Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 15:18
Then Asa took all the silver and the gold [that were] left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
18. Ben-hadad, the son of Tabrimon [R.V. Tabrimmon ] the son of Hezion, king of Syria ] This is the earliest of the three kings of this name mentioned in the Old Testament. ‘Hezion’ is probably the same person as the ‘Rezon,’ king of Damascus mentioned in 1Ki 11:23, and Ben-hadad 1. was apparently his grandson. We cannot always determine whether the names of these kings are merely significant titles, or true names. ‘Hadad’ was a Syrian god, perhaps the sun-god, and Ben-hadad, ‘son of Hadad’ may mean one devoted to Hadad’s worship. So ‘Tab-rimmon’ signifies ‘good is Rimmon’; Rimmon being another Syrian divinity (see 2Ki 5:18). This is much more likely to be a personal name than Ben-hadad. The war which Ben-hadad now began against Israel appears to have been continued in the days of Ahab. See below 1Ki 20:1. In the LXX. this king is called .
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Left – Or, according to another reading, found. The wealthy condition of the temple treasury is sufficiently indicated in 1Ki 15:15. Compare 2Ch 15:18.
Asas conduct in calling Benhadad to his aid, condemned by the seer Hanani 2Ch 16:7, cannot, of course, be justified; but there was much to excuse it. An alliance, it appears, had existed between Abijam and Tabrimon, Benhadads father 1Ki 15:19 – an alliance which may have helped Abijam to gain his great victory over Jeroboam and achieve his subsequent conquests 2Ch 13:17-20. This had been brought to an end by Baasha, who had succeeded in inducing Benhadad to enter into a league with him. It was only natural that Asa should endeavor to break up this league; and, politically speaking, he had a full right to go further, and obtain, if he could, the support of the Syrian troops for himself. The Israelites had set the example of calling in a foreign power, when Jeroboam obtained the aid of Shishak.
To Benhadad – On the probable succession of the Damascene kings, and on the meaning of the name Hadad, see 1Ki 11:14, 1Ki 11:23.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 18. Asa took all the silver] Shishak, king of Egypt, had not taken the whole, or there had been some treasures brought in since that time.
Ben-hadad] This was the grandson of Rezon, called here Hezion, who founded the kingdom of Damascus. See 1Kg 11:23-24; and Calmet.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
All the silver and the gold that were left; these poor remainders, which either Shishak had left at that time, 1Ki 14:26, or Abijam, or Asa, or others, both of Israel and Judah, had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zerah, 2Ch 14, and he and his numerous and prosperous people did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God.
Asa sent them to Ben-hadad; wherein he committed three great faults, amongst many others. First, He alienated things consecrated to God without necessity. Secondly, He did this out of carnal fear and distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. Thirdly, He did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, 1Ki 15:19, and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18-20. Then Asa took all the silverand the gold that were left in the . . . house of the LordAsa’sreligious character is now seen to decline. He trusted not in theLord (2Ch 16:7). In thisemergency Asa solicited the powerful aid of the king ofDamascene-Syria; and to bribe him to break off his alliance withBaasha, he transmitted to him the treasure lying in the temple andpalace. The Syrian mercenaries were gained. Instances are to befound, both in the ancient and modern history of the East, of theviolation of treaties equally sudden and unscrupulous, through thepresentation of some tempting bribe. Ben-hadad poured an army intothe northern provinces of Israel, and having captured some cities inGalilee, on the borders of Syria, compelled Baasha to withdraw fromRamah back within his own territories.
Ben-hadad(See on 1Ki11:14).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king’s house,…. What was left untaken away by Shishak king of Egypt, 1Ki 14:26, or what he had put there dedicated by his father and himself, 1Ki 15:15 and be they either, they were not to be taken, especially the treasures of the house of the Lord, and put to profane use, and particularly to such bad purposes as these were:
and delivered them into the hands of his servants: to be disposed of as next directed:
and King Asa sent them to Benhadad the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus; according to some chronologers w, Hezion, the grandfather of this Benhadad, is the same with Rezon the first king of Damascus, 1Ki 11:23, who was succeeded by Tabrimon, and he by Benhadad:
saying: as follows.
w Usher. Annal. A. M. 3064. Marsham. Canon. Chron. Seculum 13. p. 346.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(18) Sent them to Ben-hadad.This shows that Syria, recovering its independence at the fall of Solomons empire, was already attaining the formidable power, which so soon threatened to destroy Israel altogether. The Ben-hadad of the text is the grandson of Hezion, who must be the Rezon of 1Ki. 11:23. Already, as we gather from the next verse, there had been leagues between Syria and Judah in the preceding reign. Now it is clear that Baasha had attempted to supersede these by a closer leaguepossibly, like Pekah in later times (2Ki. 16:5-6), desiring to strengthen and secure himself against invasion by the subjugation of Judah. Asa naturally resolved to bribe Ben-hadad by presents to prefer the old tie to the new; but he went beyond this, and proposed a combined attack on Israel, for the first time calling in a heathen power against his brethren, the children of Israel. It was an expedient which, though it succeeded for its immediate purpose, yet both as a desperate policy and an unfaithfulness to the brotherhood, which, in spite of separation and corruption, still bound the two kingdoms in the covenant of God with Abraham, deserved and received prophetic rebuke. (See 2Ch. 16:7-9.) Just so Isaiah, in the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah, denounced the vain trust in confederacies with the neighbouring nations and alliance with Egypt (Isa. 30:1-17).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
18. Then Asa took all the silver Alas! that he who so recently dedicated these spoils to the Lord (1Ki 15:15) should make such use of them as is here described!
Ben-hadad Three kings of this name reigned in Damascus. The name seems to have been a royal title, like the Egyptian Pharaoh.
Son of Tabrimon Of whom nothing more is known.
Hezion He was probably the same as Rezon, the contemporary and adversary of Solomon. 1Ki 11:23.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 15:18. Then Asa took all the silver and the gold, &c. In cases of extreme danger, it was always held lawful to employ sacred things in the service of one’s country; but there was no such necessity in this case. God had appeared wonderfully in Asa’s defence against an enemy much more powerful than Baasha was; nay, he had promised him his protection at all times, and success in all his undertakings, if he would but adhere to his service; and yet, forgetting all this, he strips the temple of its treasure, and bribes a heathen prince to come to his assistance, and break his league to another to whom he stood engaged; so that here were three offences in this one act of Asa. 1. He alienated things consecrated to God without necessity. 2. He did this out of a carnal fear, and a distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced; and 3. He did it with an ill intent to hire Benhadad, in breach of his league and covenant with Baasha.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Ki 15:18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold [that were] left in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,
Ver. 18. Then Asa took all the silver. ] This was plain sacrilege, since no necessity urged him thereunto.
And the treasures of the king’s house.] Which were much augmented doubtless by the great spoils of the Ethiopians and Lubims, lately beaten by him.
The son of Hezion.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the. Some codices, with two early printed editions, read “among the”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Asa: 1Ki 15:15, 1Ki 14:26, 2Ki 12:18, 2Ki 18:15, 2Ki 18:16, 2Ch 15:18, 2Ch 16:2-6
Benhadad: 1Ki 20:1-5, 1Ki 20:33, 1Ki 20:34, 2Ki 8:7-15
Damascus: 1Ki 11:23, 1Ki 11:24, Gen 14:15, Gen 15:2, Jer 49:27, Amo 1:4
Reciprocal: 2Ki 14:14 – all the gold 1Ch 26:20 – treasures 1Ch 28:12 – the treasuries 2Ch 12:9 – took away
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 15:18. Asa took all the silver and gold that were left Which either Shishak had left, or Abijam or Asa or others, of both Israel or Judah, had dedicated; which probably was not inconsiderable, because Asa had got great spoils from Zarah, (2 Chronicles 14.) and he, and his numerous and prosperous people, did at this time express a great zeal for the house and worship of God. Sent them Wherein he committed three great faults, among many others; 1st, He alienated things consecrated to God, without necessity. 2d, He did this out of distrust of that God whose power and goodness he had lately experienced. 3d, He did this for an ill intent, to hire him to the breach of his league and covenant with Baasha, (1Ki 15:19,) and to take away part of that land which by right, and the special gift of God, belonged to the Israelites.