17
And the servants of the princes of the provinces went out first. And Benadad sent. And they told him, saying: There are men come out of Samaria.
18
And he said: Whether they come for peace, take them alive: or whether they come to fight, take them alive.
19
So the servants of the princes of the provinces went out, and the rest of the army followed:
20
And every one slew the man that came against him: and the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued after them. And Benadad, king of Syria, fled away on horseback with his horsemen.
21
But the king of Israel going out overthrew the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22
(And a prophet coming to the king of Israel, said to him: Go, and strengthen thyself, and know, and see what thou dost: for the next year the king of Syria will come up against thee.)
23
But the servants of the king of Syria said to him: Their gods are gods of the hills, therefore they have overcome us: but it is better that we should fight against them in the plains, and we shall overcome them.
24
Do thou, therefore, this thing: Remove all the kings from thy army, and put captains in their stead:
25
And make up the number of soldiers that have been slain of thine, and horses, according to the former horses, and chariots, according to the chariots which thou hadst before: and we will fight against them in the plains, and thou shalt see that we shall overcome them. He believed their counsel, and did so.
26
Wherefore, at the return of the year, Benadad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Aphec, to fight against Israel.
27
And the children of Israel were mustered, and taking victuals, went out on the other side, and encamped over against them, like two little flocks of goats: but the Syrians filled the land.