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.