The rest fled to Aphek, &c— Aphek was situated in Libanus upon the river Adonis, between Heliopolis and Biblos, and in all probability was the same which Lucas speaks of, as swallowed up in a lake of mount Libanus, about nine miles in circumference, wherein there are several houses, all entire, to be seen under water. The soil about this place was very bituminous, which seems to confirm their opinion who think that subterraneous fire consumed the solid substance of the earth whereon the city stood, so that it subsided and sunk at once, and a lake was soon formed in its place. And there a wall fell, would be rendered more properly, and the wall fell, meaning the whole wall of the city; an event which may be accounted for in a natural way, by supposing that the Syrians, after their defeat, betook themselves to this fenced city of Aphek, and, despairing of any quarter, mounted the walls, or retired into some castle with a resolution to defend themselves to the last, and that the Israelitish army, coming upon them, plied the walls of the castle on every side so warmly with their batteries, that down they came at once; and killing some, wounding others, and making the rest disperse with fear, did all the execution which the text intends. But though the event may thus be accounted for, it is more reasonable to think that God upon this occasion wrought a miracle, and either by some earthquake or sudden storm of wind, overturned this wall upon the Syrians; and, indeed, if any time was proper for his Almighty arm to interpose, it was this, when these blasphemous people had denied his sovereign power and authority in the government of the world, and thereby in some measure obliged him, in vindication of his own honour, to give them a full demonstration of it; to shew that he was the God of the plains as well as of the hills; that he could as effectually destroy them in strong holds as in the open field, and make those very walls wherein they trusted for defence, the instruments of their ruin. See Patrick and Poole.
Related Commentaries of 1 Kings 20:30
1 Kings 20:30
30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.