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(^45) Or, "battle." This, and not "order the battle," as in the A.V. The same expression occurs in 2 Chronicles 13:3, and
corresponds to the French entammer.
(^46) On the other hand, the 7000 may represent only what is called a "round number."
(^47) The curious reader may find the whole subject fully treated of in Sam Deyling's Observ. Sacr. Pars. 3, (ed. 1726) pp.
123 -127.
(^48) Our English version does not express this.
(^49) See the description of the scene in Vol. 4. of the Bible History. This Aphek - for the name is not an uncommon one
could not have been the Aphek at the foot of Lebanon, since the battle was to be in "the plain," nor yet the Aphek on
the other side Jordan (as commentators generally suppose), since Ahab would not have marched across Jordan to meet
the Syrians, nor they encamped there to subdue Samaria.
(^50) The word, rendered in our A.V. (ver. 29) "slew," should rather be translated by the general term "smote." Certainly it
does not imply the absolute killing of 100,000 men. Thus the same word is used in verses 35, 37, ("Smite me") in a
sense which forbids the idea of killing.
(^51) There is no need to ascribe it (with Keil) to a miraculous interposition, and still less (with Thenius) to the wall having
been previously undermined (by whom?).
(^52) This represents the true meaning of the original.
(^53) In 1 Samuel 10:5; 19:20, they are designated simply as "prophets."
(^54) Not necessarily of young or unmarried men. See 2 Kings 4:1.
(^55) The expression "neighbor" or "fellow" (ver. 35) means that he was also one of "the sons of the prophets."
(^56) So, and not as in the A.V.
(^57) Nearly 400 pounds of our money.
(^58) Nearly 400 pounds of our money.
(^59) The derivation of the word "Beliyaal" has been differently explained, but all are agreed that its primary meaning is
equivalent to wickedness.
(^60) Blasphemy would come under the category of seducing to idolatry, or committing it.
(^61) See Vol. 5. of this Bible History.
(^62) The common interpretations of these words seem unsatisfactory. They are, "Hast thou ever found me thine enemy?"
or, "Hast thou found this in me?" or, "Art thou again meeting me as my enemy?" Some see in the words only the
surprise of Ahab at the sudden appearance of Elijah (Ewald), or else the language of defiance (Thenius).
(^63) The words properly mean: "the wrath which thou hast caused to be wrathful."
(^64) In the murder of Naboth the two elements of personal provocation and of causing Israel to sin were also combined.
(^65) This intercalated notice of the writer is very interesting. It traces Ahab's slavish surrender to the service of sin to the
incitement of Jezebel, and it likens the state of public idolatry then in the land to that of "the Amorites," that is, the
Canaanites (comp. Genesis 15:16) whom God had destroyed. Surely no less punishment could follow the like
abominations on the part of Israel.
(^66) The word rendered "softly" might denote the gentle, noiseless step of sorrow or humiliation; but it has also been
rendered by "barefooted," as in mourning.
(^)