1 Kings 20:30

Contextual Overview

²²The prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, “Go and strengthen yourself, then consider carefully what you should do, for in the spring the king of Aram will attack you.” ²² The prophet came near to the king of Yisra'el, and said to him, Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do; for at the return of the year the king of Aram will come up against you. ²² And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee. ²² Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, "Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you." ²² Then the prophet went to Ahab king of Israel and said, "The king of Aram will attack you again next spring. So go home now and strengthen your army and see what you need to do." ²² The prophet visited the king of Israel and instructed him, "Go, fortify your defenses. Determine what you must do, for in the spring the king of Syria will attack you." ²²Then the prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, "Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for at the first of next year the king of Aram (Syria) will come up against you." ²² Then the prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, "Go, show yourself courageous and be aware and see what you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will march against you." ²² (For there had come a Prophet to the King of Israel, and had sayd vnto him, Goe, be of good courage, and consider, and take heede what thou doest: for when the yeere is gone about, the King of Aram wil come vp against thee) ²²Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, "Go, strengthen yourself and know and see what you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the rest: Psalms 18:25

a wall: Isaiah 24:18, Jeremiah 48:44, Amos 2:14, Amos 2:15, Amos 5:19, Amos 9:3, Luke 13:4

fled: 1 Kings 20:10, 1 Kings 20:20, Daniel 4:37

into an inner chamber: or, from chamber to chamber, Heb. into a chamber within a chamber. 1 Kings 22:25, 2 Chronicles 18:24

Reciprocal: Joshua 19:30 - Aphek Judges 9:40 - he fled before 1 Samuel 4:1 - Aphek 1 Samuel 15:8 - Agag 1 Samuel 29:1 - Aphek 1 Samuel 30:17 - and there 2 Samuel 18:8 - General 1 Kings 20:26 - Aphek 2 Kings 9:2 - inner chamber 2 Kings 10:24 - If any of the men Job 1:19 - it fell Job 20:24 - flee from Isaiah 30:13 - as a breach Ezekiel 21:14 - entereth Amos 3:12 - so shall Luke 15:18 - will arise

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city,.... Which perhaps was in the hands of the Syrians, and was designed for a retreat for them, should they be beaten:

and there a wall fell upon twenty seven thousand of the men that were left; not slain in the battle; here again the Lord might be seen, who, as Abarbinel observes, fought from heaven, and either by a violent wind, or an earthquake, threw down the wall upon them just as they had got under it for shelter:

and Benhadad fled, and came into the city into an inner chamber; or, "into a chamber within a chamber" q, for greater secrecy.

q חדר בחדר "cubiculo in cubiculum", Pagninus, Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A wall - “The wall,” i. e., the wall of the town. We may suppose a terrific earthquake during the siege of the place, while the Syrians were manning the defenses in full force, which threw down the wall where they were most thickly crowded upon it, and buried them in its ruins. Ben-hadad fled from the wall, where he had been at the time of the disaster, into the inner parts of the city - probably to some massive stronghold - and there concealed himself.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 30. A wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand — From the first view of this text it would appear that when the Syrians fled to Aphek, and shut themselves within the walls, the Israelites immediately brought all hands, and sapped the walls, in consequence of which a large portion fell, and buried twenty-seven thousand men. But perhaps the hand of God was more immediately in this disaster; probably a burning wind is meant. See at the end of the chapter. 1 Kings 20:43.

Came into the city, into an inner chamber. — However the passage above may be understood, the city was now, in effect, taken; and Ben-hadad either betook himself with his few followers to the citadel or to some secret hiding-place, where he held the council with his servants immediately mentioned.