Page:The Books of Chronicles (1916).djvu/310

264 him: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the helped him; and God moved them to depart from him. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said to the driver of the chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am sore wounded. And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even: and about the time of the going down of the sun he died. And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem. And Jehu the son of Hanani the

The various chariots turned aside from lesser enemies, and then, discovering their mistake and obeying their orders, left him to continue their search for Ahab.

and God moved them to depart from him] These words anticipate ver. 32 and are not found in 1 Kin. Jehoshaphat's cry was to his soldiers for aid, but the Chronicler apparently took it to be a cry to Jehovah, and accordingly added these words.

33. And a certain man drew a bow] Render, But a certain man had drawn a bow. God had already brought about that which the Syrians were labouring to perform.

at a venture] lit. in his innocence, i.e. without knowing that he was aiming at Ahab. Cp. 2 Sam. xv. 11.

between the joints of the harness] Probably between the breastplate (or coat of mail) and the appendages to it; the wound would be in the lower part of the body.

34. stayed himself up in his chariot] 1 Kin. was stayed up. Ahab sustained his reputation as a good soldier (cp. 1 Kin. xx. 14, xxii. 31) to the last; his death caused the failure of the attack on Ramoth (1 Kin. xxii. 36).

1—3 (no parallel in Kings).

1. in peace] i.e. in safety.&emsp;LXX. (B) om. the phrase.

2. Jehu the son of Hanani] He must have been an old man at this time, for he had prophesied against Baasha (1 Kin. xvi. 1), since whose reign two kings had ruled in Israel, viz., Omri (12 years) and Ahab (22 years). It appears, however, as if the Chronicler ignored or