29. Ahab humbleth himself. Ahab did not clothe himself in sackcloth merely that he might be seen of men, but seen by them he was, and also by God. Such a course could have had a great influence upon the people if the king had only turned to the Lord earlier in this reign. It might have brought a great revival that would have spread throughout the land. As it probably was, the repentance came too late, or it may have been largely prompted by fear. But, however, that might be, God saw the prickings of conscience, however faint they were, and He did not turn a deaf ear to the king’s remorse and grief. God noticed the sackcloth and fasting of Ahab as he later did the sackcloth and fasting of the king and people of Nineveh (Jonah 3:5-10).
In his days. Pronouncement of judgment by Heaven is often conditional. If may sincerely repents, God forgives, and the judgment may be averted (Jer. 18:7, 8; Jonah 3:4, 5, 10). Ahab had the satisfaction of knowing that the predicted doom would be at least temporarily postponed.
1. Three years. This chapter picks up the thread of military narrative that is broken by 21. These were eventful years in the history of Western Asia. Assyria was growing ever more powerful, and becoming a definite threat to the countries of Palestine and Syria. It is generally held that this was the time when, under the spur of the Assyrian threat, Israel and Syria temporarily composed their differences and joined together in a coalition against Assyria. It was probably this alliance that granted Israel and Syria a three-year period of peace. We know that Ahab and Benhadad were friends, at least for a time, because both fought together against Shalmaneser III at the battle of Qarqar (see 59).