1 Kings 20:14

And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord [Observe the repetition. He is careful to give special prominence to the sacred name, as the only help in trouble ( Psalms 20:1 , Psalms 20:5 , Psalms 20:7 , etc.)], Even by the young men [or servants— נַעַר , has both meanings, corresponding with παῖς (cf. Genesis 37:2 ; 2 Kings 5:20 ; 2 Kings 8:4 ] of the princes of the provinces . [The local governors (cf. 1 Kings 4:7 ; 1 Kings 10:15 ), on the approach of Ben hadad, had apparently fled to the capital. Whether these "young men" were their "pages" (Thenius), or even were "young lads" (Ewald) at all, or, on the contrary, a "select body of strong young men" (Bähr), the bodyguard of the various governors ( 2 Samuel 18:15 ) (Von Gerlach), may be doubtful; but when Bähr says that Ahab would not have consented to appoint weak boys to lead the van, at least without remonstrance, he must have forgotten that all the ordinary means at Ahab's disposal were equally insufficient, and that in themselves 200 or 2000 tried veterans would have been just as inadequate a force as 200 pages. The agency by which the victory was won was purposely weak and feeble ( per turbam imbellem ), in order that the work might be seen to be of God (cf. 7:2 ; 1 Corinthians 1:27 , 1 Corinthians 1:29 ). And this consideration makes against the supposition that the attacking body was composed of tried and skilful warriors.] Then he said, Who shall order [Heb. bind ; we speak of " joining battle"] the battle? [The meaning is—not, "who shall command this force," but, "which side shall begin the fray?"] And he answered, Thou [ i.e; thy band of young men shall make the attack.]