[20:1] King Benhadad of Syria gathered all his troops, and supported by thirty-two other rulers with their horses and chariots, he marched up, laid siege to Samaria, and launched attacks against it.
[20:2] He sent messengers into the city to King Ahab of Israel to say, “King Benhadad demands that
[20:3] you surrender to him your silver and gold, your women and the strongest of your children.”
[20:4] “Tell my lord, King Benhadad, that I agree; he can have me and everything I own,” Ahab answered.
[20:5] Later the messengers came back to Ahab with another demand from Benhadad: “I sent you word that you were to hand over to me your silver and gold, your women and your children.
[20:6] Now, however, I will send my officers to search your palace and the homes of your officials, and to take everything they consider valuable. They will be there about this time tomorrow.”
[20:7] King Ahab called in all the leaders of the country and said, “You see that this man wants to ruin us. He sent me a message demanding my wives and children, my silver and gold, and I agreed.”
[20:8] The leaders and the people answered, “Don't pay any attention to him; don't give in.”
[20:9] So Ahab replied to Benhadad's messengers, “Tell my lord the king that I agreed to his first demand, but I cannot agree to the second.” The messengers left and then returned with another message
[20:10] from Benhadad: “I will bring enough men to destroy this city of yours and carry off the rubble in their hands. May the gods strike me dead if I don't!”
[20:11] King Ahab answered, “Tell King Benhadad that a real soldier does his bragging after a battle, not before it.”
[20:12] Benhadad received Ahab's answer as he and his allies, the other rulers, were drinking in their tents. He ordered his men to get ready to attack the city, and so they moved into position.
[20:13] Meanwhile, a prophet went to King Ahab and said, “The Lord says, ‘Don't be afraid of that huge army! I will give you victory over it today, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
[20:14] “Who will lead the attack?” Ahab asked. The prophet answered, “The Lord says that the young soldiers under the command of the district governors are to do it.” “Who will command the main force?” the king asked. “You,” the prophet answered.
[20:15] So the king called out the young soldiers who were under the district commanders, 232 in all. Then he called out the Israelite army, a total of seven thousand men.
[20:16] The attack began at noon, as Benhadad and his thirty-two allies were getting drunk in their tents.
[20:17] The young soldiers advanced first. Scouts sent out by Benhadad reported to him that a group of soldiers was coming out of Samaria.
[20:18] He ordered, “Take them alive, no matter whether they are coming to fight or to ask for peace.”
[20:19] The young soldiers led the attack, followed by the Israelite army,
[20:20] and each one killed the man he fought. The Syrians fled, with the Israelites in hot pursuit, but Benhadad escaped on horseback, accompanied by some of the cavalry.
[20:21] King Ahab took to the field, captured the horses and chariots, and inflicted a severe defeat on the Syrians.
[20:22] Then the prophet went to King Ahab and said, “Go back and build up your forces and make careful plans, because the king of Syria will attack again next spring.”