King Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram had his messengers tell King Ahab that all of the gold and silver of Samaria belonged to him. He also told Ahab that he would take his wives and children. Ahab refused his demands. Then Ben-Hadad and his army decided to attack the king in Samaria.

Israel Fights the Arameans

A prophet told Ahab that he was to attack first. So he assembled an army of seven thousand men and they set out to attack Ben-Hadad and his men when they were getting drunk in their tents. While the Israeli army was fighting the Arameans, Ben-Hadad escaped on horseback. Israel’s army overpowered him and his men. Many of the Arameans were killed in battle.

Another Battle with Israel

The following spring, the king of Aram once again fought against Israel. God told the Israeli army that he would deliver the Aramean army into their hands so they would know he was the Lord. The Israeli army inflicted thousands of casualties on their enemy in just one day.

A wall in Aphek collapsed on over 20,000 Arameans and killed them. Ben-Hadad fled and went into hiding. Ben-Hadad’s officials told him that they should go to Ahab and ask for mercy. So they went to see Ahab and Ben-Hadad said he would return all of the cities that his father had taken from Ahab’s father. King Ahab made a treaty with Ben-Hadad and then set him free.

A Prophet Condemns Ahab

A prophet asked his companion to strike him, but the companion refused to do this. The prophet then asked another man to strike him. The man did and wounded the prophet. The prophet then waited for the king and he put a headband over his eyes as a disguise.

When Ahab passed him, the prophet told him that someone had given him a captive and that the prophet was told to guard him with his life or pay a talent of silver. The prophet told Ahab that the captive escaped while he was busy. The prophet then removed the headband, and Ahab immediately recognized the prophet.

The prophet told Ahab that the Lord told him that Ahab should not have set Ben-Hadad free and that Ben-Hadad was supposed to be killed. King Ahab went back to his palace very upset.