God helps Ahab’s Army against Ben-hadad

Ben-hadad, King of Aram, assembled his entire army and joined with 32 other kings to conquer Samaria (Israel). He sent messengers into the city to tell King Ahab that he was taking all his silver, god, wives, and children.

Ahab conceded easily. (Was this a sign of weakness or humility/turning the other cheek?)

But then the messengers came back and added that the following day, Ben-hadad’s servants would be searching Ahab’s house AND his servants’ homes. Literally everything would be taken.

With that, Ahab conferred with the elders and they were NOT down with that. They advised him to deny those terms. (Because now their stuff was at risk too?)

So Ahab told Ben-hadad’s messengers that he’d agreed to the first terms, but now he had to put his foot down. And the messengers went back to Ben-hadad.

Ben-hadad sent a third message, (damning himself as Jezebel had) saying “may the Gods deal with me severely if there’s even dust left of Samaria.” (Why was Ben-hadad so bent on overtaking Israel?)

Ahab retorted, chastising him for talking like the battle was already won.

Ben-hadad and his other king friends were drinking in tents when they received that message and got fired up and ready to fight.

A prophet approached Ahab and told him that he would win the battle, and with that he would know that the Lord was real. (did this take place before the drought and prophet man-hunt? Was this a prophet Obadiah saved? Did new prophets rise up after the competition on Mt Carmel?)

Ahab asked for details. Like how the battle would be won. The prophet said, ‘The junior officers under the provincial commanders will do it.’ And who would start the battle? Ahab himself.

So Ahab assembled his army. (Coincidentally, the Israelite troops numbered 7,000. Were these the same 7,000 as the Lord had told Elijah were still loyal to Him?)

While Ben-Hadad and the other kings were still getting drunk at noon, Ahab’s army marched out with those young junior officers going first. Ben-hadad had scouts who alerted him that men were marching out of Samaria.

Ben-hadad’s orders were to take the men alive–whether they had marched out peacefully or to fight. (Why wouldn’t he want to kill them if he was just after all the goods of Israel?–especially since he was drunk.)

Ahab’s young officers with the army behind them took out their opponents, Ben-hadad and his army fled.

Then Ahab himself marched out and finished up, attacking the enemies’ horses and chariots. Success!

Meanwhile Ben-hadad’s servants theorized and advised Ben. Saying Israel had won only because the hilly terrain gave their gods an advantage. They told Ben-hadad to get rid of his king friends and replace them with other officers; replace all the horses and chariots they’d lost, and next time take the battle to the plains. Ben-hadad approved the plan.

In the spring, Ben-hadad regrouped his army to fight against Israel–his large army covered the countryside. Ahab’s army also got ready to fight and marched out to meet them again–though their army was much smaller.

The man of god approached Ahab and told him that the Lord would allow him to win this battle too because Ben-hadad thought His power was limited to the mountains.(the same prophet as before? Does this battle take place before the drought–is this prophet/man of God Elijah???)

For 7 days, the armies just camped opposite each other, then on the 7th day, the battle begun and the Israelites took down a hundred thousand foot soldiers in one day. (why were they just looking at each other for a week?)

The rest of Ben-hadad’s army fled into the city where a wall fell and killed 27,000 of them. Ben-hadad also fled and hid, but survived.

The remaining servants of Ben-hadad theorized and advised that they should surrender. They thought it would work because the Israelites were known to be merciful and fair.

So the servants went to Ahab with humility and begged on behalf of Ben-Hadad to spare his life. Ahab was surprised he was still alive and called him his brother. (why would he be happy and impressed by his enemy being alive? He seemed surprisingly merciful/lenient towards Elijah too.)

The servants of Ben-hadad were relieved by this and leaned into it. Ahab told them to go get him. So Ben-hadad came out and Ahab brought him up into his chariot to talk.

Ben-hadad proposed that he would restore the cities his father took from Ahab’s father, and Ahab could set up marketplaces in Damascus, like his father had done in Samaria. Ahab agreed, they made a treaty, and Ben-hadad got to leave. (why is that not a happy ending?)

Meanwhile, the word of the Lord (Jesus!) instructed a son of the prophets to tell his companion to strike him. But the man refused.

So as a response, the prophet said the disobedience would be punished by a deadly attack from a lion. And it did happen.

The prophet found another man and asked again. This one did it.

So the prophet disguised himself and waited on the road for King Ahab.

When Ahab passed by, he said that he’d been put in charge of a captive and told that if the captive got away then either he would die or owe a talent of silver. And the captive DID get away! Ahab thought the man was just telling on himself and said, “so it will be.”

But then the prophet removed his disguise and Ahab recognized him as one of the prophets. (WHEN DOES THIS STORY TAKE PLACE? Where are all these prophets coming from?)

And the prophet revealed that because Ahab had let Ben-hadad go, now his own life and people would be exchanged for Ben’s.

Angrily, King Ahab returned to Samaria. (is this story the reason why Jezebel started hunting down prophets? I would think this MUST be a prequel to the drought but the story begins in some translations as “now” or “about this time.” That implies that more prophets did raise up after Elijah’s success at Mt Carmel.)