1 Kings 22:11

WEB

Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron, and said, "Thus says the Lord, 'With these you shall push the Syrians, until they are consumed.'"

KJV

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them.

Commentary

And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron,.... Horns are emblems of power and might, and iron ones of greater strength still; the prophets som etimes made use of visible signs, to represent the things they prophesied of should come to pass, see Isa 20:2 , and the same method this prophet took: and he saith, thus saith the Lord; imitating the true prophets: with these shall thou push the Syrians until thou hast consumed them: Abarbinel thinks he had in view the blessing of Joseph by Moses, Deu 33:17 where he is compared to a bullock with horns; and these said to be the ten thousands of Ephraim, and the thousands of Manasseh; and Ahab being of the tribe of Joseph, and ruling in Ephraim and Manasseh, the prophet chose to make use of this emblem for his encouragement.