15. So Ahab called together the two hundred and thirty-two young soldiers and the seven thousand troops in Israel's army, and he got them ready to fight the Syrians.
16-17. At midday, King Ahab and his Israelite army marched out of Samaria, with the young soldiers in front.King Benhadad of Syria and the thirty-two kings with him were drunk when the scouts he had sent out ran up to his tent, shouting, “We just now saw soldiers marching out of Samaria!”
18. “Take them alive!” Benhadad ordered. “I don't care if they have come out to fight or to surrender.”
19. The young soldiers led Israel's troops into battle,
20. and each of them attacked and killed an enemy soldier. The rest of the Syrian army turned and ran, and the Israelites went after them. Benhadad and some others escaped on horses,
21. but Ahab and his soldiers followed them and captured their horses and chariots.Ahab and Israel's army crushed the Syrians.
22. Later, the prophet went back and warned Ahab, “Benhadad will attack you again next spring. Build up your troops and make sure you have some good plans.”
23. Meanwhile, Benhadad's officials went to him and explained:Israel's gods are mountain gods. We fought Israel's army in the hills, and that's why they defeated us. But if we fight them on flat land, there's no way we can lose.
24. Here's what you should do. First, get rid of those thirty-two kings and put army commanders in their places.
25. Then get more soldiers, horses, and chariots, so your army will be as strong as it was before. We'll fight Israel's army on flat land and wipe them out.Benhadad agreed and did what they suggested.
26. In the spring, Benhadad got his army together, and they marched to the town of Aphek to attack Israel.
27. The Israelites also prepared to fight. They marched out to meet the Syrians, and the two armies camped facing each other. The Syrians covered the whole area, but the Israelites looked like two little flocks of goats.
28. The prophet went to Ahab and said, “The Syrians think the Lord is a god of the hills and not of the valleys. So he has promised to help you defeat their powerful army. Then you will know that the Lord is in control.”
29. For seven days the two armies stayed in their camps, facing each other. Then on the seventh day the fighting broke out, and before sunset the Israelites had killed one hundred thousand Syrian troops.
30. The rest of the Syrian army ran back to Aphek, but the town wall fell and crushed twenty-seven thousand of them.Benhadad also escaped to Aphek and hid in the back room of a house.
31. His officials said, “Your Majesty, we've heard that Israel's kings keep their agreements. We will wrap sackcloth around our waists, put ropes around our heads, and ask Ahab to let you live.”
32. They dressed in sackcloth and put ropes on their heads, then they went to Ahab and said, “Your servant Benhadad asks you to let him live.”“Is he still alive?” Ahab asked. “Benhadad is like a brother to me.”