22 Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, "Go , strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do ; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you." 23 Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, " Their gods are gods of the mountains , therefore e they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain , and surely e we will be stronger than they. 24 "Do this thing : remove the kings , each from his place , and put captains in their place , 25 and muster an army like the army that you have lost , horse for horse , and chariot for chariot . Then we will fight against them in the plain , and surely e we will be stronger than they." And he listened to their voice and did so . 26 At the turn of the year , Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel . 27 The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats , but the Arameans filled the country . 28 Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said , "Thus says the Lord , 'Because e the Arameans have said , " The Lord is a god of the mountains , but He is not a god of the valleys ," therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand , and you shall know that I am the Lord .' " 29 So they camped one over against the other seven days . And on the seventh day the battle was joined , and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 e foot soldiers in one day . 30 But the rest fled to Aphek into the city , and the wall fell on 27,000 e e men who were left . And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 20:22-30
Commentary on 1 Kings 20:22-30
(Read 1 Kings 20:22-30)
Those about Benhadad advised him to change his ground. They take it for granted that it was not Israel, but Israel's gods, that beat them; but they speak very ignorantly of Jehovah. They supposed that Israel had many gods, to whom they ascribed limited power within a certain district; thus vain were the Gentiles in their imaginations concerning God. The greatest wisdom in worldly concerns is often united with the most contemptible folly in the things of God.