Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys, I will deliver all this great army into your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.'" Then the man of God approached the king of Israel and said,The "man of God" is a term often used in the Old Testament to refer to prophets or messengers sent by God. In this context, it emphasizes the divine authority behind the message. Prophets played a crucial role in guiding the kings of Israel, often delivering messages of warning, guidance, or assurance. The king of Israel at this time was Ahab, who reigned during a period of significant conflict with surrounding nations, including the Arameans. “This is what the LORD says:
This phrase is a common prophetic introduction, indicating that the message is not from the prophet himself but directly from God. It underscores the authority and reliability of the message. The use of "LORD" in all capitals signifies the covenant name of God, Yahweh, highlighting His personal relationship with Israel. ‘Because the Arameans have said that the LORD is a god of the hills and not of the valleys,
The Arameans' belief reflects a common ancient Near Eastern view that deities had limited territorial power. They assumed that Yahweh, the God of Israel, was only powerful in the hills where Israel had previously defeated them. This misunderstanding of God's omnipotence and sovereignty sets the stage for God to demonstrate His power over all creation, not confined to specific geographical locations. I will deliver all this great army into your hand.
God's promise to deliver the Aramean army into Israel's hand is a demonstration of His power and faithfulness. Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God chooses to act for His name's sake. This deliverance is reminiscent of other biblical instances where God intervenes on behalf of His people, such as the victories of Gideon and David. It also foreshadows the ultimate victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
The purpose of God's intervention is to reveal His identity and power to both Israel and the Arameans. This phrase echoes the recurring biblical theme of God making Himself known through His mighty acts. It is a call to recognize and acknowledge Yahweh as the one true God. This revelation is not only for the immediate audience but also points to the ultimate revelation of God through Jesus Christ, who fully reveals the nature and character of God. Persons / Places / Events 1. The Man of GodA prophet sent by God to deliver His message to the king of Israel. Prophets were often used by God to communicate His will and guidance to the people and their leaders. 2. The King of IsraelAt this time, Ahab was the king of Israel. He was known for his idolatry and disobedience to God, yet God still chose to deliver a message to him through the prophet. 3. The ArameansA group of people who were enemies of Israel. They believed that the God of Israel was limited to certain geographical areas, specifically the hills. 4. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal presence and faithfulness. He is portrayed as sovereign over all creation, not limited by geography. 5. The BattleThe context involves a military confrontation between Israel and the Arameans, where God promises victory to demonstrate His power and sovereignty. Teaching Points God's SovereigntyGod is not limited by human perceptions or geographical boundaries. He is the God of both the hills and the valleys, demonstrating His omnipresence and omnipotence. Misconceptions about GodThe Arameans' belief that God was only a "god of the hills" reflects a common human tendency to limit God based on our understanding. We must recognize and trust in God's unlimited power and presence in all areas of our lives. God's Purpose in DeliveranceGod's deliverance of Israel was not just for their benefit but to reveal His identity and power to both Israel and their enemies. Our victories and blessings should point others to God. Faith in God's PromisesDespite Ahab's unfaithfulness, God still chose to deliver Israel to demonstrate His faithfulness. We can trust in God's promises even when we feel unworthy. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the belief of the Arameans about God being a "god of the hills" reflect common misconceptions people have about God today? 2. In what ways can we see God's sovereignty in our own lives, especially in situations where we feel limited or constrained? 3. How can we ensure that our victories and blessings point others to the power and identity of God? 4. What are some areas in your life where you might be limiting God's power or presence? How can you change this perspective? 5. How does the account of God's deliverance in 1 Kings 20:28 encourage you to trust in His promises, even when you feel unworthy or unfaithful? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 14:4This verse highlights God's intention to demonstrate His power and glory through the deliverance of Israel, similar to how He intends to show His sovereignty over the Arameans. Psalm 24:1This psalm declares that the earth and everything in it belong to the LORD, reinforcing the idea that God is not limited by geography. Isaiah 45:5-6These verses emphasize that there is no other God besides Yahweh, who is sovereign over all nations and places. People Ahab, Aram, Ben, Benhadad, Ben-hadad, Hadad, Israelites, SyriansPlaces Aphek, Damascus, Samaria, SyriaTopics Aramaeans, Arameans, Army, Deliver, Drew, Hands, Hills, Mountains, Multitude, Nigh, Says, Spake, Speaketh, Spoke, Syrians, Thus, Valleys, VastDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 20:28 5029 knowledge, of God
8829 superstition Library The Lost Opportunity
TEXT: "And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it."--1 Kings 20:40. There is a very striking incident connected with this text. The great battle is raging, a certain important prisoner has been taken, and if you read between the lines you seem to know that upon him depend many of the issues of war. His skill in leading the enemy had been marvelous, his courage in the thick of the fight striking; …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas IscariotPutting on the Armour
And the king of Israel answered and said. Tell him. Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.'--1 KINGS xx. 11. For the Young. Ahab, King of Israel, was but a poor creature, and, like most weak characters, he turned out a wicked one, because he found that there were more temptations to do wrong than inducements to do right. Like other weak people, too, he was torn asunder by the influence of stronger wills. On the one side he had a termagant of a wife, stirring …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Section Chap. I. -iii.
The question which here above all engages our attention, and requires to be answered, is this: Whether that which is reported in these chapters did, or did not, actually and outwardly take place. The history of the inquiries connected with this question is found most fully in Marckius's "Diatribe de uxore fornicationum," Leyden, 1696, reprinted in the Commentary on the Minor Prophets by the same author. The various views may be divided into three classes. 1. It is maintained by very many interpreters, …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament The Letter of the Synod to the Emperor and Empress.
(Labbe and Cossart, Concilia, Tom. VII., col. 577.) To our most religious and most serene princes, Constantine and Irene his mother. Tarasius, the unworthy bishop of your God-protected royal city, new Rome, and all the holy Council which met at the good pleasure of God and upon the command of your Christ-loving majesty in the renowned metropolis of Nice, the second council to assemble in this city. Christ our God (who is the head of the Church) was glorified, most noble princes, when your heart, …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils Nature of the Renderings
From the text we now turn to the renderings, and to the general principles that were followed, both in the Old and in the New Testament. The revision of the English text was in each case subject to the same general rule, viz. "To introduce as few alterations as possible into the Text of the Authorised Version consistently with faithfulness"; but, owing to the great difference between the two languages, the Hebrew and the Greek, the application of the rule was necessarily different, and the results …
C. J. Ellicott—Addresses on the Revised Version of Holy Scripture The Practice of Piety in Glorifying God in the Time of Sickness, and when Thou Art Called to Die in the Lord.
As soon as thou perceivest thyself to be visited with any sickness, meditate with thyself: 1. That "misery cometh not forth of the dust; neither doth affliction spring out of the earth." Sickness comes not by hap or chance (as the Philistines supposed that their mice and emrods came, 1 Sam. vi. 9), but from man's wickedness, which, as sparkles, breaketh out. "Man suffereth," saith Jeremiah, "for his sins." "Fools," saith David, "by reason of their transgressions, and because of their iniquities, …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire from 745 to 722 B. C.
TIGLATH-PILESER III. AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE FROM 745 to 722 B.C. FAILURE OF URARTU AND RE-CONQUEST Of SYRIA--EGYPT AGAIN UNITED UNDER ETHIOPIAN AUSPICES--PIONKHI--THE DOWNFALL OF DAMASCUS, OF BABYLON, AND OF ISRAEL. Assyria and its neighbours at the accession of Tiglath-pileser III.: progress of the Aramaeans in the basin of the Middle Tigris--Urartu and its expansion into the north of Syria--Damascus and Israel--Vengeance of Israel on Damascus--Jeroboam II.--Civilisation …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Kings 20:28 NIV1 Kings 20:28 NLT1 Kings 20:28 ESV1 Kings 20:28 NASB1 Kings 20:28 KJV
1 Kings 20:28 Commentaries
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