7. Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
8. And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken thou not, neither consent.
9. Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Ben-hadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
10. And Ben-hadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
11. And the king of Israel answered and said, tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his armour boast himself as he that putteth it off.
12. And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings, in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.
13. And, behold, a prophet came near unto Ahab king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou seen all this great multitude? behold; I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.
14. And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the Lord, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? And he answered, Thou.
15. Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
16. And they went out at noon. But Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
17. And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out from Samaria.
18. And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
19. So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them.
20. And they slew every one his man; and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them: and Ben-hadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with horsemen.