Study Desk

But Ahab said, "By whom?" So he said, "The LORD says this: 'By the young men of the leaders of the provinces.'" Then he said, "Who will begin the battle?" And he said, "You will."

So he mustered the young men of the leaders of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, all the sons of Israel: seven thousand.

They went out at noon, while ^(C1)Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the ^(F1)temporary shelters ^(F2)with the thirty-two kings who were helping him.

The young men of the leaders of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out scouts, and they reported to him, saying, "Men have come out from Samaria."

^(C1)Then he said, "If they have come out ^(F1)for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive as well."

So these men went out from the city, the young men of the leaders of the provinces, and the army which followed them.

And they ^(F1)killed, each one, his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad the king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen.

The king of Israel also went out and struck the horses and chariots, and ^(F1)killed the Arameans in a great slaughter.

Then ^(C1)the prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, "Go, show yourself courageous and be aware and see what you have to do; for ^(C2)at ^(F1)the turn of the year the king of Aram will march against you."