11 So the king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him, ‘Let not the one who puts on hisarmoraboast like the one who takes itoff.’ ”
12 And it happened when Ben-Hadad heard this message, as he and the kings wereadrinking at the command post, that he said to his servants, “Get ready.” And they got ready to attack the city.
13 Suddenly a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, aI will deliver it into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the Lord.’ ”
14 So Ahab said, “By whom?” And he said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘By the young leaders of the provinces.’ ” Then he said, “Who will set the battle in order?” And he answered, “You.”
15 Then he mustered the young leaders of the provinces, and there were two hundred and thirty-two; and after them he mustered all the people, all the children of Israel—seven thousand.
16 So they went out at noon. Meanwhile Ben-Hadad and the thirty-two kings helping him were agetting drunk at the command post.
The rabbinical commentators conjecture that this prophet was Micaiah, the son of Imlah, who is mentioned below I Kings 22:8.
Hast thou seen all this great multitude? - The boast of Ben-hadad I Kings 20:10, was not without a basis of truth; his force seems to have exceeded 130, 000 (compare I Kings 20:25, I Kings 20:29-30). In his wars with the Assyrians we find him sometimes at the head of 100, 000 men.
Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 1 Kings 20:13:
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