted with war, and the unlikeliest men that could be thought of, for such a bold attempt; yet these must do it, those weak and foolish things must be instruments of confounding the wise and strong, that while Ben-hadad's boasting is punished, Ahab's might be prevented and precluded, and the excellency of the power might be of God, [3.] Ahab must himself so far testify his confidence in the word of God, as to command in person, though, in the eye of reason, he exposed himself to the utmost danger by it; but it is fit that those who have the benefit of God's promises, should enter upon thein. Yet, [4.] He is allowed to make use of what forces he had at hand, to follow the blow, when these young men had broken the ice. All he had in Samaria, or within call, were but 7000 men, v. 15. It is observable that it is the same number with theirs that had not bowed the knee to Baal, (ch. 19. 18,) though, it is likely, not the same men.

III. The issue was accordingly; the proud Syrians were beaten, and the poor despised Israelites were more than conquerors; the young men gave an alarm to the Syrians, just at noon, at high dinner time, supported by what little force they had, v. 16. Ben-hadad despised them, at first, (v. 18,) but when they had, with unparalleled bravery and dexterity, slain every one his man, and so put the army into disorder, that proud man durst not face them, but mounted immediately, drunk as he was,

23 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.

24 And do this thing: Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms;

25 And number thee an army like the army that thou hast 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.

26 And it came to pass, at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

27 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.

28 And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD

⚫ was fallen. n Ps. 10. 3. o 1 Sam. 4. 1. 29. 1. 2 Kings 13. 17. † the war with Israel.or, victualled p Is. 37. 29-36.

and made the best of his way, v. 20. See how God slips off the spirit of princes, and makes himself terrible to the kings of the earth. Now where are the silver and gold he demanded of Ahab? Where the handfuls of Samaria's dust? Those that are most secure, are commonly least courageous. Ahab failed not to improve this advantage, but slew the Syrians with a great slaughter, v. 21. Note, God oftentimes makes one wicked man a scourge to another.

V. 22-30. We have here an account of another successful campaign, which Ahab, by divine aid, made against the Syrians, in which he gave them a greater defeat than in the former. Strange! Ahab idolatrous, and yet victorious; a persecutor, and yet a conqueror! God has wise and holy ends, in suffering wicked men to prosper, and in it glorifies his own name. 1. Ahab is admonished by a prophet to prepare for another war, v. 22. It should seem, he was now secure, and looked but a little way before him; those that are careless of their souls, are often as careless of their outward affairs; but the prophet (to whom God made known the following counsels of the Syrians) told him, they would renew their attempt, at the return of the year, hoping to retrieve the honour they had lost, and be avenged for the blow they had received. He therefore bade him strengthen himself, put himself into a posture of defence, and be ready to give them a warm reception. God had decreed the end, but Ahab must use the means, else he tempts God: "Help thyself, strengthen thyself, and God will help and strengthen thee." The enemies of God's Israel are restless in their malice, and though they may take some breathing time for themselves, yet are still breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the church. It concerns us always to expect assaults from our spiritual enemies, and therefore to mark and see what we do.

II. Ben-hadad is advised by those about him concerning the operations of the next campaign.

1. They advised him to change his ground, v. 23. They take it for granted that it was not Israel, but Israel's gods, that beat them; (so great a regard was then universally had to invisible powers;) but they speak very ignorantly of Jehovah-that he was many, whereas he is One, and his name one-that he was their God only, a local deity, peculiar to that nation, whereas he is the Creator and Ruler of all the world-and that he was a God of the hills only, because David, their great prophet, had said, I will lift up mine eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help, (Ps. 121. 1,) and that his foundation was in the holy mountain, (Ps. 87. 1.-78. 54;) and much was said of his holy hill, (Ps. 15. 1.-24. 3,) supposing him altogether such a one as their imaginary deities: they fancied he was confined to his hills, and could not, or would not, come down from them, and therefore an army in the valley would be below his cognizance, and from under his protection: thus vain were the Gentiles in their imaginations concerning God, so wretchedly were their foolish hearts darkened, and, professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. 2. They advise him to change his officers, (v. 24, 25;) not to employ the kings, who were commanders by birth, but captains rather, who were commanders by merit, who were inured to war, would not affect to make a show like the kings, but would go through with business; let every man be employed in that which he is brought up to, and used to, and preferred to that which he is fit for. Syria, it seems, was rich and populous, when it could furnish recruits sufficient, after so great a defeat, horse for horse, chariot for chariot.

III. Both armies take the field: Ben-hadad, with his Syrians, encamps near Aphek, in the tribe of Asher, a city, it is likely, in his own possession, one of those which his father had won, (v. 34,) and the country about flat and level, and fit for his purpose, v. 26. Ahab, with his forces, posted himself at some distance over against them, v. 27. The disproportion of numbers was

is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys; | therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD. 29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days; and so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: rand the children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in one day.

30 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 Ben-hadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

31 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 thy life.

32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.

33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily

7 ver. 13. Job 12. 16-19. Ps. 10. 16. 8 Ps. 18. 45. t Jer. 48. 44. Luke 13. 4. a chamber within a chamber, c. 2. 25, or, from chamber to chamber. u Is. 16. 5. Gen. 37, 34.

very remarkable; (v. 27,) the children of Israel, who were cantoned in two battalions, looked like two little flocks of kids, their numbers small, their equipage mean, and the figure they made contemptible; but the Syrians filled the country with their numbers, their noise, their chariots, their carriages, and their baggage.

IV. Ahab is encouraged to fight the Syrians, notwithstanding their advantages and confidence. A man of God is sent to him, to tell him that this numerous army should all be delivered into his hand, (v. 28,) but not for his sake; be it known to him, he was utterly unworthy, for whom God should do this: God would not do it, because Ahab had praised God, or prayed to him, (we do not read that he did either,) but because the Syrians had blasphemed God, and had said, He is the God of the hills and not of the valleys; therefore God will do it in his own vindication, and to preserve the honour of his own name: if the Syrians had said, "Ahab and his people have forsaken their God, and so put themselves out of his protection, and therefore we may venture to attack them," God would probably have delivered Israel into their hands; but when they go upon a presumption so very injurious to the divine omnipotence, and the honour of him who is Lord of all hosts, not only in hills and valleys, but in heaven and earth, which they are willingly ignorant of, they shall be undeceived, at the expense of that vast army which is so much their pride and confidence.

V. After the armies had faced one another seven days, (the Syrians, it is likely, boasting, and the Israelites trembling,) they engaged, and the Syrians were totally routed; 100,000 men slain by the sword of Israel, in the field of battle, (v. 29,) and 27,000 men, that thought themselves safe under the walls of Aphek, a fortified city, (from the walls of which, the shooters might annoy the enemy if they pursued them, 2 Sam. 11. 24,) found their bane where they hoped for protection, the wall fell upon them, probably, overthrown by an earthquake, and, the cities of Canaan being walled up to heaven, it reached a great way, and they were all either killed, or hurt, or overwhelmed with dismay. Ben-hadad, who thought his city Aphek should have held out against the conquerors, finding it thus unwalled, and the remnant of his forces dispirited and dispersed, had nothing but secrecy to rely upon for safety, and therefore hid himself in a chamber within a chamber, lest the pursuers should seize him. See how the greatest confidence often ends in the greatest cowardice; "Now, is the God of Israel the God of the valleys, or no?" He shall know now, that he is forced into an inner chamber to hide himself. See ch. 22. 25.

catch it: and they said, Thy brother Ben-hadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Ben-hadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities which my father took from thy father 1 will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then, said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.

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 thee. And the man refused to smite him."

36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man smote him, fso that in smiting he wounded him.

38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

to 2 Kings 10. 15. Acts 8. 31. c. 15. 20. y Is. 8. 12. z 2 Kings 2. 3. 5, &c. a c. 13. 17, 18. b Jer. 27. 2. Ex. 4. 3. c c. 13. 24. ↑ emiting and wounding. d 2 Sam. 14. 2.

represented, as indeed every Israelite is then dressed as becomes him, when he puts on bowels of mercies. "They are merciful kings, therefore we may hope to find mercy, upon our submission;" this encouragement poor sinners have to repent and humble themselves before God; "Have we not heard that the God of Israel is a merciful God? Have we not found him so? Let us therefore rend our hearts and return to him," Joel 2. 13. That is evangelical repentance, which flows from an apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ; there is forgiveness with him.

Two things they undertake to represent to Ahab;

1. Their master a penitent; for they girded sackcloth on their loins, as mourners, and put ropes on their heads, as condemned criminals going to execution, pretending to be sorry that they had invaded his country, and disturbed his repose, and to own that they deserved to be hanged for it; here they are ready to do penance for it, and throw themselves at the feet of him whom they had injured; many take upon them to repent of their wrong doing, when it does not succeed, who, if they had prospered in it, would have justified it, and gloried in it. 2. Their master a beggar, a beggar for his life; Thy servant Ben-hadad saith, "I pray thee, let me live, v. 32. Though I live a perpetual exile from my own country, and captive in this, yet, upon any terms, let me live!" What a great change is here, (1.) In his condition; how is he fallen from the height of power and prosperity, to the depths of disgrace and distress, and all the miseries of poverty and slavery! See the uncertainty of human affairs; such turns are they subject to, that the spoke which was uppermost, may soon come to be undermost. (2.) In his temper; in the beginning of the chapter, hectoring, swearing, and threatening, and none more high in his demands; but here, humbling and bemoaning himself, and none more low in his requests: how poorly does he beg his life at the hand of him whom he had there been trampling upon! The most haughty in prosperity are commonly most abject in adversity; an evil spirit will thus affect a man in these conditions; see how God glorifies himself, when he looks upon proud men, and abases them, and hides them in the dust together, Job 40. 11-13.

II. Ahab's foolish acceptance of his submission, and the league he suddenly made with him, upon it; he was proud to be thus courted by him whom he feared, inquires for him with great tenderness, Is he yet alive? He is my brother, brother king, though not brother Israelite; and Ahab valued himself more on his royalty than on his religion, and others accordingly.

V. 31-43. Here is an account of what followed the victory"Is he thy brother, Ahab? Did he use thee like a brother, which Israe! obtained over the Syrians.

I. Ben-hadad's tame and mean submission; even in his inner chamber he fears, and would, if he could, flee further, though none pursues; his servants, seeing him and themselves reduced to the last extremity, advise that they surrender at discretion, and make themselves prisoners and petitioners to Ahab for their lives, v. 31. The servants will put their lives in their hands, and venture first, and their master shall act according as they speed. Their inducement to take this course, is, the great reputation the kings of Israel had for clemency above any of their neighbours; "We have heard that they are merciful kings, not oppressive to their subjects that are under their power," (as governments then went, that of Israel was one of the most easy and gentle,) "and therefore not cruel to their enemies, when they lie at their mercy." Perhaps they had this notion of the kings of Israel, because they had heard that the God of Israel proclaimed his name gracious and merciful, and they concluded their kings would make their God their pattern; it was an honour to the kings of Israel to be thus

when he sent thee that barbarous message? v. 5, 6. Would he have called thee brother, if he had been the conqueror? Would he now have called himself thy servant, if he had not been reduced to the utmost strait? Canst thou suffer thyself to be thus imposed upon by a forced and counterfeit submission?" This word brother they catch at, (v. 33,) and were encouraged by that to go and fetch him to the king; he that calls him brother, will let him live; let poor penitents hear God, in his word, calling them children, (Jer. 31. 20,) catch at it, echo to it, and call him Father. Ben-hadad, upon his submission, shall not only be honourably conveyed, (he took him up into the chariot,) but treated with as an ally; (v 34,) he made a covenant with him, not consulting either God's prophets, or the elders of the land, or himself, concerning what was fit to be insisted on, but, as if Ben-hadad had been conqueror, he shall make his own terms: he might now have demanded some of Ben-hadad's cities, when all of them lay at the mercy of his victorious army, but is content with the restitution of his own he might now have demanded the stores, and treasures, and

39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king and he said, "Thy 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 thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt *pay a talent of silver.

40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself "hast decided it.

41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

e 2 Sam. 12. 1, &c. f 2 Kings 10.24. weigh. was not. 2 Sam. 12. 5-7. h Job 15. 6. Matt. 21. 41-43. Luke 19. 22. c. 22, 31-37.

magazines, of Damascus, to augment the wealth and strength of his own kingdom, but is content with a poor liberty, at his own expense, to build streets there, a point of honour, and no advantage, or no more than what the kings of Syria had had in Samaria, though they never had had so much power as he had now, to support the demand of it. With this covenant he sent him away, without so much as reproving him for his blasphemous reflections upon the God of Israel, whose honour Ahab had no concern for. Note, There are those on whom success is ill bestowed; they know not how to serve either God or their generation, or even their own true interests, with their prosperity: Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness.

CHAPTER XXI.

Ahab is still the unhappy subject of the sacred history; from the great affairs of his camp and kingdom this chapter leads us into his garden, and gives us an account of some ill things, (and ill indeed they proved to him,) relating to his domestic affairs. I. Ahab is sick for Naboth's vineyard, v. 1-4. II. Naboth dies by Jezebel's plot, that the vineyard may eacheat to Ahab, v. 5-14. II. Ahab goes to take possession, v. 15, 16. IV. Elijah meets him, and denounces the judgments of God against him for his injustice, v. 17-24. V. Upon his humiliation a reprieve is granted, v. 25–29.

AND it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give "me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house; and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem* good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and a 1 Sam. 8. 14. be good in thine eyes. b Lev. 25, 23. Num. 36. 7. e Job 5. 2. Hab. 2. 9-12.

k c. 21. 4. Ez. 46. 18.

mander-in-chief, delivered into thy hands one plainly marked for destruction, both by his own pride, and God's providence, and thou hast not carelessly lost him, but wittingly and willingly dismissed him, and so hast been false to thy trust, and lost the end of thy victory; expect therefore no other than that thy life shall go for his life, which thou hast spared," (and so it did, ch. 22. 35,) "and thy people for his people, whom likewise thou hast spared;" and so they did afterward, 2 Kings 10. 32, 33. When their other sins brought them low, this came into the account. There is a time, when keeping back the sword from blood, is doing the work of the Lord deceitfully, Jer. 48. 10. Foolish pity spoils the city.

3. We are told how Ahab took this reproof; he went to his seeking to undo what he had done amiss, but enraged at the prophet, exasperated against God, (as if he had been too severe in the sentence passed upon him,) and yet vexed at himself, every way out of humour, notwithstanding his victory; he who, by his providence, had mortified the pride of one king, by his word cast a damp upon the triumphs of another: Be wise therefore, O ye kings, and be instructed to serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling, Ps. 2. 10, 11.

III. The reproof given to Ahab for his clemency to Ben-house, heavy and displeased, (v. 43;) not truly penitent, or hadad, and his covenant with him; it was given him by a prophet, in the name of the Lord; the Jews say it was Micaiah, and not unlikely, for Ahab complains of him, (ch. 22. 8,) that he used to prophesy evil concerning him; this prophet designed to reprove Ahab by a parable, that he might oblige him to condemn himself, as Nathan and the woman of Tekoa did David; to make his parable the more plausible, he finds it necessary to put himself into the posture of a wounded soldier.

1. With some difficulty, he gets himself wounded, for he would not do it with his own hands; he commanded one of his brother prophets, his neighbour, or companion, (for so the word signifies,) to smite him, and this, in God's name, (v. 35,) but finds him not so willing to give the blow as he is to receive it; he refused to smite him, others were forward enough to smite prophets, they need not smite one another; we cannot but think it was from a good principle he declined it; "If it must be done, let another do it, not I; I cannot find in my heart to strike my friend." Good men can much more easily receive a wrongful blow than give one; yet because he disobeyed an express command of God, (which was so much the worse if he were himself a prophet,) like that other disobedient prophet, ch. 13. 24, he was presently slain by a lion, v. 36. This was intended, not only to show, in general, how provoking disobedience is, (Col. 3. 6,) but to intimate to Ahab, who, no doubt, was told the story, that if a good prophet were thus punished for sparing his friend and God's when God said, Smite, of much sorer punishment should a wicked king be thought worthy, who spared his enemy and God's, when God said, Smite. Shall mortal man pretend to be more just than God, more pure or more compassionate than his Maker? We must be merciful as he is merciful, and not otherwise. The next he met with, made no difficulty of smiting him, (Volenti non fit injuria-He that asks for an injury is not wronged by it,) and did it so that he wounded him, (v. 37;) he fetched blood with the blow; it is likely, in his face.

2. Wounded as he was, and disguised with ashes, that he might not be known to be a prophet, he made his application to the king in a story, whereby he charged himself with such a crime as the king was now guilty of in sparing Ben-hadad, and waits for the king's judgment upon it; the case, in short, is this;-A prisoner taken in the battle was committed to his custody, by a man, (we may suppose one that had authority over him as his superior officer,) with this charge, If he be missing, thy life shall be for his life, v. 39. The prisoner has made his escape through his carelessness. Can the chancery in the king's breast relieve him against his captain, who demands his life in lieu of the prisoner's? "By no means," says the king, "thou shouldest either not have undertaken the trust, or been more careful and faithful to it, there is no remedy, (Curat lex-Let the law take its course,) thou hast forfeited thy bond, and execution must go out upon it; so shall thy doom be, thyself hast decided it." Now the prophet has what he would have, puts off his disguise, and is known by Ahab himself to be a prophet, (v. 41,) and plainly tells him, "Thou art the man. Is it my doom? No, it is thine; thyself hast decided it; out of thine own mouth art thou judged; God, thy Superior and Com

NOTES TO CHAPTER XXI.

V. 1-4. Here is,

I. Ahab's coveting his neighbour's vineyard, which, unhappily, lay near his palace, and was convenient for a kitchengarden: perhaps, Naboth had been pleased that he had a vineyard which lay so advantageously for a prospect of the royal gardens, or the vending of its productions to the royal family-but the situation of it proved fatal to him; if he had had no vineyard, or it had lain obscure in some remote place, he had preserved his life; but many a man's possessions have been his snare, and his neighbourhood to greatness of pernicious consequences. Ahab sets his eye and heart on this vineyard, (v. 2;) it will be a pretty addition to his demesne, a convenient outlet to his palace, and nothing will serve him but it must be his own. He is welcome to the fruits of it, welcome to walk in it; Naboth perhaps would have made him a lease of it, for his life, to please him, but nothing will please him, unless he have an absolute property in it, he and his heirs for ever: yet he is not such a tyrant as to take it by force, but fairly proposes, either to give him the full value of it in money, or a better vineyard in exchange; he had tamely quitted the great advantages God had given him, of enlarging his dominion for the honour of his kingdom, by his victory over the Syrians, and now is eager to enlarge his garden, only for the convenience of his house, as if to be penny wise, would atone for being pound foolish. To desire a convenience to his estate, was not evil; (there would be no buying, if there were no desire of what is bought; the virtuous woman considers a field and buys it;) but to desire any thing inordinately, though we would compass it by lawful means, is a fruit of selfishness, as if we must engross all the conveniences, and none must live, or live comfortably, by us; contrary to the law of contentment, and the letter of the tenth commandment, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house.

II. The repulse he met with in this desire; Naboth would by no means part with it, (v. 3,) The Lord forbid it me; and the Lord did forbid it, else he would not have been so rude and uncivil to his prince, as not to gratify him in so small a matter. Canaan was, in a peculiar manner, God's land; the Israelites were his tenants; and this was one of the conditions of their leases, that they should not alienate, (no not to one another,) any part of that which fell to their lot, unless in case of extreme necessity, and then only till the year of jubilee, Lev. 25. 28. Now Naboth foresaw that if his vineyard were sold to the crown, it would never return to his heirs, no not in the jubilee; he would gladly oblige the king, but he must obey God rather than men, and therefore in this matter desires to be

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