1 Kings - Chapter 20

The Amazing Bible. Book Club

In this chapter, king Ben-Hadad of Aram, the country north and east of Israel, planned on attacking Samaria, the capital of Israel. He first sent word that if King Ahab would give him their silver and gold and the best of their wives and children, then they would not attack. At first the king of Israel agreed, but then Ben-Hadad added wanted his men to search the palace and the official's houses for anything of value. Ahab met with his officials, and they said, "No! We will fight!" With that word, Ben-Hadad got his men ready for battle. An unnamed prophet of the Lord told Ahab, king of Israel, that He would give that vast army into the king's hand, so that he will KNOW that the Lord is God. The Israelites won, and Ben-Hadad escaped but they suffered heavy losses. His men told them the reason they lost was because the Israel's god was a god of the hills, so next time we fight we need to do it in the valley. When Spring came, they did, but the Lord again fought for Israel, and they won. Ben-Hadad again retreated. His men thought that maybe Ahab would make a pact with them, so they did. Ben-Hadad promised to give back all the cities that first belonged to Israel, and allowed Ahab to set up areas of commerce in Damascus. The end of the chapter, one of the Lord's prophets told Ahab that because he did not kill Ben-Hadad, it would be Ahab's life and Ahab's people who would die. The king of Israel went to his palace, "sullen and angry!"