דברי הימים ב, פרק י״ח, פסוק ט׳

Two monarchs prepare for war, staging a grand public gathering to consult with prophets before heading into battle. The kings of Israel and Judah convene in a display of mutual respect and equality. Ahab, the king of Israel, seeks to host Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, in a welcoming and dignified manner. They sit together on their respective thrones, fully arrayed in their ceremonial royal garments, either side by side or directly facing one another [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Rather than meeting within the confines of a palace, they gather in a large, open threshing floor situated directly in front of the city gates of Samaria [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This decision to hold the assembly outside the city walls carries major consequences for the coming conflict. By gathering in a wide-open space filled with the commotion of assembling troops, the kings inadvertently create the perfect cover for enemy espionage. Spies sent by the king of Aram are able to approach the gathering and listen to the proceedings. Had the meeting taken place inside the city, these spies would have been too afraid of capture to get close. Out in the open field, however, they can easily blend into the crowd, ready with the excuse that they were simply drawn in by the noise and spectacle of the gathering [רש״י].

Because of this vulnerable location, the Aramean spies manage to overhear the prophet Micaiah predict that the king of Israel will fall alone in the upcoming battle. They quickly relay this crucial intelligence back to the king of Aram. This intercepted prophecy directly inspires the Aramean king's later battlefield strategy, where he explicitly commands his soldiers to ignore all other combatants and focus their attack exclusively on the king of Israel.