1 Kings 20:43

And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

1 Kings 20:43. The king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased — This distressing sentence turned all their joy, for their late victory, into mourning; Ahab being much troubled for what he had done, and for what, it seems, he now believed he must suffer.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:31-43 This encouragement sinners have to repent and humble themselves before God; Have we not heard, that the God of Israel is a merciful God? Have we not found him so? That is gospel repentance, which flows from an apprehension of the mercy of God, in Christ; there is forgiveness with him. What a change is here! The most haughty in prosperity often are most abject in adversity; an evil spirit will thus affect a man in both these conditions. There are those on whom, like Ahab, success is ill bestowed; they know not how to serve either God or their generation, or even their own true interests with their prosperity: Let favour be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness. The prophet designed to reprove Ahab by a parable. If a good prophet were punished for sparing his friend and God's when God said, Smite, of much sorer punishment should a wicked king be thought worthy, who spared his enemy and God's, when God said, Smite. Ahab went to his house, heavy and displeased, not truly penitent, or seeking to undo what he had done amiss; every way out of humour, notwithstanding his victory. Alas! many that hear the glad tidings of Christ, are busy and there till the day of salvation is gone.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Heavy and displeased - Rather, "sullen and angry" (and so marginal reference), not repentant, as after Elijah's warning 1 Kings 21:27 - not acknowledging the justice of his sentence - but full of sullenness and suppressed anger.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

39. a talent of silver—£342.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Heavy and displeased; not for his sin, but for the sad effects of it upon himself and people; which he might confidently expect, having had many experiences that God did not suffer the words of his prophets to fall to the ground.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased,.... With the prophet for what he had said, and with himself for what he had done in letting Benhadad go; the Targum is, he was

"troubled and grieved,''

not so much for the sin he had committed, as for the punishment of it on him and his people:

and came to Samaria; with a heavy heart, for the message of the prophet had spoiled the joy of his victory.

Geneva Study Bible

And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

43. heavy and displeased] Said again of Ahab in the next chapter (1 Kings 20:4) when he could not prevail upon Naboth to part with his vineyard. The first of these words is used in 1 Kings 21:5 to signify sadness of spirit, the second indicates anger arising from disappointment. It describes the sort of rage which Asa exhibited (2 Chronicles 16:10) when he put Hanani in prison for telling him that he had done wrong in relying on the help of the Syrians instead of trusting in the Lord.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 43. - And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased [Heb. sullen and angry; same words 1 Kings 21:4], and came to Samaria. [The order of verse suggests that the house was one in or near Aphek, in which the king was lodged after the battle - on which this interview, therefore, followed closely - and that shortly afterwards he left it for his capital.]



1 Kings 20:43

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The king therefore went home, and returned sullen (סר, from סרר) and morose to Samaria.