The Generation Gap-WHY? - Herbert W. Armstrong

November, 1968 The PLAI N TRUTH 35
of life. As he and his men faced the oncoming
enemy, he was fearful that these were his last
minutes of existence. He had only a strong hope, instead
of a strong belief, that God would save him
and his army.
As the two bodies of humanity closed in on the
plain , the Israelites knew they were lighting for
their lives. The Syrians felt that they wouldn't have
to exert much effort defending themselves. Their
aim was to kill as many Israelites as possible in the
shortest time necessary.
But a strange thing happened as the two armies
met. The confident Syrian warriors were suddenly
filled with an awful fear that almost instantly turned
them into cringing cowards. They dropped their
weapons and shields and turn ed and ran before the
amazed Israelites, who at first thought they were
pretending to be afraid.
\X'hen they saw the Syrians running into each
other and stumbling to the ground in wild confusion,
the Israelites knew there was no pretense.
They took full advantage of the unbelievable situation,
charging into the Syrians and dispatching them
swiftly, The growing slaughter spread from the
foremost ranks of the enemy footmen across the
whole army until it became a disorgan ized, howling,
shrieking mob.
By the time the sun had set, a hundred thousand
Syrians lay dead on the plain, The Israelite
army was almost intact. (I Kings 20:29.)
The rest of the Syrian footmen fled to the
nearby walled city of Aphek, where they looked
for refuge. The tremendous carnage shocked Benhadad.
He fl ed in fright with his cavalry and
chariots, following his foot soldiers to Aphek . Ahab
and his troops, though very weary, weren't far behind
, But by the time they reached the city the
Syrians were inside and the gates were barred.
Although Ahab was excited and thankful for
the success that had come to his army, he remembered
that the prophet had said the victory would go to
Israel. He couldn't believe a victory was complete
while many thousands of the enemy were taking
refuge inside a city against whose walls and gates
the Israelites had no equipment for attack.
\Valls Are No Protect ion
As the pursuers paused before Aphek, they
saw men appearing on the walls. Th e number grew
rapidly, It was evident that the Syrians intended
to make a defense from there if the Israelites came
close to the city. Ahab was discouraged , The only
thing he could do was besiege Aphek, something
he wasn't prepared for because his food supplies
were limited. He hadn 't planned to carryon warfare
very far from Samaria for very long.
The prob lem was settled very SOOn in a surprising
manner. As Ahab and his men moved a little
closer to Aphek , more and more Syrians crowded
up on the walls, preparing to hurl anything heavy
or pointed down on the Israelites. Sudden ly there
was a sharp cracking sound from the walls, followed
by a growing rumbling. Ahab and his troops
stared in astonishment as the walls buckled and
collap sed in a grouod-shaking roar, sending up a
huge cloud of dust. Twenty-seven thousand Syrians
went to their deaths in the jumble of stones and
heavy beams. (1 Kings 20:30.)
Instead of rushing into Aphek after the dust
had cleared , Ahab wisely stayed outside where his
troops could attack any Syrians who tried to leave
the place. Because they were well inside Aphek
and back from the walls, Ben-hadad and his top
officers escaped death and injury. W'ith the city exposed,
the Syrians hurried to hide themselves in
the private quarters of the ruler of Aphek. There
they discussed what to do next. If they stayed there,
they reasoned, it could be the most perilous thing
to do.
"The kings of Israel have been known as men
who have been unusuall y merciful to those who ask
for mercy." one of Ben-hadad's officers observed. " If
we are found concealing ourselves here, probably
we'll be slain at once, but if we go out to Ahab
with the attitude that we regret what we've done,
possibly he'll forgive us and spare our lives. He
might even let us go free."
" I can hardly believe that," Ben-hadad said,
shaking his head worriedly, "but I agree there's
nothing to lose by trying it." Then he added bitterly,
"As for regret, I have plenty of that. I deeply regret