1 Kings 20
At the last post God told Elijah to go and annoint Hazael as king of Aram - perhaps this is good as the current king, Ben Haldad attacked the capital of Israel - Samaria.
It would appear that Israel was under the protection of other, more powerful surrounding kings at this stage, and somehow Ahab managed to get on the wrong side of Ben Hadad.
Ben Hadad demanded the gold and silver in Ahab's city as well as the pick of his wives and daughters.
The king of Israel accepted these terms, so Ben Hadad upped the demand to everything that Ahab valued.
Ahab summoned the leaders of Israel to discuss the new terms and they advise to reject everything as he has gone too far - they were prepared to pay off Aram, but not at any cost it seems.
Ahab's messengers told Ben Hadad, that they would accept his first demand but not his second.
Ben-Hadad promised to reduce Samaria to a pile of rubble and give all his soldiers a handful as a souvenir.
Ahab responds by saying that boasts are far more appropriate after the battle than before.
Ahab actually wins the battle, and with the help of God's advice - at noon the junior officers attacked Ben Hadad, who was in his tent getting drunk with his mates.
Ahab was advised by improve his defences as Ben Hadad escaped and would come back and attack again next year.
The following year, Ben Hadad reasoned that they lost last time because the god of Israel was a hill and mountain god, and fighting them on the plains, they will win.
God told Israel that for this reason only, Israel will win because Ben-Hadad thinks that God is no use on the flat. For 6 days the two armies look at each other and on the 7th day Israel routed Aram.
Ben-Hadad flees the battle and eventually is persuaded to surrender and throw himself on the mercy of Ahab who made a peace treaty in return for the right to hold a market in Damascus and the return of all Israelite towns captured in the time of Ben-Hadad's father.
A messenger of God heard this deal and demanded of the closest soldier to hit him. The soldier refused and got attacked by a lion!
The next guy did hit him and the prophet then was able to give Ahab a message in the form of a parable.
The story goes that he was charged to guard a prisoner, if he escaped it would be his life for the life of the prisoner or a talent of silver (about 34 kg), but the prisoner escaped.
The king refused to have any sympathy.
The Prophet then removed the bandage from his face and the king recognised him, "Since you did not spare one who God has declared should die it is your life for his, and your people for his people"
This rather upset Ahab and he returned to Samaria in a huff!
At the last post God told Elijah to go and annoint Hazael as king of Aram - perhaps this is good as the current king, Ben Haldad attacked the capital of Israel - Samaria.
It would appear that Israel was under the protection of other, more powerful surrounding kings at this stage, and somehow Ahab managed to get on the wrong side of Ben Hadad.
Ben Hadad demanded the gold and silver in Ahab's city as well as the pick of his wives and daughters.
The king of Israel accepted these terms, so Ben Hadad upped the demand to everything that Ahab valued.
Ahab summoned the leaders of Israel to discuss the new terms and they advise to reject everything as he has gone too far - they were prepared to pay off Aram, but not at any cost it seems.
Ahab's messengers told Ben Hadad, that they would accept his first demand but not his second.
Ben-Hadad promised to reduce Samaria to a pile of rubble and give all his soldiers a handful as a souvenir.
Ahab responds by saying that boasts are far more appropriate after the battle than before.
Ahab actually wins the battle, and with the help of God's advice - at noon the junior officers attacked Ben Hadad, who was in his tent getting drunk with his mates.
Ahab was advised by improve his defences as Ben Hadad escaped and would come back and attack again next year.
The following year, Ben Hadad reasoned that they lost last time because the god of Israel was a hill and mountain god, and fighting them on the plains, they will win.
God told Israel that for this reason only, Israel will win because Ben-Hadad thinks that God is no use on the flat. For 6 days the two armies look at each other and on the 7th day Israel routed Aram.
Ben-Hadad flees the battle and eventually is persuaded to surrender and throw himself on the mercy of Ahab who made a peace treaty in return for the right to hold a market in Damascus and the return of all Israelite towns captured in the time of Ben-Hadad's father.
A messenger of God heard this deal and demanded of the closest soldier to hit him. The soldier refused and got attacked by a lion!
The next guy did hit him and the prophet then was able to give Ahab a message in the form of a parable.
The story goes that he was charged to guard a prisoner, if he escaped it would be his life for the life of the prisoner or a talent of silver (about 34 kg), but the prisoner escaped.
The king refused to have any sympathy.
The Prophet then removed the bandage from his face and the king recognised him, "Since you did not spare one who God has declared should die it is your life for his, and your people for his people"
This rather upset Ahab and he returned to Samaria in a huff!
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