1 Kings 20:12

12 It happened that Ben-Hadad received this message when he was drinking, he and his kings, in the field-barracks. He ordered his servants: "Take up your battle positions!" So they got ready to attack the city.

1 Kings 20:12 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:12

And it came to pass, when Benhadad heard this message (as he
was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions)
Though it was at noon, or before, ( 1 Kings 20:16 ) , which shows that he and they were addicted to intemperance:

that he said unto his servants;
some of the principal officers of his army:

set yourselves in array;
prepare for battle, betake yourselves to your arms, invest the city at once, and place the engines against it to batter it down:

and they set themselves in array against the city;
besieged it in form, at least prepared for it; for it seems after all that it was not properly done.

1 Kings 20:12 In-Context

10 Ben-Hadad then sent this message to him: "May the gods do terrible things to me and worse ones as well if there's enough dust in Shomron to give each of my followers a handful!"

11 The king of Isra'el answered, "Tell him: 'He who is putting on his armor shouldn't boast as if he were taking it off!'"

12 It happened that Ben-Hadad received this message when he was drinking, he and his kings, in the field-barracks. He ordered his servants: "Take up your battle positions!" So they got ready to attack the city.

13 At that moment a prophet approached Ach'av king of Isra'el and said, "Here is what ADONAI says: 'Have you seen this vast army? I am going to give you victory over them today. Then you will know that I am ADONAI!'"

14 Ach'av asked, "Who will defeat them?" He answered, "This is what ADONAI says: 'The young men who serve the district governors.'" He asked, "Who will start the fighting?" and he answered, "You will."