מלכים א, פרק כ׳, פסוק כ״ג

Following a surprising defeat, the advisors to the king of Aram conduct a strategic review to understand how a small Israelite army managed to overcome their massive forces. They quickly realize that the victory did not stem from the bravery or numbers of the Israelites, but rather from the intervention of their God [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Because the battle took place in Samaria, a city built on a mountain [רלב״ג], the Aramean advisors deduce that the God of the Israelites is specifically a deity of the mountains, whose power and dominion are strictly limited to high altitudes [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. They likely draw this conclusion from historical events, knowing that the Torah was given on Mount Sinai, the Binding of Isaac occurred on Mount Moriah, and the Temple was built on a mountain [מצודת דוד, חומת אנך, אברבנאל]. However, the assumption that God's affinity for mountains means He lacks control over the valleys is a foolish and heretical misunderstanding of His true nature [חומת אנך].

Alongside this theological theory, the advisors point out practical, tactical reasons for their failure. Mountain dwellers naturally develop the physical agility to run and leap across rocky hills like deer, whereas the Aramean soldiers are completely untrained for combat in such rugged terrain [אברבנאל]. Furthermore, there was a severe organizational breakdown in the Aramean ranks. The allied kings who joined the campaign were distracted, drinking wine in their tents instead of actively leading their troops on the battlefield. To fix this, the advisors recommend replacing these ineffective royal figures with professional military commanders [מלבי״ם, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

To guarantee success in the next encounter, the advisors propose a complete shift in strategy: moving the battlefield to the plains. By fighting in open, flat terrain where they are most comfortable [ביאור שטיינזלץ], the agility of the mountain-dwelling Israelites will no longer provide an advantage. Instead, the outcome will rely purely on physical strength and the sheer number of soldiers [אברבנאל]. The advisors confidently promise their king that if they force the battle into the plains, they will undoubtedly overpower the Israelites and secure a decisive victory [מצודת דוד, רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ].