the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33
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Bible Dictionaries
Ben-Hadad
American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
or 1. A king of Dama scene Syria, hired by Asa king of Judah to make war upon Baasha king of Israel, 1 Kings 15:18-22 . He ravaged a large part of Naphtali.
2. Son and successor of the preceding. In two successive years he raised large armies, and made war upon Ahab king of Israel. He was utterly routed by the aid of Jehovah, God of the hills and the plains also, 1 Kings 20:1-43 . Ahab spared him, contrary to the command of God and gave him conditions of peace. These do not seem to have been fulfilled, for three years after, Ahab renewed the war and was slain, 1 Kings 22:1-53 After about nine years, Ben-hadad again invaded Israel, and the prophet Elisha was instrumental in frustrating his plans, 2 Kings 6:8-23 . But once more renewing the war, he laid siege to Samaria, and reduced it to extremities by famine. God sent a sudden panic upon his army by night, and they fled precipitately, 2 Kings 6:17 7:6 Proverbs 28:1 . Shortly before his death, Ben-hadad, being sick, sent Hazael to ask the prophet Elisha, then at Damascus, what the issue would be. The prophet answered that the disease was not mortal, and yet he would surely die; a paradox which Hazael soon after solved by stifling his master in bed, 2 Kings 8:7-15
3. Son of the Hazael just named. His father had greatly afflicted and oppressed Israel; but he lost all that his father had gained, being thrice defeated by king Jehoash, 2 Kings 13:1-25 .
These files are public domain and are a derivative of the topics are from American Tract Society Bible Dictionary published in 1859.
Rand, W. W. Entry for 'Ben-Hadad'. American Tract Society Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ats/b/ben-hadad.html. 1859.
