7. Then Israel’s king called all the elders of the land and he said, "Please know and understand the evil this man wants to do! He demanded from me my wives and sons, and my silver and gold; and I didn’t refuse him."
8. All of the elders and the people said to him, "Don’t obey and don’t give in!"
9. So the king said to Ben-hadad’s messengers, "Say to my master the king: ‘Everything that you first ordered your servant, I will do. But I can’t comply with this new command.’"The messengers took this response to Ben-hadad,
10. who sent back this reply: "May the gods do whatever they want to me if there is even a handful of dust left in Samaria for the armies under me!"
11. Then Israel’s king replied, "The one who prepares for battle shouldn’t brag like one returning from battle."
12. When Ben-hadad heard this message, he and the other kings were drinking in their tents. Ben-hadad said to his officers, "Take your positions!" So they took up their positions against the city.
13. Suddenly a prophet approached Israel’s King Ahab. He said, "This is what the Lord says: Do you see that great army? Today I am handing it over to you. Then you will know that I am the Lord."
14. Ahab said, "Who will do it?"The prophet answered, "This is what the Lord says: The servants of the district officials will do it.""Who should start the battle?" Ahab asked."You should," the prophet replied.
15. So Ahab assembled the servants of the district officials. There were two hundred thirty-two of them. Next he assembled the entire Israelite army, seven thousand total.
16. At noon they marched for battle. Meanwhile, Ben-hadad and the thirty-two kings allied with him were getting drunk in their tents.
17. The servants of the district officials were at the head of the march. Ben-hadad sent for information and was told, "Some men have marched out of Samaria."
18. He said, "If they have come out in peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive as well."
19. So the servants of the district governors with the army behind them marched out from the city.