So You Will Know the Lord

Ben Hadad king of Syria gathered his army and thirty-two kings and besieged Samaria. He demanded Ahab's silver, gold, wives, and children, then demanded to search his house and take whatever he liked. The elders advised Ahab to refuse. Ben Hadad threatened that Samaria's dust would not be enough for his soldiers to take a handful each.

Ahab replied that a man putting on armor should not boast like one taking it off. A prophet came to Ahab and said God would deliver the great army into his hand that day, so that Ahab would know that God is the Lord. The young men of the governors led the attack while Ben Hadad was drinking in his tent. Syria fled.

The Syrians said Israel's gods were gods of the hills, so they would fight on the plain. A man of God declared that because of this, God would give the army into Israel's hand, to show He is the Lord. Israel won again. Ben Hadad's servants came wearing sackcloth to beg for his life. Ahab called him brother, made a covenant, and let him go. A prophet disguised himself with a wound and gave Ahab a parable. Then he said that because Ahab released the man God had devoted to destruction, Ahab's life would answer for it.