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Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered. Thou.*

Ahab having, in this instance, followed the commands of God, issued from the city with two hundred and thirty-two young men of the princes of the provinces, and a body of seven thousand men to support them. When Benhadad was apprised of this sally, he ordered them to be taken alive. whether they came peaceably or hostilely; but each of the young men having seized upon and slain one of the enemy, the Syrian host took to flight, and the army of 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.†

upon

this

The key stone of idolatry and false religion, in all ages, has been the idea of partially presiding deities; and occasion the courtiers of Benhadad having persuaded him that the Israelitish army had been preserved by some tutelar gods, whose influence was confined to the hills, but who had no power in the plains, induced him to prepare another army of equal magnitude, and place it under more experience commanders.+

God, however, had by a prophet warned Ahab that the Syrian would resume the attack;§ and, therefore, whet Benhadad at the return of the year assembled at Aphek, b found the army of Israel prepared to receive him, although, a compared with the hosts of Syria, they were but like two little flocks of kids.||

God, however, was with them, and intended to magnify his sovereignty, as well as to punish the presumption and

* 1 Kings, xx. 3-14.

1 Kings, xx. 23-25.

+1 Kings, xx. 15–21.
§ 1 Kings, xx. 22.

|| 1 Kings, xx. 26, 27.

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defiance of Benhadad; for there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah 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 Jehovah. 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. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.*

Alarmed at their situation, and probably with their retreat to Syria cut off, the servants of Benhadad said, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings; and, therefore, with sackcloth girded on their loins, and ropes on their heads, they went to Ahab and said,

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Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live."+

Without ascribing his late victories to the miraculous interference of Jehovah, or making any attempt to glorify him to these idolatrous heathens, or inquiring of God what was his will respecting Benhadad, he readily received their embassy; and asking if he was yet alive, declared him to be his brother.+

The ambassadors were glad enough to re-echo the expression, and repeat, Thy brother, Benhadad! upon which Ahab desired them to fetch him; and, upon his arrival, received

1 Kings, xx. 28–30.

In the same manner did Eustace de St. Pierre and his five brave companions present themselves before Edward III. at the siege of Calais, in the year 1346-FROIssart. And see similar occurrences

in the East, collected by Burder, O. C. 400.

1 Kings, xx. 31, 32.

Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered Thou.*

Ahab having, in this instance, followed the commands God, issued from the city with two hundred and thirtyyoung men of the princes of the provinces, and a body seven thousand men to support them. When Benhadad apprised of this sally, he ordered them to be taken alive whether they came peaceably or hostilely; but each of the young men having seized upon and slain one of the enem the Syrian host took to flight, and the army of Israel purse them and Benhadad, the king of Syria, escaped on an b with the horsemen. And the king of Israel went out, 25smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with great slaughter.t

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The key stone of idolatry and false religion, in all has been the idea of partially presiding deities; and upon occasion the courtiers of Benhadad having persuaded biz that the Israelitish army had been preserved by some tule.? gods, whose influence was confined to the hills, but who b no power in the plains, induced him to prepare another an of equal magnitude, and place it under more experienc commanders.+

God, however, had by a prophet warned Ahab that Syrian would resume the attack;§ and, therefore, wh Benhadad at the return of the year assembled at Aphek, found the army of Israel prepared to receive him, although, compared with the hosts of Syria, they were but like two lit flocks of kids.

God, however, was with them, and intended to magni his sovereignty, as well as to punish the presumption a

* 1 Kings, xx. 3—14.

1 Kings, xx. 23-25.

+1 Kings, xx. 15-21.
§ 1 Kings, xx. 22.

|| 1 Kings, xx. 26, 27.

defiance of Benhadad; for there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith Jehovah, Because the Syrians have said, Jehovah 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 Jehovah. 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. Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.*

And

Alarmed at their situation, and probably with their retreat to Syria cut off, the servants of Benhadad said, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings; and, therefore, with sackcloth girded on their loins, and ropes on their heads, they went to Ahab and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I pray thee, let me live.Ӡ

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Without ascribing his late victories to the miraculous interference of Jehovah, or making any attempt to glorify him to these idolatrous heathens, or inquiring of God what was his will respecting Benhadad, he readily received their embassy; and asking if he was yet alive, declared him to be his brother.+

The ambassadors were glad enough to re-echo the expression, and repeat, Thy brother, Benhadad! upon which Ahab desired them to fetch him; and, upon his arrival, received

1 Kings, xx. 28-30.

In the same manner did Eustace de St. Pierre and his five brave companions present themselves before Edward III. at the siege of Calais, in the year 1346-FROISSART. And see similar occurrences

in the East, collected by Burder, O. C. 400.

1 Kings, xx. 31, 32.

him into his chariot; and they made a covenant together that Benhadad should restore all the cities which his father had taken from the father of A hab; and that Ahab should at liberty to make streets in Damascus, the same as Benhadad's father had made in Samaria; and having made this covenant, Ahab sent him away.*

To shew Ahab his sins, and to express the divine disple sure, another prophet was sent to Ahab, who, having disguise himself, said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold a man turned aside, and brought a m unto me, and said, Keep this man; if by any means he b missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou sha pay a talent of silver. And as thy servant was busy be and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said un him, so shall thy judgment be, thyself hast decided it. A he hasted, and took the ashes from his face; and the king Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets. And said unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Because thou hast let out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destructio therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for people. And the king of Israel went to his house heavy displeased, and came to Samaria,† not exhibiting the k symptom of contrition.

It is, however, to be observed, that to much of his wicke ness Ahab was stimulated by his idolatrous queen, whe heart seems to have been thoroughly vicious; and thus asthe fraud, perjury, and murder, which was perpetrated pecting Naboth's vineyard, the next transaction recorded: this reign, Jezebel was the active and instrumental, althou Ahab was the passive agent.

Naboth, the Jezreelite, possessed a vineyard near to palace of Ahab, which the monarch was desirous of havi

* 1 Kings, xx. 34.

+ Kings, xx. 35—13.

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