Ahab Defeats Ben-hadad

Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared,“This is what the LORD says:‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’ ”

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“By whom?” Ahab asked.

And the prophet replied,“This is what the LORD says:‘By the young officers of the district governors.’ ”

“Who will start the battle?” asked [Ahab].

“You [will],” answered the prophet.

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So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men And after them, he assembled [the rest of] the Israelite troops, 7,000 {} in all.

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They marched out at noon vvv while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. 17 And the young officers of the district governors marched out first

Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts who reported to him“Men are marching out of Samaria.”

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“If they have marched out in peace,” he said,“take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”

19 

Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them, 20 and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry.

21 

Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.

22 

Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said“Go and strengthen [your position], and take note what you must do, for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.”

23 

Meanwhile, the servants of the king of Aram said to him,“Their gods [are] gods of the hills. That is why they prevailed over us. Instead, we should fight them on the plains; surely then we will prevail 24 So do this: Dismiss all the kings from their positions and replace them with other officers. 25 And you must raise an army like the [one] you have lost— horse for horse and chariot for chariot— so we can fight [the Israelites] on the plain, where we will surely prevail

And [the king] approved their plan and acted accordingly.

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