{"id":62812,"date":"2018-07-09T17:44:24","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-307\/"},"modified":"2023-04-10T17:04:44","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T14:04:44","slug":"wall-307","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-307\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-I Kings-20"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"307","date":"20261102","book":"I Kings","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"307","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"62225","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - I Kings Chapter 20 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - I Kings Chapter 20","slug":"jps-audio-bible-i-kings-chapter-20","old_id":"62225","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"307","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"I Kings Chapter 20","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_I_Kings_Chapter_20","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Kings","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"307","date":"20261102","wall_id":"307"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"114043","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Ahab v. Ben-hadad ","post_title":"Ahab v. Ben-hadad","slug":"ahab-v-ben-hadad","old_id":"114043","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"307","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"With a little help from a prophetic allegory or two\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

The chapter begins with Ahab actually standing up for his people. Ben-hadad demands a tribute of gold and silver and slaves and women which Ahab rebuffs. Instead, he follows the words of a prophet and sends out a specialized troop to attack Ben-hadad. They defeat Ben-hadad just as the prophet promises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But then the prophet warns Ahab not to rejoice because Ben-hadad's army will return. It is possible that the plan was for the army to return and defeat Ahab, but Ben-hadad threw a wrench in that plan by claiming that his forces were defeated because God is ruler of the mountains. Ben-hadad most likely assumed this because Samaria was mountainous, as was Jerusalem (as well as including other prominent mountains in Israelite history such as Mt. Sinai and recently Mt. Carmel).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Of course, this proclamation of the limits of God\u2019s power ignores the Splitting of the Sea and the Jordan, as well as the fire miracle on Mt. Carmel to name a few. Nevertheless, God delays Ahab\u2019s defeat in order to show that God is also victorious in the plains. Ben-hadad then devises a plan to exact mercy from Ahab by donning a sackcloth and pleading directly to him. Ahab grants clemency and Ben-hadad is let go. Furious at Ahab\u2019s actions, a young prophet sets out to inform the king of the error of his ways. The prophet asks his peer to stab him with a sword. When the fellow prophet refuses, the young prophet curses his friend and a lion comes and attacks and kills the other prophet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The commentators explain that the second prophet should have known that the directive came from God. Failure to follow God\u2019s directive is punishable by death. This is the second time a lion kills a prophet that does not follow the word of God. The first was in chapter 13 when Abijah does not listen to God\u2019s command not to eat or drink in the North. It seems that prophets in the North need to be wary of lions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But why didn\u2019t the prophet wound himself? Why did he ask his friend to wound him? Perhaps he wanted to make sure that the wound was believable. If he simply stuck himself, Ahab would have recognized the farce. Another possibility is that the act of wounding the prophet was part of the prophecy and not merely part of the disguise. Many times, a prophet will include an action with their prophecy. For example, Abijah rips his cloak to signal the splitting of the kingdom. Here the prophet needs someone else to wound him in order to mimic Ben-hadad\u2019s defeat at the hand of Ahab. The prophet then continues with his message by clothing himself in sackcloth to mimic what Ben-hadad did and then sits at the side of the road waiting for Ahab in order to reveal the full message. This disguise then tricks Ahab, just as Ben-hadad did.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image:\u00a0Achab R(ex) Israel (\"Ahab king of Israel\"),\u00a0Guillaume Rouill\u00e9, 1553 \/ wikimedia<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":114045,"alt":"","title":"-64328aa5425a5--64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png.png","width":434,"height":433,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png-300x300.png","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png.png","medium_large-width":434,"medium_large-height":433,"large":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png.png","large-width":434,"large-height":433,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png.png","1536x1536-width":434,"1536x1536-height":433,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png.png","2048x2048-width":434,"2048x2048-height":433,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png.png","post_full_size-width":434,"post_full_size-height":433,"home_baner":"https:\/\/cetwpuploads.blob.core.windows.net\/wp929\/uploads\/2023\/04\/64328aa5425a5-64328aa5425a61kings20-ahab.png-421x420.png","home_baner-width":421,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Ahab v. 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How often do we minimize the things that happen to us, telling ourselves that it\u2019s no big deal, that we can handle it, and then watch, to our dismay, as that same thing happens to others around us?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

King Ahab, in our chapter, falls into this trap, although he\u2019s able to stop himself just in time. When Ben-hadad, King of Aram, comes to attack Israel, he commands Ahab to hand over \u201cyour silver and your gold and your wives and your sons\u201d (v. 5). Astonishingly, Ahab immediately assents in the face of danger. But when Ben-hadad counters and says that he will not only take the King\u2019s possessions, but also those of his servants, Ahab decides to stand up to Ben-hadad, leading to a war where the Israelites rout the much larger army with divine assistance.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why does Ahab stand up to Ben-hadad? Robert Alter, in his commentary on v. 6 (\u201cwhatever is precious in their eyes\u201d), writes,\u201cThe added demand of Ben-Hadad that becomes a deal breaker is that the prized possessions of the king\u2019s servants\u2014that is, his courtiers\u2014are also to be expropriated. Ahab had been willing to sacrifice what was his own, but now everyone around him is asked to submit to the same exorbitant demands of the Aramean king.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Whether he\u2019s standing up for his inner circle or he\u2019s acting out of political expediency (Alter also suggests that \u201csurrendering the treasures of those around him might make him the object of a palace coup\u201d), when there is more at stake than only what belongs to him, he can no longer minimize the threat that Ben-hadad poses. He must confront it, and that confrontation leads him to war.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

We know that it\u2019s a very human thing for a person who abuses their power to do it on more than one occasion. And we also know it\u2019s a very human thing for us to minimize those things when they happen to us, for all sorts of reasons: It doesn\u2019t fit with the stories we tell about ourselves or those around us, we could risk our job, our reputation, our life, we don\u2019t want to or are unable to put in the time or energy it would take to fight, it\u2019s just too painful.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

However, when we don\u2019t call out injustices and attempt to seek justice, it provides cover for the abuser (of any sort) to do it to others. This story provides us with a warning and a challenge that we must stand up to those who abuse their power. And while it\u2019s better to do it early, even late is better than never. Truth and justice only win when there are those willing to stand up for it, even at great cost.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Illustration by Gustave Dor\u00e9 from the 1866 La Sainte Bible depicting an Israelite victory over the army of Ben-Hadad, described in 1 Kings 20<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":62919,"alt":"","title":"1kings20-dore_ahab-ben hadad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","width":800,"height":644,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-300x242.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":242,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-768x618.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":618,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":644,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":644,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":644,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":644,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-522x420.jpg","home_baner-width":522,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"To Stand Up For Others, Stand Up For Yourself","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Minimizing hurts to ourselves can lead to abuses of others","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":62919,"alt":"","title":"1kings20-dore_ahab-ben hadad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","width":800,"height":644,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-300x242.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":242,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-768x618.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":618,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","large-width":800,"large-height":644,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","1536x1536-width":800,"1536x1536-height":644,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","2048x2048-width":800,"2048x2048-height":644,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad.jpg","post_full_size-width":800,"post_full_size-height":644,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-dore_ahab-ben-hadad-522x420.jpg","home_baner-width":522,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Kings","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"307","date":"20261102","wall_id":"307"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"423","name":"Politics","old_id":"823"},{"term_id":"503","name":"Power","old_id":"903"},{"term_id":"927","name":"Ahab","old_id":"1327"}]},{"order":5,"id":"62915","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"How Can So Good Be So Bad? ","post_title":"How Can So Good Be So Bad?","slug":"how-can-so-good-be-so-bad","old_id":"62915","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":61002,"post_title":"Yogev Bar-Gad","slug":"yogev-bar-gad","old_id":"61002","first_name":"Yogev ","last_name":"Bar-Gad","description":"Yogev Bar-Gad is a lawyer and a Torah lecturer.","short_description":"Yogev Bar-Gad is a lawyer and a Torah lecturer.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":61003,"alt":"","title":"yogev bar gad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","width":431,"height":582,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","medium_large-width":431,"medium_large-height":582,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","large-width":431,"large-height":582,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","1536x1536-width":431,"1536x1536-height":582,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","2048x2048-width":431,"2048x2048-height":582,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad.jpg","post_full_size-width":431,"post_full_size-height":582,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/yogev-bar-gad-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"307","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Ahab can only stay good for one chapter...","post_main_content_content":"

For the first time and for the last time in the Bible full respect is paid to King Ahab. Instead of calling him by his first name: \"Ahab\", he is called with dignity over and over again: \"The king of Israel\" (4, 7, 11, 21-22, 28, 31-32) and \"King Ahab of Israel\" (13). God sends prophets to advise him how to win his wars. All the people and all the elders support him (7, 8).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Suddenly Ahab is described as a good wise successful king. So good that he puts his people's interest above his and his family's interest (3-7). So wise that he asks advice from all the elders of the land (7) and follows it. So successful that he defeats the strong enemy twice year after year (21, 29).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So why does all this goodness, wisdom and success disappear at once?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Because King Ahab changes his behavior for the worse. He disobeys God and commits sins of immorality. Ahab puts his own interest above his servant Naboth's interest, takes his servant's vineyard and makes it his own garden. Ahab has no mercy on a good servant of his own people and lets the queen murders him. At the same time Ahab has mercy on the cruel King Ben-hadad of the Aramean enemy. Therefore God punished Ahab severely. A soldier of the very cruel king who was spared by Ahab, killed him (1 Kings 22, 34-35).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":62916,"alt":"","title":"1kings20-right wrong","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong.jpg","width":1920,"height":1483,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-300x232.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-768x593.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":593,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-1024x791.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":791,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1483,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-1200x927.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":927,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-544x420.jpg","home_baner-width":544,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"How Can So Good Be So Bad?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Ahab can only stay good for one chapter...","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":62916,"alt":"","title":"1kings20-right wrong","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong.jpg","width":1920,"height":1483,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-300x232.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":232,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-768x593.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":593,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-1024x791.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":791,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1186,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong.jpg","2048x2048-width":1920,"2048x2048-height":1483,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-1200x927.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":927,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-right-wrong-544x420.jpg","home_baner-width":544,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Kings","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"307","date":"20261102","wall_id":"307"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"400","name":"Sin","old_id":"800"},{"term_id":"581","name":"Mercy","old_id":"981"},{"term_id":"927","name":"Ahab","old_id":"1327"}]},{"order":6,"id":"62921","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Hit Me - Or Else? ","post_title":"Hit Me - Or Else?","slug":"hit-me-or-else","old_id":"62921","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"307","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"An object lesson in the consequences of disobedience","post_main_content_content":"

This chapter, which tells of the miraculous victory that God granted Ahab over the forces of Aram, contains, inter alia, one exceptionally memorable phrase and one particularly perplexing incident.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Verse 11 is part of Ahab\u2019s retort to Ben-hadad, King of Aram, and the particularly memorable phrase is \u201cLet not him who girds on [his sword] boast like him who ungirds it!\u201d It has become an oft-quoted maxim cautioning against boasting about your intentions until you have actually accomplished something. It is rooted in the military experience; one who girds on his sword has not yet tasted battle, while he who ungirds it is a combat veteran.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The perplexing incident involves the anonymous prophet-in-training (we will deal with his identity below) who asked to be beaten (35 ff.). We eventually learn that he wanted to appear before the king disheveled and bruised as though he had been engaged in combat, but how could he have pronounced a death sentence on a fellow (36) simply for his failure to play along with his charade?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Rashi, Radak, and Malbim are all essentially in agreement here. They suggested that since the prophet\u2019s message to Ahab was that he deserved to be punished for his failure to obey his instructions to kill Ben-hadad, he made the fellow who refused to strike him an object lesson for the consequences of disobedience. They assumed that his prophetic status was recognized by the other, so his refusal to comply was not just a personal affront\u2014which might well have gone unanswered\u2014but an offense against the prophet\u2019s principal, namely God. Indeed, his request, as reported by Scripture, included \u201cat the word of the LORD\u201d (35).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

As to the identity of this prophet, a rabbinic tradition identified him with Micayhu ben Yimla, who makes a cameo appearance in chapter 22. There, his advice was sought by the righteous king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, while wicked Ahab refused even to see him, complaining that \u201cI hate him, because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only misfortune\u201d (22:8).<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":62924,"alt":"","title":"1kings20-lesson","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson.png","width":1096,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-257x300.png","medium-width":257,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-768x897.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":897,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-877x1024.png","large-width":877,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson.png","1536x1536-width":1096,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson.png","2048x2048-width":1096,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-1028x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1028,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-360x420.png","home_baner-width":360,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Hit Me - Or Else?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"An object lesson in the consequences of disobedience","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":62924,"alt":"","title":"1kings20-lesson","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/png","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson.png","width":1096,"height":1280,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-150x150.png","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-257x300.png","medium-width":257,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-768x897.png","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":897,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-877x1024.png","large-width":877,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson.png","1536x1536-width":1096,"1536x1536-height":1280,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson.png","2048x2048-width":1096,"2048x2048-height":1280,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-1028x1200.png","post_full_size-width":1028,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/1kings20-lesson-360x420.png","home_baner-width":360,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Kings","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"307","date":"20261102","wall_id":"307"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"366","name":"Commentators","old_id":"766"},{"term_id":"927","name":"Ahab","old_id":"1327"}]},{"order":7,"id":"114054","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"The Tanakh Podcast-IKings20","post_title":"The Tanakh Podcast-IKings20","slug":"the-tanakh-podcast-ikings20","old_id":"114054","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. 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Each time, God sends a prophet to support Ahab. Is God on Ahab's side? 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","post_title":"Should The Enemy King Be Killed?","slug":"should-the-enemy-king-be-killed","old_id":"62553","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":54356,"post_title":"Robert Alter","slug":"robert-alter","old_id":"54356","first_name":"Robert ","last_name":"Alter","description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, where he has taught since 1967. He has written over twenty books, focusing on such topics as the European novel from the 18th century to the present, contemporary American fiction, and modern Hebrew literature. He has also written extensively on the literary aspects of the Bible. His most recent work is his monumental three volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019 - from which the selections in 929 are taken. ","short_description":"Robert Alter is the Class of 1937 Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of the three-volume translation of the entire Hebrew Bible - The Hebrew Bible, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019.","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":54357,"alt":"","title":"robert alter","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","width":184,"height":275,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium-width":184,"medium-height":275,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","medium_large-width":184,"medium_large-height":275,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","large-width":184,"large-height":275,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","1536x1536-width":184,"1536x1536-height":275,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","2048x2048-width":184,"2048x2048-height":275,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","post_full_size-width":184,"post_full_size-height":275,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/robert-alter.jpg","home_baner-width":184,"home_baner-height":275}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"307","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Ahab lets Ben-Hadad go free, at his peril","post_main_content_content":"

20:42 \u201cAnd he said to him, \u2018Thus says the Lord. \u201cIn as much as you set free from My hand the man I condemned, it will be your life instead of his and your people instead of his people.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The masoretic text reads \u201cfrom a hand,\u201d but two ancient versions and a Hebrew manuscript have \u201cMy hand,\u201d which is more plausible. It is God Who has granted the victory to Ahab, and so the defeated king is in God\u2019s hand. It must be said that there has been no direct indication in the story until now that God has condemned Ben-Hadad to death or told Ahab he must kill him, though the prophet assumes that Ahab should have known this. Behind the theological reasoning lies a political calculation: allowing Ben-Hadad to go free will lead to a new attack on Israel.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. By permission of the author.<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"From Robert Alter's Bible Translation and Commentary","tile_main_caption":"Should The Enemy King Be Killed?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Ahab lets Ben-Hadad go free, at his peril","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":54890,"alt":"","title":"Alter-Cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","width":1200,"height":693,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-300x173.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":173,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-768x444.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":444,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1024x591.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":591,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1200,"1536x1536-height":693,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1200,"2048x2048-height":693,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-1200x693.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":693,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Alter-Cover-727x420.jpg","home_baner-width":727,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Kings","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"307","date":"20261102","wall_id":"307"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":9,"id":"62674","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Game Over - Only When The King Is Dead ","post_title":"Game Over - Only When The King Is Dead","slug":"game-over-only-when-the-king-is-dead","old_id":"62674","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33692,"post_title":"Alex Israel","slug":"33692-2","old_id":"33692","first_name":"Alex","last_name":"Israel","description":"Alex Israel teaches Tanakh at the Pardes Institute, Yeshivat Eretz Hatzvi and Matan, Jerusalem. 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The final scenes of this chapter depict a strange series of events in which the prophet instructs someone to injure him and then disguises himself and approaches the king and issues a severe condemnation: \u201cThus says the Lord: Because you have set this man free, whom I had doomed, your life shall be forfeit for his life, and your people for his people\u201d (20:42).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Prof. Uriel Simon, in his <\/span>Reading Prophetic Narratives<\/span><\/em>, has noted this type of masquerade in several stories in the Bible, identifying them as a sub-genre he terms the \"juridical parable\" (e.g., Sam 11:1-4, Sam 14, Isaiah 5:1-7).In such a presentation, the storyteller presents\u00a0 \u201c...a fictional tale with a realistic plot dealing with an act of lawbreaking, told to someone who has committed a transgression or is intimately involved in the matter, with the aim of getting him to unwittingly pass judgment on himself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The juridical parable must accord somewhat with the real-life situation, but must also obscure and disguise it, or else the parable will not elicit the desired response. We seek a correlation, on the one hand, along with a distortion, or an in-built discrepancy. Yet in our case, the discrepancy is too great. In the prophetic parable, the man is explicitly told, \"Guard this man! If he is missing, it will be your life for his\" (20:39).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

But we fail to locate an explicit instruction to Ahab that Ben-Hadad was to be killed or even incarcerated! Why, then, is Ahab condemned for letting him go? In answering this question, we must appreciate the status of the king in ancient warfare. As in the game of chess (which reflects such warfare), victory cannot be declared unless one has eliminated the king. Despite the loss of 130,000 soldiers, Ben-Hadad could still save face; he would return to his nation and organize a victory parade. As long as the enemy king is free, Ahab's \"victory\" is debatable. The only decisive determinant of victory is the death of the enemy leader. Ben-Hadad understands this only too well. When he subsequently fights Ahab yet again, he instructs his archers to target the king: \u201cDo not fight anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel\u201d (22:31).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

So is Israel, in fact, victorious under Ahab, or do his actions essentially squander the triumph, allowing it to evaporate? An answer may be found in chapter 22, where we read that a mere three years later, Ben-Hadad flouts all his promises. With this king at large, God's victory is short-lived.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Alex Israel, 1 Kings: Torn in Two,<\/em> Maggid Books, 2013, Tests of Faith<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":61437,"alt":"","title":"alex israel - kings 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    \r\n\t
  1. A prophetic entourage<\/em>. A prophet, a man of God, and a disciple of the prophets accompany the king in this chapter, with encouraging messages, important information, and also - harsh criticism. By the way, none of the prophets in this chapter is the one we, and Ahab, know from previous chapters - Elijah.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. Poetic kings<\/em>. The conversations between Ben-hadad and the king of Israel sound more like poetry than like declarations of war. Ben-hadad: \u201c\u201cMay the gods do thus to me and even more, if the dust of Samaria will provide even a handful for each of the men who follow me!\u201d (verse 10), and Ahab responds: \u201c\u201cTell him: Let not him who girds on his sword boast like him who ungirds it!\u201d (verse 11).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. The logic of the drunk<\/em>. These are the instructions of the inebriated Ben-hadad regarding the Israelite warriors: \u201cIf they have come out to surrender, take them alive; and if they have come out for battle, take them alive anyhow\u201d (verse 18). Makes sense, no?<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. A meaningful memory.<\/em> Seven days of preparations. A decisive victory on the seventh day. A wall that falls\u2026 If that description of the battle at Afek doesn\u2019t ring a bell yet - go back 114 chapters to Joshua, chapter 6, and a place called Jericho.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  5. The moral of a story<\/em>. How does the lesson embodied by the disciple of the prophets fit the moral and sin of the king of Israel? There are more than a few questions. Commentators suggest some answers.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"I Kings 20","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"I Kings","chapter":"20","chapter_main_number":"307","date":"20261102","wall_id":"307"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/62812"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}