1 kings 19 and 20

Read 1 Kings 19 and 20 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

1 Kin 18:15-19:14 {s} A great victory over the false prophets of Baal/ Elijah discouraged because of Jezebel
1 Kin 19:15-21 {p} Elijah anointed Elisha as prophet in his place; Elisha followed him
1 Kin 20:1-22 {p} The king of Syria came against Israel with a great host, but Ahab defeated him at the Lord’s word
1 Kin 20:23-25 {p} The counsel given to the king of Syria, to fight Israel in the plains
1 Kin 20:26-34 {s} Israel defeated Syria a second time/ Ahab made a treaty with Ben-hadad, and spared him
1 Kin 20:35-43 {p} The Lord sent word to Ahab by a prophet: your life shall be forfeit for Ben-hadad’s

The strong themes:

1 Kin 18:1-19:21 {s+s+p} Elijah’s victory over the false prophets of Baal + drought ended/Jezebel does not repent
1 Kin 20:1-22 {p} The king of Syria came against Israel with a great host, but Ahab defeated him at the Lord’s word
1 Kin 20:23-25 {p} The counsel given to the king of Syria, to fight Israel in the plains
1 Kin 20:26-43 {s+p} Israel defeated Syria + Ahab spared Ben-hadad/ Ahab’s life shall be forfeit for Ben-hadad’s

The complex chiastic structure incorporates the one for 1 Kin 17-18 that was posted yesterday:

1a) 1 Kin 17:1-18:46, Elijah’s victory over Baal at the word of YHVH, that Israel might know that YHVH is God;

1a) 1 Kin 17:1-24 {s+s+p+p} No rain except at Elijah’s word;
1b) 1 Kin 18:1-14 {s} Prophets of YHVH executed;
1c) 1 Kin 18:15-24, The God who answers by fire, He is God;
1d) 1 Kin 18:25-29, The vain supplication of the prophets of Baal;
central axis) 1 Kin 18:30-35, Elijah repaired the altar of YHVH + drenched it with water;
2d) 1 Kin 18:36-37, The effective supplication of Elijah the prophet of YHVH;
2c) 1 Kin 18:38-39, God answers by fire, the people declare He is God;
2b) 1 Kin 18:40, Prophets of Baal executed;
2a) 1 Kin 18:41-46, Rain at the word of Elijah;

1b) 1 Kin 19:1-2, Jezebel’s empty threat against Elijah;

1c) 1 Kin 19:3, Elijah arose + ran for his life to Beersheba in Judah/ left his servant there;

1d) 1 Kin 19:4-8, He went into the wilderness to die/ angel strengthened him/ journeyed 40 days + nights to Horeb;

1e) 1 Kin 19:9-10, YHVH: “Why are you here, Elijah?”/ “I alone am left of YHVH’s servants + they seek my life;”

1f) 1 Kin 19:11a, Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord;”

central axis) 1 Kin 19:11b-12, “And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice;”

2f) 1 Kin 19:13a, When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle + stood in the entrance of the cave;

2e) 1 Kin 19:13b-14 {s} YHVH: “Why are you here, Elijah?”/ “I alone am left of YHVH’s servants + they seek my life;”

2d) 1 Kin 19:15a, YHVH said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus;”

2c) 1 Kin 19:15b-21 {p} Elijah returned to find Elisha/ he became his servant;

1a) 1 Kin 19:15b-16, “Anoint Hazael king over Syria/ Jehu king over Israel/ Elisha prophet in your place;”
central axis) 1 Kin 19:17-18, “And it shall be, that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill. Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him;”
2a) 1 Kin 19:19-21 {p} He departed from there, found Elisha/ he followed him + became his servant;

2b) 1 Kin 20:1-10, Ben-hadad’s empty threat against Ahab and Samaria;

2a) 1 Kin 20:11-43 {p+p+s+p} Israel’s two victories over Syria, that Ahab might know that YHVH is God;

1a) 1 Kin 20:11-21, Israel’s first victory over Syria, that Ahab might know that YHVH is God;

1a) 1 Kin 20:11, The king of Israel: ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off;’
1b) 1 Kin 20:12, As Ben-hadad + the kings were getting drunk at the command post, he ordered the attack;
1c) 1 Kin 20:13a, A prophet to Ahab: YHVH will deliver this great multitude into your hand today;
central axis) 1 Kin 20:13b, And you shall know that I am YHVH;
2c) 1 Kin 20:14-16a, Ahab inquired as to the battle array/ mustered Israel + went out of Samaria at noon;
2b) 1 Kin 20:16b, Meanwhile Ben-Hadad + 32 kings were getting drunk at the command post;
2a) 1 Kin 20:17-21, Israel killed the Syrians with a great slaughter, according to the word of YHVH;

1b) 1 Kin 20:22 {p} Prophet to Ahab: Strengthen yourself, for in the spring the king of Syria will come against you;
central axis) 1 Kin 20:23-25 {p} The false + empty counsel of the Syrians;
2b) 1 Kin 20:26, In the spring, Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians + went up to Aphek to fight against Israel;
2a) 1 Kin 20:26-43 Israel’s second victory over Syria, that Ahab might know that YHVH is God;

1a) 1 Kin 20:26, In the spring, Ben-Hadad mustered the Syrians + went up to Aphek to fight against Israel;
1b) 1 Kin 20:27a, Israel was mustered + given provisions/ they went against them;
1c) 1 Kin 20:27b, Israel encamped like 2 little flocks of goats, while the Syrians filled the countryside;
central axis) 1 Kin 20:28, Then a man of God came and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is God of the hills, but He is not God of the valleys,” therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the Lord;’”
2c) 1 Kin 20:29a, They encamped opposite each other for seven days;
2b) 1 Kin 20:29b, The battle joined; Israel killed 100,000 foot soldiers of the Syrians in one day;
2a) 1 Kin 20:30-43 {s+p} The Syrians + Ben-hadad fled into Aphek/ Ahab’s treaty, which displeased YHVH;

1a) 1 Kin 20:30, The rest fled into Aphek + a wall fell on 27,000/ Ben-hadad hid in an inner chamber;
1b) 1 Kin 20:31-34 {s} Ben-hadad sought mercy from Ahab, and Ahab made a treaty with him + let him go;
1c) 1 Kin 20:35-38, A prophet disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes, as wounded from the battle;
1d) 1 Kin 20:39a, Now as the king passed by, he cried out to the king and said;
central axis) 1 Kin 20:39b-40a, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and there, a man came over and brought a man to me, and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone;”
2d) 1 Kin 20:40b, The king said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it;”
2c) 1 Kin 20:41, He took the bandage away from his eyes + the king recognized him as a prophet;
2b) 1 Kin 20:42a, Thus says the Lord: ‘You have let slip out of your hand a man;’
2a) 1 Kin 20:42b-43 {p} I appointed him to utter destruction/ your life + people shall go for his life + people.

I puzzled over the strong theme of 1 Kin 18:1-19:21, the account of the drought, the great victory over Baal, and the threat of Jezebel, from which Elijah ran to Horeb, the same mountain which is alternately called Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments written on the two tablets of stone. What is the common strong theme? But as I meditated on it, I realized that perhaps Elijah expected that the great signs he performed: calling for the drought at the word of YHVH, ending the drought at the word of YHVH, and the miraculous consumption of the bull on the altar by fire from heaven, would convince Israel, Ahab, and Jezebel that Baal was a false idol, and YHVH alone is God. He was expecting a great revival and restoration of Israel back to the LORD God as a result! (Who wouldn’t?)

It did convince the children of Israel; they killed all the false prophets of Baal. I think it might have even convinced Ahab, because after this incident, all of the sudden you see the prophets of YHVH free to come and go into and out of the presence of the king, and the king giving heed to their word.

However, it did not convince Jezebel. The significance of the victory of YHVH over Baal on Mt Carmel completely went over her head, and she threatened Elijah’s life, with the same phrase that Ben-Hadad king of Syria later repeats, “May the gods do so to me, and more also, if I do not __insert threat here__.”

It scared Elijah, because it was Jezebel who previously had all the prophets of YHVH massacred, except for the 100 that Obadiah hid in a cave. I think it discouraged him too, as it seemed to him that all the effort of his life and ministry, and the glory given to the name of Yehovah because of it, did not make a drop of difference in the long run. So he went a day’s journey into the wilderness, to die.

The Lord met him, and strengthened his body, and encouraged his heart, and gave him a new mission, and hope for the end of the tyranny of Jezebel and the rule of the false idols: anoint Hazael king over Syria, and Jehu king over Israel, and Elisha as prophet in your place. Those (of the idol worshipers of Israel) who escape from Hazael will fall into Jehu’s hands; and those who escape from Jehu’s hands will fall into Elisha’s hands. So Elijah had hope, and continued on.

This morning it spoke to me, that it doesn’t matter what fruit you do or do not see at the end of your life: if you walk in the Lord’s ways and spend your life as He has called you, you will have done well, for the Lord knows the end from the beginning, and will ultimately prevail. ♥