Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>]

On 24/10/2004 10:15, MarianneLuban AT aol.com wrote:

> ...
>
> BTW, to get back on topic.  One of the best riposts in the entire Tanach was 
> said to be uttered by King Ahab of Israel.  "Let him that puts on his armor 
> not boast louder than he who takes it off."  I like this.  For me it means that 
> anybody who is in a position to put on armor and go into battle is one 
> thing--but he who lives to take it off is another matter.  Anybody agree?  Of course, 
> ultimately this king didn't live to take off his armor but here is something: 
> Ahab, in I Kings 22:34, instructs his chariot driver to take him out of the 
> battle because he had sustained a wound.  But right afterward it states that 
> he "was stayed up in his chariot" until the evening.  Battles weren't fought at 
> night in those times and so it seems to me that Ahab had somebody hold him up 
> so that he could at least be seen by his men so they wouldn't lose heart.  
> Then, when evening came and the fighting had to stop, he died--and no wonder!  
> One can't really dislike a man like that, no matter what else was written about 
> him.  That's my take.
>
>  
Reminds me of a recent presidential election in a country I know well, 
where the outgoing president, an old man, was taken seriously ill a few 
months before the election but conveniently survived until a few months 
after his successor took over. Rather too convenient to be true, the 
opposition alleges (although I doubt if a cover-up was actually possible 
as the outgoing president was at a clinic in the USA). If the truth was 
indeed more than was told publicly, would that be something admirable?

Sorry, back off topic, but I don't see this action of Ahab's as 
particularly admirable.

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/