¹³Then a prophet came to King Ahab of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: Have you seen this large army? I will hand it over to you today. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

¹⁴Ahab 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.

¹⁵Ahab counted the young officers of the district governors. There were 232. After counting them, he counted all the Israelite soldiers. There were 7,000. ¹⁶They attacked at noon, when Benhadad was in his tent getting drunk with the 32 kings who were his allies. ¹⁷The 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.

¹⁸He said, “Take them alive, whether they have come out to make peace or to fight.”

¹⁹The young officers of the district governors led an attack, and the troops followed them. ²⁰Each officer killed his opponent. The Arameans fled, and Israel pursued them. King Benhadad of Aram escaped on a horse with the cavalry. ²¹The king of Israel went out and destroyed the horses and chariots and decisively defeated the Arameans.

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