k1ng of Syria escaped on an horse [Thenius tho.t in the plain the Syrio.ns would be o.ble suggests tha.t this wo.s e. cha.riot horse, the to deploy their chariots-a. most important first tho.t presented] with the horsemen. arm of their service-in e. wo.y which they [Heb. and horsemen; sc., es~e.ped with hi1:1 could not do in the vo.lleys round Bo.mo.rio.. (Keil). IIe ho.d e.n escort m some of hie Bee eh. xvi. 24, note. Moreover, the fugitive cavo.lry.] !ere.elites would lose the o.dvanto.ge of a Ver. 21.-A.nd the king of Israel went out strong position o.nd the cover of their forti- [It looks as if Ahab ho.d remo.ined within fications if they could be induced to meet the city until the defeat of the Syrio.ns we.a them in the "greo.t pie.in," or on any assured], and emote [LXX. rai i"-af3E, and similo.r bo.ttle-field.J captured] the horses and chariots [i.e., the Ver. 24.-And do this thing. Take the cavalry and cbariotry; cf. ver. 1), and slew kings away, every man out of his place, the Syrla.ns with a. grea.t sla.ughter. [Heb. and put captains [So.me word as in eh. x. in Syiia a great, &c.] 15, where see note)in their rooms. [Not so Ver. 22.-A.nd the prophet [obviously the much because {Biihr) the kings only fought same prophet) ea.me to the king of Israel, through compulsion, for they nppea.r to and said unto him, Go, strengthen thyself ho.ve been in complete o.ccord with Ben- [both as to army and to city], and mark, hada.d (vers. 1, 12, Hi), as because of their and see what thou doest L" Te.ke every incapo.city and divided interests o.nd plans. precaution. Don't think tho.t the dang~.r The capto.ins would presumably be selected is past"] : for at the return of the yea.r [m beco.use of their valour, milito.ry skill, &c. ; the following spring. There was e. fo.vourite the kings would owe their co=and to the time for campaigns (2 So.m. :xi. 1), viz., accident of birth, &c. Moreover, an o.rmy when the rainy season was pa.st. Several with thirty-three leo.ders conld not have la.te wars, notably those of our own o.rmies the necesso.ry solido.rity. Bii.hr assumes in Africa and Afghanistan, ho.ve been con- tho.t the removal of the kings would in..-olve eidera.bly influenced by the seasons. And the withdrawo.l of the auxilio.ries which they the wars of ancient times were almost contributed. But this does not nppea.r to universally summer raids. " Susto.ined in- ho.ve occurred to Een-hada.d's a.dvisers when vasions, Jo.sting over the winter, are not they so.id, "put co.ptains in tluir rooms." found until the time of Sbo.lmo.neser" If the ouxilio.ries were withdrawn, wha.t were (2 Kings xvii. 6; xviii. 9. 10, Rawlinson)] the thirty-two oo.pte.ins to command?] the king of Syria. will come [Heh. cometh] Ver. 25.-A.nd number thee an army, like up against thee. the army that thou hast lost [Heh. that is Ver. 23.-A.nd the servants of the king fallen from thee, not o.s mnrg., that was fallen. of Syria said unto him [naturally o.nxious For the form 7JJ;'l\l:(P. seeEwold, 264 b)J, horse to retrieve their character and oblitero.te for [Heb. as] horse, and charlot for chariot : their disgrace), Their gods a.re gods of the and we will fight aga.lnst them 1n the plain, h1lls [All pago.n nations ho.ve believed in and surely we shall be stronger than they. local deities, JJii 1Mntium, dii nemonim, &o. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did (see 2 Kings xviii. 33-85; xix. 12, 13). so. Keil o.ccounts for this belief-tho.t the gods Ver. 26.-A.nd it came to pass at the of Isrnel were mountain divinities, by the return of the year, that Ben-he.dad num- considcrn.tion tho.t the templo was built on bered the Syrians [Heb. Sy1·i"], !!.Ild went 11Io1111t Moria.11, a.nd thn.t worship wo.s always up to Aphek [As the word signifies "for- o!Jercd on" high plnces." KiLto reminds us tress," it is only no.turn! thn.t several tha.t the la.w wns given from Mount Sino.i, different pla.ccs should bea.r this name, nnd o.nd tha.t fire ha.d recently descended on the comm en ta.tore o.re not agreed ns to Mount Carmel. "In Syrophoenicia., even which of them is hero intended. Keil and mounto.ins themselves hnd Divine honours Biihr identify it wiLh the Aphok ha.rd by paid to them" (Movers, Phoen. i. 667 sqq.) Shunem (1 Sa.m. xxi;t, 1 ; cf. xxviii. 4), ~d But it is enough to remember tho.t So.ma.ria therefore in the pla.m of Es<lrnelon, while wa.s a hilly district, a.nd tho.t the courtiers Gesenius o.nd Grove-the latter bcca.use of must find soma excuse for the defeat]; there- foro they were stronger tha.n we; but [Heh. its connection with "1it.:i ~iJ the pla.ln, a 1
word a.pplied, ,:ar' l(ox,iv, to the plain in the (0?~11(1 often well rendored but not in this tribe of Rouben {Dout. iii. 10; iv. 43; Josh. instance) by the LXX. ov µr}v oi a""-a] let xiii. 9, 16, 17, 21, &c.)-would seo in it tbe us 11.ght against them 1n the plain, and Aphek ea.st of the Jordnn, the Apheca ol surely we shall be stronger than they. Euscbius, and perhaps the pl11co mentioned [This oounscl, which nppn.rently rests on 2 Kings xiii. 17 (where, however, see note). religious grounds a.lone, was, it is probable, This tro.ns-Jor<lnnic Aphek is now ropre- really dictated by the practice.I consideration sented by the village of 1"ik, six miles east 488 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [OlI, XX, 1-4,Q,