And Ben Hadad king of Syria came with thirty-two kings and the whole army of Samaria and besieged the city. He sent messengers to Ahab, the king of Israel, and said to him, “Your silver and gold are mine. Your wives and the best children are mine.” Ahab answered, “As you have spoken, I am yours, and all that I have.” The messengers returned, “I, Ben Hadad have sent to you, saying, ‘You shall give me your silver and your gold, and your wives and your children.’ I will send my servants to you tomorrow at this time, and they will search your houses and take whatever they please and take it away.” So Ahab called the elders of the land to himself, “Notice how this man means it for evil. I have refused him nothing.” The elders said, “Do not obey him.” And Ahab said, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you commanded your servant at first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’ ”When Ben-Hadad heard this, he sent word to Ahab, “The gods do so to me, and more also, if there will be enough dust of Samaria left for the people who are with me to fill their hands with.” But the king of Israel said, “Tell him, ‘Don’t let him who puts on his armor brag like he who takes it off.’
When Ben Hadad heard this, he said to his kings, “Attack!” And they attacked.
A prophet came to Ahab king of Israel, and said, “The Lord says, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Truly, I will deliver it into your hand today. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’ ” Ahab said, “How?” He said, “By the men of the princes of the provinces.’” Ahab asked again, “Who shall begin the battle?” He answered, “You.” Ahab counted the people of the princes of the provinces and they were two hundred thirty-two, so he counted the whole country and there were seven thousand men. At noon they came out, but Ben Hadad was drinking himself drunk in the camp, including the thirty-two kings. The people of princes of the provinces went out first. When Ben Hadad heard from his scouts that men were coming out from Samaria, he said, “Take them alive, whether they come in peace or for war.” But when the people of the princes of the provinces had come out of the city with the army behind them, each killed the man who came before him. The Arameans fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Hadad escaped on a horse with horsemen. But they struck horses and the chariots. So the king of Israel killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.
And the prophet came to Ahab, “Go, strengthen yourself, and look to what you are doing. The king of Aram will come up against you in a year.”