1 Kings 20:14–22

¹⁴“By whom?” Ahab asked.

And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’”

“Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab.

“You will,” answered the prophet.

¹⁵So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all.

¹⁶They marched out at noon while Ben-hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. ¹⁷And the young officers of the district governors marched out first.

Now Ben-hadad had sent out scouts, who reported to him, “Men are marching out of Samaria.”

¹⁸“If they have marched out in peace,” he said, “take them alive. Even if they have marched out for war, take them alive.”

¹⁹Meanwhile, these young officers of the district governors marched out of the city, with the army behind them, ²⁰and each one struck down his opponent. So the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with the cavalry.

²¹Then the king of Israel marched out and attacked the horses and chariots, inflicting a great slaughter on the Arameans.

²²Afterward, the prophet approached the king of Israel and said, “Go and strengthen your position, and take note what you must do, for in the spring^c the king of Aram will come up against you.”