Ahab consulted the elders of Israel who advised him not to agree to Ben-Hadad's terms so he sent a message to the Syrian king stating that the men could not enter the city. In response, Ben-Hadad ordered his soldiers to prepare to attack the city. Ben-Hadad and his men have been drunkenly celebrating because they believed the city of Samaria was about to surrender to them without a fight. While they've been occupied in this foolish manner, King Ahab has been mustering an army. An unnamed prophet of the Lord came to him and told him to muster the men and lead the charge against the Syrian forces, for the Lord is going to give Israel the victory even though Israel will be sending 7,000 men (not including the 232 officers) against an army of 130,000.
"They set out at noon while Ben-Hadad and the 32 kings allied with him were in their tents getting drunk. The junior officers under the provincial commanders went out first. Now Ben-Hadad had dispatched scouts, who reported, 'Men are advancing from Samaria.'" (1 Kings 20:16-17) Scholars believe the 32 "kings" allied with Ben-Hadad were tribal chieftains, not kings over large nations like Ben-Hadad himself or like King Ahab. These chieftains and their small bands of troops may have allied themselves willingly with Ben-Hadad in exchange for protection against enemy tribes or they may have had no choice about going to war with him because he has annexed their territories by force and made them his subjects.
"He said, 'If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.'" (1 Kings 20:18) Ben-Hadad's army is camped outside the city of Samaria. All of a sudden the 232 junior officers step outside the city gates, maybe with their hands raised. The men who have been put on guard to watch the city come to Ben-Hadad's tents with the news that men from Israel are approaching. The drunken Ben-Hadad thinks this may be a delegation King Ahab is sending to negotiate terms of surrender, so he tells the scouts if that's the case he doesn't want the men harmed. But why does he say to leave them unharmed if they are coming out for war? Some scholars think he intends to capture the men to compel them (by torture if necessary) to reveal the layout of the city of Samaria and to describe its weak points so he can carry out a quick and effective attack. Others think that he drunkenly misspoke and meant to say, "If they have come out for war, kill them."
I think Ben-Hadad and his men began drinking the night before. It's doubtful they suddenly began at noon. I think they held a celebratory feast and drinking party the night before and that the celebration is still going on at noon the next day. All sorts of debauchery has probably taken place in the army camp. Ben-Hadad and his men are not in good condition to fight. The king is not able to put together a wise strategy. If he were sober he might have been on high alert and sensed the approaching danger but his senses are dulled by alcohol.
The intoxicated Ben-Hadad and his men are focusing their attention on the 232 junior officers. They don't realize that the appearance of these men in their army uniforms is intended as a distraction from the 7,000 armed soldiers who are preparing to attack. As Ben-Hadad's men approach the officers, the officers pull swords that may have been concealed and surge forward with the rest of the army pouring out of the gates behind them. "The junior officers under the provincial commanders marched out of the city with the army behind them and each one struck down his opponent. At that, the Arameans fled, with the Israelites in pursuit. But Ben-Hadad king of Aram escaped on horseback with some of his horsemen. The king of Israel advanced and overpowered the horses and chariots and inflicted heavy losses on the Arameans." (1 Kings 20:21)
The surprise attack throws the intoxicated Syrian army into confusion and panic. The ones who are not struck down in front of the city gates attempt to flee and many of them are struck down while they are in retreat. Ben-Hadad, who must have stayed at the back of his army, is able to jump on his horse and ride away. He suffers a stunning defeat in this battle but will recoup and come back, which is something the prophet warns King Ahab about. "Afterward, the prophet came to the king of Israel and said, 'Strengthen your position and see what must be done, because next spring the king of Aram will attack you again.'" (1 Kings 20:22)
The battle is over but the war isn't. The enemy isn't ready to give up. But Ahab has time to prepare because it will take Ben-Hadad some time to conscript and train additional soldiers, plus I think the rainy season is approaching. You may recall that the author of 2 Samuel told us that the springtime was the time kings go out to war (2 Samuel 11:1) and this is because it was too rainy and cold in fall and winter to effectively make war. The rains turned the ground mushy and caused chariot wheels to get mired in mud. Horses could not run as well in mud and soldiers could not fight well on slippery ground. Ahab has time to prepare to defend his nation again. His troops will still be outnumbered in the spring but the Lord is still fighting on Israel's side.
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