Useful Bible Studies > 1 Kings Commentary > chapter 22
God had warned Ahab that he would die in the battle for Ramoth-Gilead (22:20). However, Ahab was a powerful man who used clever schemes to control other people. So, he thought that he could control God in the same way.
Ahab led his army to the battle, as his soldiers would expect him to do. However in the actual battle, Ahab did everything possible to protect his life. For example, he did not wear his royal clothes, so that the enemy soldiers would not recognise him. He wore armour – strong clothes that would protect him from sharp objects such as arrows. He sat in his chariot, a simple vehicle with wheels, that fast horses pulled. So, if he found himself in a dangerous situation, he could escape quickly.
However, Ahab failed to protect himself from danger with all his schemes. The enemy soldiers did not recognise him. One of them shot an arrow that happened to hit Ahab. Ahab had expected his armour to protect him in such a situation. It failed, because the arrow hit him between the sections of his armour. At once, Ahab gave the instruction to take his chariot out of the battle. So, Ahab escaped from the battle alive – but he already had a dangerous injury. He was bleeding constantly.
Ahab’s guards took him to a place where he could watch the battle. They helped him to sit up, perhaps so that his soldiers could see him (contrast Exodus 17:8-18). However, they could not stop his flow of blood. By evening, he was dead.
Next part: Defeat at Ramoth-Gilead (1 Kings 22:36)
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