One day, the king of Aram, Ben-Hadad, supported by a coalition of thirty-two rulers, marshalled his entire military force and laid siege to Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom. Ahab found himself in a position of relative powerlessness in the face of the formidable army assembled by the Aramean ruler. Ben-Hadad dispatched emissaries to Ahab, demanding that all of Ahab’s possessions, including his wealth, the best of his wives and his children, be surrendered and recognized as the rightful property of Ben-Hadad. Ahab was left with no recourse but to comply, and he communicated to the Aramean king accordingly.
…“Just as you say, my lord the king. I and all I have are yours.”
1 Kings 20:4 (NIV)
However, Ben-Hadad, upon realizing that he had gained the upper hand over the king of Israel, escalated the situation by modifying the terms of the truce. He now demanded to not only raid the king’s palace, but also the houses of all the officials, and seize anything valuable found within. Upon hearing this revised demand, Ahab was troubled and promptly summoned the elders of the land to seek their counsel. They advised him against yielding to the latest demands made by the king of Aram.
So he replied to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Your servant will do all you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.’” They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.
1 Kings 20:9 (NIV)
Ahab initially consented to the prior stipulation for the king of Aram to seize his wives, children, as well as his material wealth. However, he found the subsequent request excessive. It is conceivable that he surmised acquiescence to the latest demand would only embolden the king of Aram to make additional demands. Nevertheless, Ahab himself initiated communication with the king of Aram, declaring his intention to yield all his possessions to the invading army. Consequently, by now insisting on the surrender of everything, he was effectively retracting his former commitment.
Ahab may not have intended to imply that Ben-Hadad could take all of his possessions. This is why he was surprised when the Aramean king actually demanded all of his possessions. Similarly, we also make false proclamations during our worship that all we have belongs to God. We sing songs to that effect claiming to surrender all to Jesus but when God asks us to align his ways according to His plan, we renege on our earlier commitment.
The Battle in the Hills
Meanwhile a prophet came to Ahab king of Israel and announced, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this vast army? I will give it into your hand today, and then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
1 Kings 20:13-14 (NIV)
“But who will do this?” asked Ahab.
The prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘The junior officers under the provincial commanders will do it.’”
Just as Gideon’s modest army faced the Midianites, it was the junior officers of Ahab’s army who ultimately defeated the formidable coalition that Ben-Hadad had assembled against Israel. It appears that Ahab failed to internalize the lessons from the previous famine and the subsequent deliverance at Mount Carmel. Yet he was provided with another opportunity to abandon his idolatrous practices and return to the Lord.
God employed the two hundred and thirty-two officers to conquer the armies of the thirty-two kings, a remarkable turn of events that would have astonished both the kings of Israel and Aram. The king of Aram was bewildered by the heavy defeat inflicted on him by Ahab’s army. His advisors suggested that the next battle should be fought in the plains, rather than in the mountains. They assumed that the God of Israel was the God of the mountains, and thus the underdog army was able to defeat their mighty army. Meanwhile, the word of the Lord came through His prophet, who informed Ahab that the Aramean army was regrouping and would launch another attack in the spring.
The Battle in the Valley
The following spring, Ben-Hadad assembled the Aramean forces and advanced to Aphek to engage in battle against Israel. As the Israelites were also mobilized and supplied with provisions, they set out to confront the Arameans. The Israelite encampment faced their adversaries, resembling two small herds of goats, while the Arameans spread out across the countryside. The Israelites dealt a devastating blow to the Aramean foot soldiers, causing a hundred thousand casualties in a single day. The remaining forces sought refuge in the city of Aphek, only to suffer further losses as the city wall collapsed, claiming the lives of twenty-seven thousand.
Meanwhile, Ben-Hadad sought shelter in the city, taking refuge in an inner chamber. His advisors told him they had heard that the kings of Israel were kind, and suggested going to the king of Israel wearing sackcloth and ropes, hoping he would spare his life. They did as advised, and when they met the king of Israel, they pleaded for mercy on behalf of Ben-Hadad. The king, considering Ben-Hadad as a brother, agreed to spare his life. Ben-Hadad offered to return the cities his father took and to allow market areas in Damascus for the Israelites. Ahab agreed to a treaty and let Ben-Hadad go but God was not pleased with his decision.
Ahab’s Foolishness Condemned
The word of the LORD came to the prophet, who then stood by the road disguised as a wounded soldier, waiting for the king.
As the king passed by, the prophet called out to him, “Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, ‘Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.’ While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared.”
1 Kings 20:39-40 (NIV)
“That is your sentence,” the king of Israel said. “You have pronounced it yourself.”
Then the prophet revealed himself to the king and applied the same sentence on Ahab for setting free the king of Aram. The parable, narrated by the prophet, should have served as a personal example for Ahab, akin to the ewe lamb parable for David. It was intended to help him understand that the judgment was not unfair. However, both David and Ahab failed to relate to the parable in terms of their own shortcomings. Similarly, we too struggle to comprehend God’s methods of correction when we apply His words to the lives of others instead of our own.
Ahab’s condemnation by God stemmed from his decision to form a treaty with his enemies, despite being explicitly instructed otherwise. Instead of obeying God’s command and accepting the victory over the king of Aram as a divine intervention, Ahab chose to align himself with the pagan world around him. This act undermined the unfathomable deliverance God had granted to his people and detracted from the demonstration of His sovereignty. Our God is a God of both the mountains and the valleys, which the Aramean army found out that day. Despite Ahab’s fear, God orchestrated the defeat of the king of Aram twice by raising an army, highlighting His authority in the process.
Ahab’s intoxication with power led him to revel in his victory by parading his newfound friendship with the king of Aram. Similarly, Saul’s display of Agag, the king of the Amalekites, whom God had commanded him to execute, mirrored Ahab’s actions. Like them, we often seek to claim credit for God’s work in our lives. Despite knowing that we cannot achieve anything without God, we boast of our accomplishments as if they were solely the result of our own hard work, perseverance, and ingenuity. Let us learn from the mistakes of Ahab and give glory to God for both the significant and insignificant achievements in our lives.
It is notable that Elijah is not mentioned in this chapter, possibly still in self-imposed exile at the caves of Mount Horeb. However, the work of God continues through his other prophets. Elijah, in his plea to God to take his life, expressed that he was the last remaining prophet in Israel. Nevertheless, we witnessed God executing His judgement through another one of his prophets. A momentous victory was achieved by God, and his chosen vessel delivered the message. If we are unwilling to work for him, God will use someone else. He does not depend on us for his plan to progress. We have been given the opportunity to participate in his vineyard, and if we do not, God’s work will persist, as he will find other labourers for the vineyard.
Discussion Questions
- Why does Ahab renege on his earlier word to Ben-Hadad?
- Why were the Junior officers chosen by the LORD to defeat the vast armies?
- Ahab makes a treaty with his tormentor, isn’t that what Jesus wants all of us to do?
- Like Ahab, do we fail to follow God’s clear instructions?
The Jordan Valley 
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