1 Kings 20:26-43. Benhadad, the king of Syria, makes war against Israel but God delivers victory to the much outnumbered Israel because the Syrians had said "The Lord is god of the hill but he is not a god of the valleys." Benhadad is convinced by his servants to seek mercy from the king of Israel, but when he does so, Ahab, the king, brings Benhadad up onto his chariot and makes a deal with him. So a prophet waits for Ahab by the side of the road, acting like a wounded soldier. The prophet calls out to Ahab as he passes that he, the prophet, had been charged with keeping tabs of a prisoner under pain of death or payment of a silver talent but he lost track of the prisoner. Ahab replies that then his fate is sealed his life is forfeited. The prophet then reveals himself and proclaims the same fate for Ahab. Because he let Benhadad go when God wanted him destroyed, Ahab's life shall be taken for his life, and Ahab's people for his people. Ahab is resentful and sullen at this.

Prior to this passage, the prophet came to Ahab and told him that the king of Syria would be making war on Israel and told him to "consider well what you have to do." So Ahab was given warning from God that something was about to happen and that he had a decision to make. That makes him even more culpable in his treatment of Benhadad. Ahab knew God had delivered the Syrians into his hands because they mocked God. He knew God wanted justice for his name. And he knew God had told him to think about what he was going to do, yet he bartered with Benhadad anyway. They divvied up cities and earthly power and then he let him go. So there was no lesson learned by the Syrians - their king lived to see another day and actually got rule over some cities out of it. For this, God will demand Ahab's life. He let the king that God wanted punished go, so Ahab will be punished.