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1 Kings 22:34
Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- InternationalContextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
at a venture: Heb. in his simplicity, 2 Samuel 15:11
and smote: 1 Samuel 17:49, 2 Kings 9:24
joints of the harness: Heb. joints and the breast-plate, Revelation 9:9
wounded: Heb. made sick, 2 Chronicles 18:30, 2 Chronicles 35:23, *marg. Micah 6:13
Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 28:8 - disguised 1 Samuel 31:3 - archers hit him 1 Kings 22:17 - as sheep 2 Kings 1:2 - was sick 2 Kings 8:29 - sick 2 Chronicles 18:16 - as sheep 2 Chronicles 18:33 - a certain man 2 Chronicles 35:22 - but disguised Psalms 64:7 - shall they be wounded Proverbs 29:1 - General Ecclesiastes 8:12 - a sinner
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And a certain man drew a bow at a venture,.... Not aiming at the king of Israel, or knowing whereabout he was. In the Targum on
2 Chronicles 18:33, this man is said to be Naaman, the general of the army of the king of Syria, and so Jarchi here; but though he did this in his simplicity, as the word signifies, without any intention to smite any particular person; yet God directed the arrow to the man he had marked for destruction, and neither his disguise, nor coat of mail, could secure from that:
and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: of which the pieces of armour on him were joined together, the higher and lower parts of it, the breastplate, and what covered the belly; and though these were joined as close as they were capable of joining them in those times, yet the arrow, guided by divine Providence, found its way into his body:
wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, turn thine hand; or hands, with which he held the reins, and turn the horses on one side:
and carry me out of the host; where the battle was hottest, to a place more remote and private, that he might have the wound examined, and the blood stopped, and return again, as it seems he did:
for I am wounded; or rather "I am sick" s, or ill, as the Targum; somewhat out of order, and therefore chose to retire a little while; not caring it should be known that he was smitten and wounded, lest his soldiers should be disheartened.
s ×××××ª× "aegrotare factus sum", Vatablus; "aegrotus factus sum", Junius & Tremellius.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
At a venture - literally, as in the margin, i. e. without intent to kill the king.
Between the joints of the harness - literally, as in the margin. The âjointsâ were probably pieces of armor which attached the breast-plate to the helmet or to the greaves. The arrow entered between the breastplate and one of these âjoints.â breastplates made of metal scales were common both in Egypt and Assyria.
Turn thine hand - literally, âturn thy hands.â The driver of a chariot, both in Egypt and Assyria, held the reins with his two hands.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 34. Drew a bow at a venture — It is supposed that he shot, as the archers in general did, not aiming at any person in particular.
The word ×ת×× lethummo, which we translate in his simplicity, has been variously understood; in his integrity, his uprightness; in his perfection; i.e., to the utmost of his skill and strength. This is most probably the meaning; and may imply both aim and power, having his butt full in view. In cases where the archers wished to do the greatest execution, they bent their bows, and pulled till the subtending string drew back the arrow up to its head. This they could not do always, because it required their whole strength; and they could not put forth their utmost effort each time and continue to discharge many shots. Our old national ballad of the Chevy-chace mentions the slaying of Sir Hugh Montgomery, who had slain Earl Percy, in nearly the same way that Ahab appears to have been shot: -
"And thus did both these nobles die,
Whose courage none could stain:
An English archer then perceived
His noble lord was slain,
Who had a bow bent in his hand
Made of a trusty tree;
An arrow, of a cloth-yard long,
Up to the head drew he;
Against Sir Hugh Montgomery then
So right his shaft he set,
The gray goose wing that was thereon
In his heart's blood was wet."
Between the joints of the harness — "Between the cuirass and the lower part of the helmet;" and then the arrow must pass through the neck, just above the breast: or "between the cuirass and the cuissarts;" and then the arrow must pass through the abdomen, or just where the armour of the thighs joins to that which covers the breast and belly.
The Vulgate has Inter pulmonem et stomachum; "Between the lungs and the stomach;" consequently, in the region of the heart.
