Why were the northern 10 tribes described as 'two little flocks of kids' when they faced Ben-Hadad in 1 Kings 20?
The description pictures extreme depletion. In 1 Kings 20:27 the northern kingdom's troops were numbered and all present against Ben-Hadad of the Syrians, yet they pitched like two little flocks of kids. They were so few they were not enough to fool with—that was all they had left.
Les explains that by the time we reach the end of the history of the northern ten tribes, they had been so depleted in numbers. In 1 Kings 20:27 the children of Israel—the northern kingdom, not Judah—were numbered and all present and went against Ben-Hadad of the Syrians, yet they pitched before them like two little flocks of kids. His point is that they were not enough to even fool with; that was all they had left. He then connects this to 2 Chronicles 15:9 to show a constant migration of Israelites from the northern ten tribes down into Judah, so that what was taken captive did not have to come back because all Israel was now down there, at least representatively.
And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
More Questions
Why were the northern ten tribes compared to two little flocks of kids in 1 Kings 20:27?
By the end of their history, the northern ten tribes were so depleted in numbers that in 1 Kings 20:27 they are described as pitching before Ben-Hadad like two little flocks of kids—they were not enough to even fight with; that was all they had left.
Does 1 Kings 20:27 refer to Judah or to the northern ten tribes?
In 1 Kings 20:27, 'the children of Israel' who were numbered refers to the northern ten-tribe kingdom, not to Judah.
Who are 'the children of Israel' in 1 Kings 20:27—Judah or the northern kingdom?
In Les's reading of 1 Kings 20:27, "the children of Israel" are the northern 10-tribe kingdom, not Judah.