16. King Ahab began his attack at noon, while King Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings were drinking and getting drunk in their tents.
17. The young helpers went out first. King Ben-Hadad’s men told him that some soldiers had come out of Samaria.
18. So Ben-Hadad said, “They might be coming to fight or they might be coming to ask for peace. Capture them alive.”
19. The young men of King Ahab were the first to come out, but the rest of the army of Israel was following them.
20. Each of the men of Israel killed the man who had come against him. So the men from Aram began to run away and the army of Israel chased them. King Ben-Hadad escaped on a horse with the chariots.
21. King Ahab led the army and attacked all the horses and chariots. So King Ahab made the Arameans suffer a great defeat.
22. Then the prophet went to King Ahab and said, “The king of Aram will come back to fight again next spring. So go back and strengthen your army and make careful plans to defend yourself against him.”