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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - 1 Kings 22:29 - 22:40
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The Death of Ahab
v. 29. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Ramoth-gilead, the latter apparently being unwilling to take back his promise, since Ahab had declared Micaiah to be his personal opponent.
v. 30. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, in his anxiety to safeguard his own life, I will disguise myself and enter into the battle, contrary to the custom according to which the king preceded his troops clothed in royal garments; but put thou on thy robes, for in his case the enemies would have no special reason to single him out and put him to death. And the king of Israel disguised himself' and went into the battle.
v. 31. But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains, 1Ki_20:24, that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel; they were to concentrate their efforts on the killing of Ahab, for the end of Ahab would mean the end of the war and victory for the Syrian forces.
v. 32. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, who was immediately distinguishable by his royal costume, that they said, Surely it Is the king of Israel. And. they turned aside to fight against him, they turned their chariots in his direction; and Jehoshaphat cried out, either calling his name or shouting to his own soldiers to come to his aid.
v. 33. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him, for their orders were to take or kill Ahab.
v. 34. And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, without being conscious of the fact that the man he aimed at, who wore the clothing of an ordinary soldier, was the king of Israel, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness, in the narrow opening between the skirt and the breastplate of his armor; wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, guiding the horses away from the battle-line, and carry me out of the host, for I am wounded, no longer able to take part in the conflict, forced to retire from the fight.
v. 35. And the battle increased that day, it was waged with great bitterness on both sides. And the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, unable to reach a place of shelter on account of the bitterness of the encounter, and died at even; and the blood ran out of the wound, which could not be dressed, into the midst of the chariot, collecting in pools in the rounded part of the chariot-floor.
v. 36. And there went a proclamation throughout the host, evidently started by the discouraged soldiers themselves, about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city and every man to his own country! They abandoned the field and scattered to their homes.
v. 37. So the king died, and was brought to Samaria, coming not as a victor, but as a corpse; and they buried the king in Samaria.
v. 38. And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria, for this city, like others, had its reservoir; and the dogs licked up his blood, as it flowed out of the chariot, mingled with water. And they washed his armor, literally, "the harlots were bathing," they used this polluted water in their evening washing, thus bringing more shame upon the memory of Ahab, according unto the word of the Lord which He spake, 1Ki_21:19.
v. 39. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, the palace richly decorated with ivory, either in Jezreel or in Samaria, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?
v. 40. So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahasiah, his son, reigned in his stead. Such was the terrible and disgraceful end of the proud king. And in like manner, eternal shame and disgrace is the end of all those who rebel against the Lord of heaven.