2 Kings 6:24 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

And it came to pass after this, &c. How long after we are not informed; but probably some years, when they had forgotten the kindnesses they had received in Samaria, which for a time, it appears, had quite disarmed them of their hatred against Israel, and caused them to lay aside all thoughts of war. Now, however, they alter their minds, and break out again into hostilities. Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host He whom Ahab wickedly spared, now comes to requite his kindness, and fulfil the divine prediction contained in 1 Kings 20:42. They will not now, as before, make incursions and inroads into the country, in small bands and companies, which, as they had experienced, might easily be entrapped; but will wage an open and solemn war, and fall upon the Israelites at once, with all their forces united. Ben-hadad was a name very frequent among the kings of Syria, if not common to them all. And went up, and besieged Samaria Plundering and laying waste the country, no doubt, as he went; and meeting with no opposition till he came to the capital city.