I Kings 20:15-30
“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.” (I Kings 20:15-16a)
Assured by God that he would defeat the Syrians with the few men he had, Ahab gathered his army and at noon they went out to confront Benhadad’s forces.
“But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out 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.” (I Kings 20:16b-18)
Benhadad was so sure that Israel wouldn’t dare fight them that he was having a party with the other kings, trying to see how drunk they could get. When he found out that Ahab’s forces were coming out, he didn’t want to interrupt his party, even if they were coming out to surrender. He just gave orders to arrest them and hold them what ever their reason was. Like a typical bully, he was going to show them how little he thought of them. After all there were only two hundred thirty two of the officials, and seizing them without even attempting to negotiate would be a political insult to Ahab.
“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 an 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. ” (I Kings 20:19-21)
When the Syrians tried to arrest them, the two hundred thirty two princes each killed a man. When the seven thousand man army rushed forward as well, the Syrian line broke and ran. Benhadad was forced to jump on a horse and flee for his life. Ahab and his army wiped out most of the cavalry and the armored chariots, as well as killing a huge number of the Syrian army.
It was a total rout and Ahab was feeling pretty cocky about his victory.
“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.” (I Kings 20:22)
The prophet warned Ahab it still wasn’t over. He had embarrassed Benhadad, and he would come back in an effort to regain his pride. Most bullies assume any defeat was accidental the first time and will try again, often with a sneak attack.
“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 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.” (I Kings 20:23-25)
The Syrians correctly believed it was Israel’s God that had given the victory. Unfortunately, like many others they viewed him as just another god, not as the God of the universe. They made two recommendations. First to engage Israel in battle in the plains since God was a god of the hills and would be less powerful in the plains. More importantly, the chariots would be more effective in open country.
Secondly, the political leaders, the kings should be replaced with experienced soldiers. This last recommendation has been proven valuable throughout history. Political popularity has very little to do with leadership or ability. Making that change would greatly enhance their possibilities of winning. With good leadership, they believed the same sized army would have won easily.
"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.” (I Kings 20:26)
After the first of the year, Benhadad again attacked Israel. Instead of trying to attack in the mountainous region around Samaria, he moved out into the plains east of the Sea of Galilee, to Aphek.
“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.” (I Kings 20:27)
Compared to the Syrian army, which was huge, the Israelites looked like a few baby goats compared to a huge herd. Numerically, victory looked impossible.
“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 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.” (I Kings 20:28)
Because the Syrians did not believe God was any greater than any of their gods, he was angered and promised give total victory so that Ahab and Israel would know that he wasn’t just a god but was the God
“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.” (I Kings 20:29-30)
For seven days, the two armies confronted each other in powerful shows of force, hoping to intimidate the other. Finally they came together and Israel wiped out over a hundred thousand foot soldiers in a single day. The rest of the Syrian army fled to the city of Aphek to take refuge inside the fortress. One of the towering walls collapsed killing another twenty seven thousand, and making it a trap rather than a fort. It was even worse than the first loss.
“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.” (I Kings 20:15-16a)
Assured by God that he would defeat the Syrians with the few men he had, Ahab gathered his army and at noon they went out to confront Benhadad’s forces.
“But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out 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.” (I Kings 20:16b-18)
Benhadad was so sure that Israel wouldn’t dare fight them that he was having a party with the other kings, trying to see how drunk they could get. When he found out that Ahab’s forces were coming out, he didn’t want to interrupt his party, even if they were coming out to surrender. He just gave orders to arrest them and hold them what ever their reason was. Like a typical bully, he was going to show them how little he thought of them. After all there were only two hundred thirty two of the officials, and seizing them without even attempting to negotiate would be a political insult to Ahab.
“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 an 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. ” (I Kings 20:19-21)
When the Syrians tried to arrest them, the two hundred thirty two princes each killed a man. When the seven thousand man army rushed forward as well, the Syrian line broke and ran. Benhadad was forced to jump on a horse and flee for his life. Ahab and his army wiped out most of the cavalry and the armored chariots, as well as killing a huge number of the Syrian army.
It was a total rout and Ahab was feeling pretty cocky about his victory.
“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.” (I Kings 20:22)
The prophet warned Ahab it still wasn’t over. He had embarrassed Benhadad, and he would come back in an effort to regain his pride. Most bullies assume any defeat was accidental the first time and will try again, often with a sneak attack.
“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 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.” (I Kings 20:23-25)
The Syrians correctly believed it was Israel’s God that had given the victory. Unfortunately, like many others they viewed him as just another god, not as the God of the universe. They made two recommendations. First to engage Israel in battle in the plains since God was a god of the hills and would be less powerful in the plains. More importantly, the chariots would be more effective in open country.
Secondly, the political leaders, the kings should be replaced with experienced soldiers. This last recommendation has been proven valuable throughout history. Political popularity has very little to do with leadership or ability. Making that change would greatly enhance their possibilities of winning. With good leadership, they believed the same sized army would have won easily.
"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.” (I Kings 20:26)
After the first of the year, Benhadad again attacked Israel. Instead of trying to attack in the mountainous region around Samaria, he moved out into the plains east of the Sea of Galilee, to Aphek.
“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.” (I Kings 20:27)
Compared to the Syrian army, which was huge, the Israelites looked like a few baby goats compared to a huge herd. Numerically, victory looked impossible.
“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 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.” (I Kings 20:28)
Because the Syrians did not believe God was any greater than any of their gods, he was angered and promised give total victory so that Ahab and Israel would know that he wasn’t just a god but was the God
“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.” (I Kings 20:29-30)
For seven days, the two armies confronted each other in powerful shows of force, hoping to intimidate the other. Finally they came together and Israel wiped out over a hundred thousand foot soldiers in a single day. The rest of the Syrian army fled to the city of Aphek to take refuge inside the fortress. One of the towering walls collapsed killing another twenty seven thousand, and making it a trap rather than a fort. It was even worse than the first loss.
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