1 Kings 20:25

25 Recruit another army like the one you lost. Give us the same number of horses, chariots, and men, and we will fight against them on the plains. There’s no doubt that we will beat them.” So King Ben-hadad did as they suggested.

1 Kings 20:25 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:25

And number thee an army like the army that thou hast lost,
&c.] Raise an army of an equal number, which they supposed he was able to do:

horse for horse and chariot for chariot;
as many horses and chariots as he had before:

and we will fight against them in the plain;
where they could make use of their horses and chariots to greater advantage than on hills and mountains, see ( Judges 1:19 )

and surely we shall be stronger than they;
and beat them:

and he hearkened unto their voice, and did so;
took their counsel, and prepared an army, and placed captains in it instead of kings.

1 Kings 20:25 In-Context

23 After their defeat, Ben-hadad’s officers said to him, “The Israelite gods are gods of the hills; that is why they won. But we can beat them easily on the plains.

24 Only this time replace the kings with field commanders!

25 Recruit another army like the one you lost. Give us the same number of horses, chariots, and men, and we will fight against them on the plains. There’s no doubt that we will beat them.” So King Ben-hadad did as they suggested.

26 The following spring he called up the Aramean army and marched out against Israel, this time at Aphek.

27 Israel then mustered its army, set up supply lines, and marched out for battle. But the Israelite army looked like two little flocks of goats in comparison to the vast Aramean forces that filled the countryside!