Although Elijah has no part
in the events which now follow, the prophets of Israel continue to take an
active part and the struggle between the Covenant faith and Baalism goes on.
1 Kings 20
The different style of this
passage with no reference to Elijah indicates that the writer of the book of
Kings turned to a different source of information for what he presents; the
material may have come from the royal library . The chapter at first sight seems
to have no connection with what has been told before, about Elijah and Ahab,
but there is an important hidden connection. In Chapter 19 we saw how Elijah
had finally heard the quiet whisper of God's voice after the wind, earthquake
and fire, and had then been told to go back to Israel and work to influence
Israelite society so that it would be changed. From chapter 21 we see that
Elijah began his reforming work by challenging the king himself. In chapter 20,
which centres around Ahab, we see how the king was given an opportunity to hear
God'» word and to obey it; he began by obeying but ended by disobeying, and his
disobedience results in another prophecy of his death. Clapter 20 emphasizes
what we have recognized in the other stories about Ahab, that there can be no
future for such a king, and no future for Israel under such a king.
Verses 1-12 describe the
provocation and attack of the king of Syria, Ben-Hadad. In verse 13 a nabi of
the Lord appears and commands Ahab to attack his enemies. It is important to
notice that this war is 'a war of the LORD' and not a 'far entered into by the
king for his own interests; it is a war of survival for Israel. The victory
promised requires the carrying out of herem, the destruction of any Syrian
soldiers who are not killed in the battle. The Syrians are the enemies of the
people of the Lord. In the first battle with the Syrians, the Israelites are
victorious but the Syrian king and some of his army escape.
Verses 23-34 describe the
second battle, which the Israelites again win, but when Ben-Hadad and his
officials are cornered and ask to surrender, Ahab accepted the proposed
surrender terms, presumably at great profit to himself as ransom would have
been paid. Ahab did not consult any prophet as to whether this was the Lord's
will. Verse 28 indicates that the 'war of the LORD' is continuing; it was the
Syrians who again attacked Israel, speaking with contempt of Israel's God. 'The
gods of Israel are mountain gods and that is why the Israelites defeated us.
But we will certainly defeat them if we fight them in the plains' (verse 23).
In verse 28 victory through the power of the Lord is promised. 'A prophet went
to King Ahab and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because the Syrians
say that I am a god of the hills and not of the plains, I will give you victory
over their huge army, and you and your people will know that I am the Lord. '
“, This put Ahab under an absolute obligation to seek to know the will of the Lord
concerning his enemies, but he did not do this and instead had his own plans
for Ben-Hadad.
In verses 35-43 there is a
very interesting illustration of the prophetic attitude to obedience in a band
of prophets. There are references in other chapters to the Lord's prophets, in
considerable numbers, and presumably they lived in religious communities.
The prophecy of Ahab's
death, which ends the encounter between the prophet and the king, is taken
seriously by Ahab. He saw the prophecy of victory in battle come true; the
prophecy of his death, given as the word of the Lord, will also come true.