10. Then Benhadad sent Ahab the following message: “May the gods strike me dead if there will be enough dust left from Samaria to give a handful to each soldier who follows me.”
11. The king of Israel answered, “The saying goes, ‘Don’t brag about a victory before you have even dressed for battle.’ ”
12. Benhadad heard this as he and his allies were drinking in their tents. He told his officers to get ready. So they got ready ⌊to attack⌋ the city.
13. Then a prophet came to King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: Have you seen this large army? I will hand it over to you today. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
14. Ahab asked, “How ⌊will this be done⌋?”The prophet answered, “This is what the Lord says: by using the young officers of the district governors.”“Who will start the battle?” Ahab asked.“You will,” the prophet answered.
15. Ahab counted the young officers of the district governors. There were 232. After counting them, he counted all the Israelite soldiers. There were 7,000.
16. They attacked at noon, when Benhadad was in his tent getting drunk with the 32 kings who were his allies.
17. The young officers of the district governors went out first.Benhadad had sent men ⌊to watch the city⌋. They informed him that some men had come out of Samaria.
18. He said, “Take them alive, whether they have come out to make peace or to fight.”
19. The young officers of the district governors led an attack, and the troops followed them.
20. Each officer killed his opponent. The Arameans fled, and Israel pursued them. King Benhadad of Aram escaped on a horse with the cavalry.
21. The king of Israel went out and destroyed the horses and chariots and decisively defeated the Arameans.
22. Then the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, “Reinforce your army. Consider what you have to do. When spring comes, the king of Aram will attack ⌊again⌋.”