8. All the elders and all the people said to him, “Don’t listen to him or consent.”
9. So he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad, “Tell my lord the king: All that you sent to your servant at first, I will do, but this thing I cannot do,” The messengers departed and reported to him.
10. Then Ben-Hadad sent word to him again saying, “May the gods do so to me and even more, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people at my feet.”
11. The king of Israel answered and said, “Tell him: ‘Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.”
12. On hearing this reply—while he and the other kings were drinking in the booths—he said to his servants, “Take your positions.” So they stationed themselves against the city.
13. Then behold, a prophet approached King Ahab of Israel and said, “Thus says Adonai: Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day, and you will know that I am Adonai.”
14. Ahab asked, “By whom?” He said, “Thus says Adonai: By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.” Then he asked, “Who should begin the battle?” “You!” he answered.
15. So he mustered the young men of the rulers of the provinces. There were 232. After them he mustered all the people of all the children of Israel, 7,000.
16. They marched out at noon, while Ben-Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths—he and the 32 kings allied with him.
17. The young men of the rulers of the provinces marched out first. Ben-Hadad sent out scouts, who reported to him saying, “There are men coming out from Samaria.”
18. He said, “Whether they are coming out for peace, take them alive, or whether they are coming out for battle, take them alive.”
19. Now when the young men of the rulers of the provinces marched out of the city, with the army following them,
20. each man struck down his foe. Then the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, but King Ben-Hadad of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen.
21. Then the king of Israel went out, struck the horses and chariots, and inflicted on the Arameans a great defeat.