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⌋.”
23. Meanwhile, the officers of King Benhadad of Aram told him, “Their god is a god of the hills. That is why they were stronger than we were. However, if we fight them on the plain, we will be stronger than they are.
24. This is what we must do: Remove all of the kings from their positions, and substitute governors for them.
25. Recruit an army with as many horses and chariots as the one which was defeated. Then, if we fight them on the plain, we will be stronger than they are.” He took their advice and followed it.
26. Spring came, and Benhadad organized the Aramean army and went to Aphek to fight Israel.
27. When the Israelite ⌊troops⌋ had been organized and given provisions, they went to meet the enemy. The Israelites, while camped opposite the Arameans who filled the country, seemed like two newborn goats.