1 Kings 20:35-43 ESV
35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow at the command of the Lord, “Strike me, please.” But the man refused to strike him. 36 Then he said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, behold, as soon as you have gone from me, a lion shall strike you down.” And as soon as he had departed from him, a lion met him and struck him down. 37 Then he found another man and said, “Strike me, please.” And the man struck him—struck him and wounded him. 38 So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39 And as the king passed, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and behold, a soldier turned and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if by any means he is missing, your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” The king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” 41 Then he hurried to take the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. 42 And he said to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43 And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.

VEXED AND SULLEN.
After Ahab had released Benhadad, he was confronted by one of the prophets in a scenario reminiscent to Saul. Saul was rebuked by Samuel because he spared an enemy, Agag, who was suppose to die. Ahab may had appeared noble to show mercy to Benhadad. But, in the eyes of God, he was naïve and presumptuous. Freeing an enemy was inviting more trouble in the future

He accused Elijah in the past as the troubler of Israel. But, who is the real troubler of Israel? Whether he admitted it or not, Ahab was and had always been the troubler. Living in sin may give temporary pleasures but their shadows are haunting. The consequences of sin are severe than one could think.

Ahab, like Achan, might had thought about the restored riches plus the ‘bazaars in Damascus’[v.32] promised by Benhadad. They were material blessings to enticing to ignore. But, God was ignored. The consequence for this would be painful. The Lord rebuked him through the prophet, saying, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.’” Indeed, what happened to him is of no surprise for abandoning God for idols was courting for a disaster.

Ahab’s compromises had caused a life mixed-up. He wanted to kill Elijah, a godly prophet but called Benhadad, the enemy his brother[see v.32]. Despite to his failings in the past, God gave him victory at Aphek . This goodness of the Lord shown in his life could have led him unto repentance.[Rom 2:4] But, he remained stubborn. He who was full of self to not hear God. He ignored history [Achan, King Saul] and was bound to repeat it.

Upon hearing God’s judgment upon him, he became vexed and sullen. Not surprising. (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.) [1 Kings 21:25,26]

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