1 Kings 20:15

15 Ahab counted the young officers of the district governors. There were 232. After counting them, he counted all the Israelite soldiers. There were 7,000.

1 Kings 20:15 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:15

Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the
provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two
A very small number to go forth against so great an army as the host of the Syrians, and these raw unexperienced young men:

and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of
Israel, being seven thousand;
which could never be the number of all the people in the land, nor even in the city of Samaria, who were able to bear arms; but it must mean such who were willing to go out to war on this occasion: and the number being just the same as of those that bowed not the knee to Baal, has led the Jewish commentators to conclude that these were the men that were numbered for war; but it is not likely that they were all in Samaria, or that none but those would go to war, though it must be owned the number is remarkable.

1 Kings 20:15 In-Context

13 Then a prophet came to King Ahab of Israel and said, "This is what the LORD says: Have you seen this large army? I will hand it over to you today. Then you will know that I am the LORD."

14 Ahab asked, "How [will this be done]?" The prophet answered, "This is what the LORD says: by using the young officers of the district governors." "Who will start the battle?" Ahab asked. "You will," the prophet answered.

15 Ahab counted the young officers of the district governors. There were 232. After counting them, he counted all the Israelite soldiers. There were 7,000.

16 They attacked at noon, when Benhadad was in his tent getting drunk with the 32 kings who were his allies.

17 The young officers of the district governors went out first. Benhadad had sent men [to watch the city]. They informed him that some men had come out of Samaria.