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1 Kings
Ben-hadad
1. Ben-hadad was a king of Aram-Damascus, a powerful kingdom in the Near East during the 9th century BCE. He is mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the books of Kings and Chronicles.
2. According to the biblical account, Ben-hadad was a frequent adversary of the Israelite kings in the northern kingdom of Israel. He led a coalition of Aramean kingdoms in a battle against King Ahab of Israel, but was defeated. However, he later regrouped and launched another attack, which was again thwarted by Ahab.
3. After Ahab's death, his son Joram continued to face aggression from Ben-hadad's forces. In one notable encounter, Ben-hadad besieged the city of Samaria and caused a severe famine within its walls. However, the prophet Elisha predicted that God would deliver the city, and indeed, the Aramean forces were miraculously defeated.
4. Despite his repeated defeats, Ben-hadad remained a significant power in the region. He formed alliances with other kingdoms and continued to pose a threat to Israel for many years.
5. In terms of his significance, Ben-hadad is notable for representing the broader geopolitical landscape of the ancient Near East. His kingdom of Aram-Damascus was a major player in the region, and its conflicts with Israel reflected the complex relationships between various powers in the area. Additionally, the biblical stories involving Ben-hadad demonstrate the religious beliefs and practices of the Israelites, as they often relied on prophets and divine intervention to overcome their enemies.
