1 Kings 20 1-1 Kings 20 22
Now King Ben-hadad of Aram assembled his entire army. Thirty-two kings, along with horses and chariots, were with him. He marched up, besieged Samaria, and fought against it.He sent messengers into the city to King Ahab of Israel and said to him,“ This is what Ben-hadad says:‘ Your silver and your gold are mine! And your best wives and children are mine as well!’”Then the king of Israel answered,“ Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”The messengers then returned and said,“ This is what Ben-hadad says:‘ I have sent messengers to you, saying,“ You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.”But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your palace and your servants’ houses. They will lay their hands on and take away whatever is precious to you.’”Then the king of Israel called for all the elders of the land and said,“ Recognize that this one is only looking for trouble, for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn’t turn him down.”All the elders and all the people said to him,“ Don’t listen or agree.”So he said to Ben-hadad’s messengers,“ Say to my lord the king,‘ Everything you demanded of your servant the first time, I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” So the messengers left and took word back to him.Then Ben-hadad sent messengers to him and said,“ May the gods punish me and do so severely if Samaria’s dust amounts to a handful for each of the people who follow me.”The king of Israel answered,“ Say this:‘ Don’t let the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.’”When Ben-hadad heard this response, while he and the kings were drinking in their quarters, he said to his servants,“ Take your positions.” So they took their positions against the city.A prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said,“ This is what the LORD says:‘ Do you see this whole huge army? Watch, I am handing it over to you today so that you may know that I am the LORD.’”Ahab asked,“ By whom?” And the prophet said,“ This is what the LORD says:‘ By the young men of the provincial leaders.’” Then he asked,“ Who is to start the battle?” He said,“ You.”So Ahab mobilized the young men of the provincial leaders, and there were 232. After them he mobilized all the Israelite troops: 7,000.They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings who were helping him were getting drunk in their quarters.The young men of the provincial leaders marched out first. Then Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, saying,“ Men are marching out of Samaria.”So he said,“ If they have marched out in peace, take them alive, and if they have marched out for battle, take them alive.”The young men of the provincial leaders and the army behind them marched out from the city,and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, but King Ben-hadad of Aram escaped on a horse with the cavalry.Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the cavalry and the chariots. He inflicted a severe slaughter on Aram.The prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him,“ Go and strengthen yourself, then consider carefully what you should do, for in the spring the king of Aram will attack you.”
