"
Here this story breaks off. What follows is not the true continuation.
The thread of the narrative xvii.-xix. xxi. is also broken off
here, without reaching its proper conclusion. The victory of
Jehovah over Baal, of the prophet over the king, is wanting; the
story of Naboth is, as we said, only the introduction to it. We
are sufficiently informed about the facts, but in form the
narratives do not answer to the announcement in chapter xix. and
xxi.; they are drawn from other sources. According to xix. 1 7
the Syrian wars ought to result in vengeance on the worshippers of
Baal, and specially on the idolatrous royal house; but in the
narrative of the wars (1Kings xx. xxii. 2Kings vii. ix. )
this point of view does not prevail. On the contrary, Ahab and
Joram there maintain themselves in a manly and honourable way
against the superior power of Damascus it is ONLY AFTER the
extirpation of Baal worship under Jehu that affairs took an
unfortunate turn, and Hazael, who brought about this change, was
not anointed by Elijah but by Elisha (2Kings viii. 7 seq.) /.l/
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