17. When the aides of the provincial governors marched out first, Ben-hadad received word, “Some men have marched out of Samaria.”
18. He answered, “Whether they have come out for peace or for war, take them alive.”
19. But when these had come out of the city—the aides of the provincial governors with the army following them—
20. each of them struck down his man. The Arameans fled with Israel pursuing them, while Ben-hadad, king of Aram, escaped on a chariot horse.
21. Then the king of Israel went out and destroyed the horses and chariots. Thus he inflicted a severe defeat on Aram.
22. Then the prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him: “Go, regroup your forces. Understand clearly what you must do, for at the turning of the year the king of Aram will attack you.”
23. Meanwhile the servants of the king of Aram said to him: “Their gods are mountain gods. That is why they defeated us. But if we fight them on level ground, we shall be sure to defeat them.