16. They marched out at noon, while Ben-Hadad and the thirty-two rulers helping him were getting drunk in their tents.
17. The young officers of the district governors attacked first. Ben-Hadad sent out scouts who told him that soldiers were coming from Samaria.
18. Ben-Hadad said, “They may be coming to fight, or they may be coming to ask for peace. In either case capture them alive.”
19. The young officers of the district governors led the attack, followed by the army of Israel.
20. Each officer of Israel killed the man who came against him. The men from Aram ran away as Israel chased them, but Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with some of his horsemen.
21. Ahab king of Israel led the army and destroyed the Arameans’ horses and chariots. King Ahab thoroughly defeated the Aramean army.
22. Then the prophet went to Ahab king of Israel and said, “The king of Aram will attack you again next spring. So go home now and strengthen your army and see what you need to do.”
23. Meanwhile the officers of Ben-Hadad king of Aram said to him, “The gods of Israel are mountain gods. Since we fought in a mountain area, Israel won. Let’s fight them on the flat land, and then we will win.
24. This is what you should do. Don’t allow the thirty-two rulers to command the armies, but put other commanders in their places.
25. Gather an army like the one that was destroyed and as many horses and chariots as before. We will fight the Israelites on flat land, and then we will win.” Ben-Hadad agreed with their advice and did what they said.