Melachim I: Perek 20

Read the text of Melachim I 20

Bullet Point Summary

Melachim I Perek 20

  • Ben Hadad, King of Aram, garnered the support of 32 kings to fight against Yisrael.

  • Ben Hadad sent a message to Achav, King of Yisrael, to surrender all of his gold, silver, men, women and children. Achav initially consented, but subsequently refused, when Ben Hadad wanted Achav to surrender a Sefer Torah (Rashi), and after consulting with the elders of Yisrael.

  • A Prophet by the name of Michayahu Ben Yimla (Rashi, Metzudos) told Achav that he would miraculously win the ensuing battle against Ben Hadad through the “children of the officers”. (Radak explains these were the children of high-ranking officials who grew up in close proximity to the royalty. This was to highlight the miracle of the battle, as the “new crew” was not trained in military prowess.)

  • The “new crew” was a mere 232 people, while Yisrael was 7,000 men in total.

  • Ben Hadad was miraculously defeated in the first battle.

  • Michayahu Ben Yimla told Achav to prepare himself for the next battle against Ben Hadad, which would occur in approximately one year’s time.

  • In preparation for the next battle, Ben Hadad reasoned that Yisrael would be more easily defeated in the low lands, because “Hashem is only the G-d of the mountains, not of the plains.”

  • Yisrael killed 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. The remaining 27,000 survivors of Aram were miraculously crushed all at once by the city wall of Aphek, which collapsed on them.

  • Ben Hadad fled and went into hiding.

  • Ben Hadad surrendered to Achav.

  • Achav mistakenly accepted Ben Hadad’s surrender and cut a peace treaty with him after Ben Hadad returned many cities to Achav.

  • Michayahu Ben Yimla disguised himself and delivered a message in a parable, pretending to be a soldier who was supposed to have guarded an enemy but negligently allowed the enemy to escape.

  • Upon hearing the case, Achav ruled that the negligent soldier was deserving of death.

  • Michayhu Ben Yimla then revealed his true identity and told Achav that he would die for not having killed Ben Hadad.