contempt. It is evident from Ahab being governed by the prophet, that he was convinced of the fuperior pow er of his own God; and it is obfervable that nothing is faid of his idolatry, tho' there is of his injuftice, after, the triumph of Elijah over the priests of Baal.

20. This great victory by fo inconfiderable a force, very much resembles that of Gideon, and it must have confirmed Ahab and his people in the belief of the fuperiority of their God to thofe of the Syrians.

23. It was the opinion of all the heathens, that there were gods not only of particular districts, and of particu lar countries, but alfo of hills and rivers, and even fingle hills, and fingle rivers, and that their power did not extend beyond their proper provinces. And because Samaria was fituated in a hilly country, the Syrians imagined that the God of Ifrael had no power in the plain.

24. They might naturally think that these tributary kings would not fight with the fame spirit as their own people.'

26. This was in the tribe of Afher, probably one that Benhadad's father had taken from the kings of Ifrael; and near to it was the plain of Galilee, where he ; intended to give battle.

29. They were probably taken by surprize, as the Midianites were by Gideon; and in a hafty flight, and much crouding, many might be trampled to death, as also by mistaking friends for enemies, especially as it was in the night.

30. A burning wind fell. K.

31. Tho' David and other Hebrew conquerots exers cifed greater feverities than is usually practifed by chriftians, they might be merciful compared with other con querors of those times. Had David when he conquers ed Syria behaved as many conquerors did, the Syrianswould not have been fo powerful as they now were? las

232. Ahab, no doubt, hoped to make a friend of Benhadad; not confidering that a man who had behaved with fo much infolence, and who, without any provocation, had endeavoured to do him fo much injury, could never be thoroughly reconciled. He ought, therefore, to have put it out of his power to injure him again.

34. It is uncertain what is meant by the word that is rendered street in this place. It certainly implies that the Ifraelites should have the privilege of refiding in Damafcus, and perhaps that of having fome fortress or place of fafety, there.

42. As the victory was God's, Ahab should not have difpofed of his prifoners without confulting the prophet who had affured him of the victory. He had been committing the very fault which he had condemned in another, and he feems to have been fenfible of it.

Ch. XXI. 4. It was natural for Ahab to wish to get this piece of ground, which was fo near to his own houfe; and he made a fair propofal to the owner; but it was as natural for Naboth to be unwilling to part with it. It is evident, however, that Ahab, tho' exceedingly difpieafed, did not of himself intend to do any injuftice, and, that tho' with reluctance, he fubmitted to the difappointment; which thews that the kings of Ifrael did not govern arbitrarily, but conformed to the known laws, as well as their fubjects.

8. It

8. It is no uncommon thing for men to be perfuaded by others to do what they would never have done of themselves, especially when it is to fhew their spirit or power. Ahab was probably told that he was no king if he could not command fo trifling a gratification as this, and that Naboth in refufing to fell his field on fuch reasonable terms, deferved to lofe it. His confent however, to the murder and injustice, made the act his own.

5i. e. bring him to his trial. P.

For what purpose this faft was appointed does not appear. We may, however, infer from it, that extraor dinary acts of religion, probably with a view to implore the divine mercy in calamitous times, were not uncommon. Naboth was probably appointed to attend to the facrifices that were made on the occafion, and no doubt the worship was directed to the true God.

10. By the law of Mofes (Lev. xxiv, 16) a blafphe. mer was to be stoned. It is evident, therefore, that in this part of his life Ahab profeffed obedience to that law, and was a worshipper of the true God; and this change in his conduct must have been produced by the miracles of Elijah. By blatphemy against the king, was no doubt, meant fome act of treafon, in confequence of which his estate was perhaps forfeited to the king. 13. The evidence of two witneffes was neceflary to putting any person to death.

25. This had been his general character and con. duct, and his offences were not expiated by his partial reformation.Whether chargeable with idolatry or cot, he was guilty of manifeft injuftice and murder. 27 His

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27. His acquiefcence in the fentence pronounced by the prophet, fhews his belief in his divine million.

29. Tho' he confidered Elijah as his enemy, because he had denounced the judgments of God against him, he was far from offering him any violence. On the contrary he discovered every mark of forrow and contrition for what he had done; dreading, no doubt, the judgment which the prophet had announced,

Ch. XXII. 1. The war breaking out with Syria fo foon, fhews the weakness of Ahab in sparing Benhadad when he had him in his power.

2. The son of Jehofaphat had married the daughter of Ahab, 2 Ch. xviii, 1-2 Kings, viii, 18.

3. He had not restored all the cities that had been taken from the Ifraelites according to his promise.

6. This is another evidence of the return of Ahab to the true religion. Four hundred prophets probably formed feveral of their fchools or communities, which could not have been concealed. That they pretended to prophecy in the name of Jehovah is evident, tho' they wished to recommend themselves to Ahab by pleafing predictions; and they probably thought there was little danger of his want of fuccess against an enemy he had conquered before, when his forces were inconfiderable, and now he had the affiftance of so pious a prince as Jehofaphat.

7. He might fufpect from the manner in which they delivered their prophecies, that what they said was not from any divine impulse, but of themselves.

8. He did not object to the truth of his predictions, but was offended because they were not pleafing to

him.

This

This is an ingenuous acknowledgment of a very natural and common sentiment.

11. Of fuch symbolical representations of future' events, we have feveral inftances in the writings of Ifaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.

15. This he must have faid ironically, evidently meaning the contrary to what he said.

17.. In this manner he intimated that the kingdom would foon be deprived of its king, and fo it appears to have been understood by Ahab,

23. It was probably in a vifion that Micajah faw this representation.

25. This he might do to hide himself, when he was apprehenfive of being feized as a falfe prophet.

26. This looks as if he hadbeen in custody before. 29. Jehofaphat feems not to have known which of these prophets spoke the truth, and was willing to concur with Ahab as far as he could..

34. He had put on armour ; but the arrow ente-. red at fome of the junctures, and reached a vital part.

36. It does not appear which fide had the victory. They rather feem to have fought with equal advantage. 38. It was not the blood of Ahab himself, but that of Joram his grandson, that the dogs licked in in the fields of Naboth, 2 Kings, ix, 25; but this is called the blood of Ahab,

39. This houfe was probably inlaid, or fome way ornamented, with ivory."

43. The most pious of the kings of Judah till the reign of Hezekiah, permitted the worship of God in high places;

46. These.