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1Ki_20:1-21
The chapter is deeply interesting for the picturesque indications it presents of ancient usages and sentiments, especially in regard to warlike matters, forming a remarkable instance of that consummate word-painting, of which we find in the sacred books the most perfect existing specimens.
The arrogance engendered in an ill-regulated mind by the consciousness of irresistible power, is strikingly shown in the whole conduct of Benhadad, whose immense force was such as seemed to render the mere idea of opposition ridiculous. What might have been the case had Ahab been allowed time to call out and embody the resources of his kingdom, may be a matter of question; but it had been the policy of Benhadad to prevent this, by marching direct upon Samaria, to strike at the head at once, without allowing his force to be detained by securing the towns and fortresses on his way. Noting can be more insulting than the message he sent to the king of Israel, when he came before Samaria—“Thy silver and thy gold is mine: thy wives, also, and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.” Many would have said—“Come and take them.” Many would have answered, that they would first die among the ruins of Samaria. And, seeing the natural strength of the position, a spirited man might have calculated on holding out until the country had been roused against the invaders, or until relief had been obtained from some quarter—perhaps from the king of Judah, perhaps from the Phoenicians. But the answer was beyond measure tame and submissive, even to abjectness; furnishing another illustration of the yielding temper of this king to any kind of force put upon him from without. It is quite possible that another kind of force would have roused the same man to heroic daring and true kingly action. The answer was—“My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.” Yet, notwithstanding the servile tone of this answer, it is probable, from what follows, that he understood the Syrian king to mean no more than that Ahab should hold all things of him under tribute. Encouraged to still more inordinate arrogance by this submissiveness, Benhadad sent afresh to declare, not only that his message was to be literally understood—that all was to be actually given up to him—but that his officers should make a general search of the palace and the dwellings of the city, to take what they pleased, and to ascertain that nothing worth the having had been retained. The insolence of this is almost beyond precedent. Such treatment is the worst that could be expected for a city taken by storm; and even an unscrupulous eastern conqueror would hardly demand it of a power which had yielded without fighting. It was worse than the treatment to which Nadir-Shah subjected Delhi, after the emperor Mohammed-Shah had been defeated in a hard-fought battle, and had rendered his personal submission. Then, that not very scrupulous conqueror, while treating the emperor with distinction, and protecting the inhabitants from injury and insult—and while, in fact, all was in his hands—claimed, as a prize that he had won, the wealth of the emperor, and a great proportion of that of his richest nobles and subjects. The whole of the jewels which had been collected by a long line of sovereigns, and all the contents of the imperial treasury, were made over by Mohammed-Shah to the conqueror. The principal nobles, imitating the example of the monarch, gave up all the money and valuables which they possessed. Note: There was a massacre afterwards; but this was only when the inhabitants had risen upon the Persian troops. The prisoners were also required to pay their arrears of tribute to the conqueror, which produced much suffering to the inhabitants; but this was chiefly through the villany of the native agents, who, to enrich themselves, extorted from the people four or five times as much as they paid into the treasury of Nadir. This exaction, after a great battle lost, severe as it seems, bears no comparison to Benhadad’s demand upon those who had not struck a blow against him. He not only required as much as this, but demanded the persons of wives and children, and exacted a right of search, equivalent to pillage, throughout the city of Samaria. Twenty-four hours were given to Ahab to consider this proposal. There is reason to think, that he would have consented even to this, so abject had he become in spirit: but the elders of his council, whom he was obliged to consult, together with the general voice of the people, stimulated him to resist this insolence. Yielding to this fresh force laid upon his facile temper, he replies with some spirit, though with less than became the occasion—“Tell my lord the king, all that thou didst send for at the first, I will do; but this thing I may not do.” This looks very much like an intimation that he would even in this have yielded, had not the public voice forbidden—
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Tame as this reply seems to its, it affronted the pride of the great Benhadad, who sent back the boastful answer, that he would reduce Samaria to dust, which would then not suffice to give handfuls to all the men of his numerous host. The answer of Ahab to this hectoring boast, was neat, noble, and significant—“Tell him, let not him that girdeth on his harness, boast himself as he that putteth it off.” This sensible and spirited answer, divested also of the former preamble—“tell him,” not, “tell my lord the king,”—goes some way to restore Ahab to our good opinion. It is clear that his spirit was now fairly up, and it would appear that his feelings were taking a right course.
The scene now changes to the luxurious camp of Benhadad, where the king, though it was scarcely yet high noon, was, with his allied tributary princes (thirty-two in number), drinking in the pavilions—a remarkable touch of description at such a time, serving to convey a distinct idea of the habits of the leaders of this great army. It was when thus engaged that the king received Ahab’s reproving answer. In human writing, it would be regarded as a noble touch of literary art—that nothing is said of the Syrian king’s feelings, his wrath, his indignation. He says nothing, his astonishment and rage are too big for words, and is intimated only in its effects, in the laconic military order given in a single word—“Set,” or “Place,”—which we are obliged to paraphrase into several, in order to give it its probable meaning. “Set yourselves in array,” or, in other words, invest the city. This absence of oral abuse or expressed anger, save as implied in the command to proceed to the instant punishment of the offender, is exceedingly fine. The celebrated instance—
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The order was obeyed; and it was at this juncture that a prophet stood forth to promise victory in the name of the Lord, against this great multitude, and to direct the course that should be taken. The king was all submission and acquiescence, for he saw no other help, and dreamed not of looking in this emergency to Baal. Thus instructed, two hundred and fifty young men, attendants on the princes of the provinces, or, as an old version (Rogers’s) has it, of the “shrifes (sheriffs) of the shires,” went boldly out to the enemy, while seven thousand more, probably volunteers, followed at some distance behind, or it is likely remained at the gate ready to march out to support the others.
The Syrian king was still at his cups, when the watchmen reported that men were coming out of the city; on which, with quiet indifference, which seems characteristic of his arrogant temper, or might be the effect of his wine, he simply directed that they should be taken alive, whether they came for peace or for war. He probably wished to learn from them the state of the city and the intentions of Ahab; but the direction, given without any questions as to their numbers, indicates the most sovereign, if not sottish, indifference to any force that Samaria could set forth. To take them alive was, however, much easier said than done. The young men had no mind to be taken. On the contrary, they smote right and left, and presently laid prostrate those who had stood against them. This, with the sight of the seven thousand behind coming out of the gates to take part in the fray, struck the Syrian host with a sudden panic, and they fled with all their might, the arrogant king himself being not the hindmost, for he hastened away on a fleet horse.
This was the Lord’s doing; but we do not hear of any thanksgiving or sacrifices offered to Him in gratitude for help to which they had such little claim.