The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 530

reason was the godleeeneee of Ahab. But three years ago Syria lay at hie mercy • its power was completely broken. But Ahab, so far from learning that the Lord was God (eh. x.x. 18, 28), had ignored the Lord, and acted as if hie own might had gotten him the victory. How fitting that these same Syrians should be the instruments to scourge him. B. An wnknown, wnconscious archer. The arrow that pierced Ahab's corselet we.e shot "in simplicity," without deliberate aim, with no thought of striking the king. It was an unseen Hand that guided that cha.nee shaft to its destination. It was truly "the arrow of the Lord's vengeance." (Cf. 2 Kings xii. 17.) It would be deeply instructive could we know the thoughts of that unhappy king, as with the arrow in his side, and the blood draining from his wouhd, and forming a sickening pool in the well of the chariot, he was stayed up those wretched weary hours until the sun- set against the Syrians. Surely he knew at last that "the Lord was God " (eh. xviii. 39; xx. 13, 28). His cry would now be," Thou hast found me, 0 my enemy." He would think, it may be, of Elijah's and Micaiah's prophecies; he would think of N aboth's bleeding and mangled corpse; he would think, above all, that his sin had found him out, and that Jehovah had conquered. He had fought all his life for Baal, but it was in vain ; he had been kicking against the pricks ; he had been wrestling not with flesh and blood, but with an Invisible, Irresistible, Omnipotent God, and now he is thrown, cast down never to rise again. III. It now only remains for us to consider the CIRCUMSTANCES of Ahab's death. These were ofso portentous and exceptional a character as to mark it- 1. As a tWl'ect visitation of God. The army, that day defeated, the contingent of Judah, the citizens of Samaria, the subjects of both kingdoms, could not think that a mere ohanoe had happened to Ahab when they remembered (1) That this death had been distinctly foretold. Not once or twice, but three times had a pro- phetic voice foreshadowed for him a sudden and shameful end (eh. xx. 42; xxi. HJ; xxii. 17, 28). Moreover, Micaiah, the last of these monitors, had staked his reputation as God's prophet on the fulfilment of his prediction of disaster. And his oracle lmd not been spoken in secret; he had appealed to the entire assembly gathered round the two kings-and the flower of Israel and Judah alike were there-1md even to neighbouring nations (ver. 28, Heh.), to be witnesses of his words, and those words were fresh in their memories. (2) How the king met hie death.. For it was of course known to the army that Ahab had disguised himself, whilst Jehoshaphat had put on his robes. After the sinister prophecy of Micaiah, we may be sure that the allied armies would watch, with the gravest anxiety, for the issue. They would per- ceive that the king himself was not without his fears ; they would wonder whetber his disguise would procure his escape. And when at the end of the day thoy loarnt that Jehoshaphat who had been arrayed like a king, and who ::in that account had been exposed to imminent peril, had escaped unhurt, whilst their king, who had never been recognized, had been pierced by a oho.nee arrow between the joints of his harness and mortally wounded, was there one but would see the finger of God in this death ? Surely iI the Psalmist's words were then written, they would occur to their minds, "Whither shall I go from thy spil-it, and whither shall I flee from thy presence? " &o. (Psa. cxxxix. 9-12), or that other Psalm, "God shall shoot at them with a swift arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded" (Psa. !xiv. 7), and the result would be that all men would fear and declare the work of God (ib. ver. 9), and oc:>nfess that this was His doing. The fugitives who stole away in the dark and black mght to their homes, like sheep without a shepherd, would have learnt one lesson at least that da.y, viz., that there was "a God that judgeth in the earth." 2. As God's OfPpropriate recompense for the sins of that age. We have ah·oruly seen how this history puts its stamp of reprobation on (1) the calf-worship. inasmuch as b~ the prophets of the calves the king was beguiled into this enterprize. But the sm of Jeroboam was not the special sin of Ahab's reign. On the contrary, the calf-worship was rather overshadowed and eclipsed by the frightful idolatries, which had so much greater fascination for the evil heart of unbelief. It was the charac- teristic of that reign that the unclean rites of Baal and Asta.rte, the abominations of the Amoritee, were re-established in the land. We see in Ahab's death (2) the requital 1 KINGS, 2N 646 THE FIRS1' BOOK OF KINGS. [cu. XXII. 1-~3.