Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 20:7
Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this [man] seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
7. called all the elders of the land ] It was more than a gathering of the chief men of the city. Probably at such a crisis many of the principal persons who dwelt at other times away from the fortified cities would have gathered in Samaria for safety. It was with all these that Ahab conferred. Josephus represents the king as gathering , ‘the bulk of the people.’ This can hardly have been thought necessary, nor is it at all after the manner of Eastern monarchs. The treasures which were now threatened would be the possessions of the principal men, and to them the king would appeal for advice. It is however mentioned in 1Ki 20:8 that all the people agreed to the decision that Ben-hadad’s demand should be rejected. Ahab’s sentence is left unconcluded, but the conclusion suggests itself without being spoken. It would have run somewhat thus, “But now he threatens to seize your treasures as well as mine, tell me what answer I shall send to him.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The political institution of a Council of elders (Exo 3:16, etc.), which had belonged to the undivided nation from the sojourn in Egypt downward, had therefore been continued among the ten tribes after their separation, and still held an important place in the system of Government. The Council was not merely called together when the king needed it, but held its regular sittings at the seat of government; and hence, all the elders of the land were now present in Samaria. On the elders of towns, see 1Ki 21:8-14.
Apparently the king had not thought it necessary to summon the Council when the first terms were announced to him, inasmuch as they touched only himself. The fresh demands affected the people at large, and it became necessary, or at any rate fitting, that the elders should be consulted.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
The elders of the land; whose counsel and concurrence he now desires in his distress.
See how this man seeketh mischief; though he pretended peace, and a friendly agreement upon these terms propounded, it is apparent by those additional demands that he intends nothing less than our utter ruin.
I denied him not; I granted his demands in the sense before mentioned.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then the King of Israel called all the elders of the land,…. His poor sneaking spirit was a little aroused with the last message, and therefore called a council of the elders of the people upon it, which was a piece of wisdom in him:
and said, mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief; nothing less than the entire ruin of the nation:
for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I denied him not; in the sense he understood him, which was, that he was to be a vassal, and tributary to him, for the sake of holding these, which yet was very mean; but he wanted to have these in hand, and not them only, but the pillaging of all his subjects.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7. Seeketh mischief Has his heart set on bringing disastrous evils on this kingdom.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(7) Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not. (8) And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent. (9) Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again. (10) And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me. (11) And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.
The historical sense of this passage, is what is very common in human life. A proud, imperious character triumphing over a less, and the oppressed obliged to submit, until overacted oppression compels the trampled upon to resist. But the spiritual sense is sweeter. While the enemy of souls, like Pharaoh, threatens total ruin; the believer in Jesus saith, I know that my God can, and I trust that he will deliver. We have a beautiful example in the case of the three servants of the Lord; see Dan 3:16-18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Ki 20:7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this [man] seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
Ver. 7. And I denied him not. ] I refused not to be his vassal and tributary, acknowledging his sovereignty; but no reason will content him, nothing but the rifling of our houses, ravishing of our wives, spoiling us of all.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
all the elders: 1Ki 8:1, 2Ki 5:7, 1Ch 13:1, 1Ch 28:1, Pro 11:14
Mark: 2Ki 5:7
seeketh mischief: Job 15:35, Psa 7:14, Psa 36:4, Psa 62:3, Psa 140:2, Pro 6:14, Pro 11:27, Pro 24:2, Dan 11:27, Rom 3:13-18
denied him not: Heb. kept not back from him, 1Ki 20:4
Reciprocal: 2Ki 5:23 – Be content
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 20:7. The king called all the elders Whose counsel and concurrence he now desires in his distress. See how this man seeketh mischief Though he pretended peace upon these terms propounded, it is apparent, by those additional demands, that he intends nothing less than our utter ruin. I denied not I granted his demands in the sense before mentioned. In this Ahab showed some sparks of virtue remaining in him; in that while Ben-hadad desired only what he had in his own disposal, that is, all his private goods, he complied with his demands; but when all the people and the public good was concerned, he would do nothing without their consent.