Study Desk

Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, "^(C1)Their gods are gods of the mountains; for that reason they were stronger than we. But let us fight them in the plain, and we will certainly be stronger than they.

"Carry out this ^(F1)plan: remove the kings, each from his place, and put governors in their place,

and ^(F1)muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and we will certainly be stronger than they." And he listened to their voice and did so.

So ^(C1)at ^(F1)the turn of the year Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to ^(C2)Aphek to fight against Israel.

And the sons of Israel were mustered and given provisions, and they went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped opposite them like two little flocks of goats, ^(C1)while the Arameans filled the country.

Then ^(C1)a man of God approached and spoke to the king of Israel, and said, "This is what the LORD says: 'Since the Arameans have said, "^(C2)The LORD is a god of mountains, but He is not a god of valleys," therefore ^(C3)I will hand over to you all this great multitude, and you shall know that I am the LORD.'"

So they camped, one opposite the other, for seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel ^(F1)killed of the Arameans a hundred thousand foot soldiers in a single day.

But the rest fled to ^(C1)Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city, going from one ^(C2)inner room to another.