◄ 1 Kings 20:4 ►
And the king of Israel replied, "Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have."
Study Bible
And the king of Israel replied
This phrase introduces King Ahab, the ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel during the divided monarchy period. Ahab's reign is marked by idolatry and conflict, particularly with the prophet Elijah. His response here is part of a larger narrative involving a confrontation with Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram. Ahab's character is often seen as weak and compromising, especially in spiritual matters, which is evident in his interactions with foreign powers and his marriage to Jezebel, a Phoenician princess who promoted Baal worship in Israel.

“Just as you say, my lord the king:
Ahab's use of "my lord the king" indicates a position of submission and acknowledgment of Ben-Hadad's authority. This reflects the political reality of the time, where smaller kingdoms like Israel often had to navigate relationships with more powerful neighbors. The phrase suggests a lack of resistance and a willingness to comply with demands, which can be seen as a failure to trust in the Lord's protection and provision. This attitude contrasts with the biblical ideal of kingship, where the king should lead the nation in faithfulness to God.

I am yours,
This declaration of submission highlights Ahab's willingness to place himself under the authority of a foreign king. In the broader biblical narrative, Israel's kings were expected to lead the nation in covenant faithfulness to God, not to submit to pagan rulers. This phrase can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual compromise, where allegiance to God is replaced by allegiance to worldly powers. It serves as a cautionary example of the dangers of forsaking divine authority for human alliances.

along with all that I have.”
Ahab's statement extends his submission to include all his possessions, indicating a total surrender. This reflects the ancient Near Eastern practice of vassal treaties, where a lesser king would pledge loyalty and tribute to a superior king. Biblically, this can be contrasted with the call for Israel to be a distinct and holy nation, set apart for God's purposes. Theologically, it underscores the theme of misplaced trust and the consequences of relying on human strength rather than divine support. This phrase also foreshadows the eventual downfall of Ahab's dynasty, as his compromises lead to judgment and destruction.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ben-Hadad
The king of Aram (Syria) who besieged Samaria and demanded tribute from Ahab, the king of Israel.

2. Ahab
The king of Israel, known for his weak leadership and idolatry, who submitted to Ben-Hadad's demands.

3. Samaria
The capital city of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, under siege by Ben-Hadad's forces.

4. Aram (Syria)
A neighboring kingdom to Israel, often in conflict with Israel during this period.

5. Siege of Samaria
The event where Ben-Hadad surrounded Samaria, leading to Ahab's submission.
Teaching Points
Submission to Authority
Ahab's response to Ben-Hadad's demands shows a lack of discernment in submission. Believers are called to submit to authority, but with wisdom and discernment, ensuring it aligns with God's will.

Fear vs. Faith
Ahab's fear led him to submit to Ben-Hadad without seeking God's guidance. Christians are encouraged to replace fear with faith, trusting in God's sovereignty and seeking His counsel in difficult situations.

Leadership and Responsibility
Ahab's leadership was marked by passivity and compromise. Godly leadership requires courage, integrity, and reliance on God's strength rather than human alliances.

Material Possessions and Identity
Ahab's willingness to give up his possessions and people reflects a misplaced identity. Believers should find their identity in Christ, not in material wealth or human approval.

God's Sovereignty
Despite Ahab's failures, God's sovereignty is evident throughout the account. Trusting in God's ultimate control can bring peace and direction in times of crisis.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Ahab's response to Ben-Hadad's demands reflect his character and leadership style? What can we learn from this about godly leadership?

2. In what ways do we sometimes submit to "foreign kings" in our lives, and how can we ensure our submission aligns with God's will?

3. How does the fear of man manifest in our lives today, and what steps can we take to replace fear with faith?

4. Reflect on a time when you faced a difficult decision. How did you seek God's guidance, and what was the outcome?

5. How can we find our identity in Christ rather than in material possessions or human approval, and what practical steps can we take to reinforce this identity daily?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 21
Ahab's character is further revealed in his dealings with Naboth, showing his tendency to submit to stronger personalities, such as Jezebel.

2 Kings 6-7
Another siege of Samaria, highlighting God's deliverance and contrasting Ahab's lack of faith.

Proverbs 29:25
Discusses the fear of man as a snare, which can be related to Ahab's fear-driven submission to Ben-Hadad.

Romans 12:1
Encourages believers to offer themselves as living sacrifices to God, contrasting Ahab's submission to a foreign king.
Sermons
The Spirit of WarJ.A. Macdonald 1 Kings 20:1-11
Veiled MerciesJ. Urquhart 1 Kings 20:1-21
People
Ahab, Aram, Ben, Benhadad, Ben-hadad, Hadad, Israelites, Syrians
Places
Aphek, Damascus, Samaria, Syria
Topics
Answereth, O, Replied, Saying, Yours
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Kings 20:1-6

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1 Kings 20:2-9

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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 Iscariot

Putting 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

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