The prophet visited the king of Israel and said,“ This is what the LORD says:‘ Because the Syrians said,“ The LORD is a god of the mountains and not a god of the valleys,” I will hand over to you this entire huge army. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”The armies were deployed opposite each other for seven days. On the seventh day the battle began, and the Israelites killed 100,000 Syrian foot soldiers in one day.The remaining 27,000 ran to Aphek and went into the city, but the wall fell on them. Now Ben Hadad ran into the city and hid in an inner room.
They marched out of the city with the servants of the district governors in the lead and the army behind them.Each one struck down an enemy soldier; the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen.Then the king of Israel marched out and struck down the horses and chariots; he thoroughly defeated Syria.
Don’t you realize that the LORD God of Israel has given David and his dynasty lasting dominion over Israel by a formal agreement?Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his master.Lawless good-for-nothing men gathered around him and conspired against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man and could not resist them.Now you are declaring that you will resist the LORD’s rule through the Davidic dynasty. You have a huge army, and bring with you the gold calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods.But you banished the LORD’s priests, Aaron’s descendants, and the Levites, and appointed your own priests just as the surrounding nations do! Anyone who comes to consecrate himself with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of these fake gods!But as for us, the LORD is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron’s descendants serve as the LORD’s priests and the Levites assist them with the work.They offer burnt sacrifices to the LORD every morning and every evening, along with fragrant incense. They arrange the Bread of the Presence on a ritually clean table and light the lamps on the gold lampstand every evening. Certainly we are observing the LORD our God’s regulations, but you have rejected him.Now look, God is with us as our leader. His priests are ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you. You Israelites, don’t fight against the LORD God of your ancestors, for you will not win!”Now Jeroboam had sent some men to ambush the Judahite army from behind. The main army was in front of the Judahite army; the ambushers were behind it.The men of Judah turned around and realized they were being attacked from the front and the rear. So they cried out for help to the LORD. The priests blew their trumpets,and the men of Judah gave the battle cry. As the men of Judah gave the battle cry, the LORD struck down Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.The Israelites fled from before the Judahite army, and God handed them over to the men of Judah.
Why will your soldiers be defeated? They will not stand because I, the LORD, will thrust them down.I will make many stumble. They will fall over one another in their hurry to flee. They will say,‘ Get up! Let’s go back to our own people. Let’s go back to our homelands because the enemy is coming to destroy us.’
Now a prophet visited King Ahab of Israel and said,“ This is what the LORD says,‘ Do you see this huge army? Look, I am going to hand it over to you this very day. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’”
