Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 22:31
But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
31. But [R.V. Now ] the king of Syria commanded [R.V. had commanded ] his thirty and two captains ]. The changes are as usual to conform to 2 Chronicles. These thirty-two captains were most likely those who had been chosen to supply the places of the thirty-two kings that were removed in the campaign of three years before (1Ki 20:24).
that had rule over his chariots ] R.V. of his chariots. For one word is rendered twice over, first ‘captains’ and then ‘that had rule.’ The command was given to these officers because they were in the front of the battle, the cavalry taking lead of the infantry.
Fight neither with small nor great ] The meaning of the order is, that they should let no engagement with other persons prevent them, any more than they could help, from singling out Ahab and attacking him. It was the single combat of chiefs, but there were 32, any one of whom might attack him. Josephus however says ‘though the battle lasted from day dawn till evening, they slew no one, according to the king’s command, seeking only to destroy Ahab, and not being able to find him.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Commanded – Had commanded. Ben-hadad delivers his order in the hyperbolical style common in the East. His meaning is, Make it your chief object to kill or take the king of Israel. Apparently, his own defeat and captivity were still rankling in his mind, and he wished to retaliate on Ahab, the humiliation which he considered himself to have suffered. He shows small appreciation of the generosity which had spared his life and restored him to his kingdom.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
His thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots; and the men that fought from them, or with them, i.e. his whole army. Possibly the chariots and the whole army were distributed into thirty-two several parts, and each captain ruled those chariots and soldiers attending upon them, which fell to his share.
Save only with the king of Israel: this he ordered either in policy, truly supposing this to be the best way to put an end to the war; or with design to take him prisoner, that thereby he might wipe out the stain of his own captivity, and recover the honour and advantage which then he lost; or rather by the power and providence of God, which disposeth the hearts of kings as he pleaseth, and inclined them to this course, that they might, though ignorantly, accomplish his word and counsel.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had the rule over his chariots,…. This was the number of his kings in the first battle with Israel, and of his captains in the second, 1Ki 20:1, and the same number he had now, being very probably not only the number of his chariots, but the division of his army was into so many battalions, under the command of these captains of chariots:
saying, fight neither with small nor great; of those that belonged to Jehoshaphat:
save only with the king of Israel; and his men; for it can hardly be thought that his orders were to fight with none, nor kill any in the battle but Ahab personally; though it is very probable he might give them directions to aim at him chiefly, knowing that, if he was killed or taken, his army would flee or surrender; and he might be desirous of getting him into his hands, as he had been in his; and the rather his spite was against him, as he was the mover of the war.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(31)His thirty and two captains.See 1Ki. 20:16; 1Ki. 20:24. The power of Syria had already recovered itself, and is directed with singular virulence against the person of the king who had unwisely spared it. Ahab is represented as the mover of the whole war, and as fighting bravely to the death.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
31. His thirty and two captains Whom he had appointed in the room of the thirty-two vassal kings. 1Ki 20:1 ; 1Ki 20:24.
Fight only with the king of Israel This is the return which Ahab gets for his kindness in sparing Ben-hadad’s life. 1Ki 20:32.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 22:31. Fight neither with small nor great Ben-hadad might give this order, either in policy, supposing this to be the best and readiest way to put an end to the war, or with a design to take Ahab prisoner, that thereby he might wipe out the stain of his own captivity, and recover the honour and advantages which he then lost. We shall have occasion in the second book of Chronicles to speak concerning Jehoshaphat.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
1Ki 22:31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel.
Ver. 31. But the king of Syria commanded. ] This Ahab might haply have some inkling of, and therefore go disguised. Benhadad also might hear – for kings have their corycaei, their spies, in all places – that Micaiah had foretold Ahab of his death in this expedition.
Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
thirty and two: 1Ki 20:24, 2Ch 18:30
Fight: 1Ki 20:33-42
small nor great: Gen 19:11, 1Sa 30:2, Jer 16:6
Reciprocal: 2Sa 17:2 – I will smite 2Sa 18:3 – if we flee 1Ki 20:34 – So he made a covenant 1Ki 20:42 – Because 1Ki 22:33 – that they turned 1Ki 22:36 – there went 2Ki 6:8 – the king 2Ki 6:24 – gathered
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 22:31. Fight only with the king of Israel This he ordered, truly supposing this to be the best way to put an end to the war; and by the providence of God, which disposeth the hearts of kings as he pleaseth, and which inclined them to this course, that they might, though ignorantly, accomplish his counsel. Perhaps Ben-hadad only designed to have taken him prisoner, that he might now give him as honourable a treatment as he had formerly received from him.