מלכים א, פרק כ׳, פסוק כ״ו

Exactly one year after suffering a defeat, the Aramean army reorganized to challenge Israel once again [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The king of Aram took the time to rebuild his forces, carefully counting and reviewing his soldiers [מצודת ציון]. The goal of this military census was to ensure that the army's ranks had been fully replenished, replacing the troops that were lost in the previous battle [מצודת דוד].

With his army restored, Ben-Hadad carefully selected a new, strategic battleground at Aphek. The primary approach among commentators notes that Aphek was situated near a wide, open plain. This location was chosen to follow the advice of the king's advisors, who suggested fighting in an open area. The Aramean army set up camp there, openly challenging the Israelites to come out and face them in battle [רד״ק, ביאור שטיינזלץ, אברבנאל].

The political identity of Aphek offers another layer of strategy, though opinions differ on its background. One perspective suggests that this specific Aphek belonged to the Kingdom of Judah. While there was another city named Aphek in the territory of Asher, that city was under the control of Israel's King Ahab. Ben-Hadad specifically marched to the Aphek in Judah because the Judean king was at peace with the king of Aram at the time [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Conversely, another view argues that Aphek was actually an Aramean city that had been captured from Israel in a prior war. As a result, it served as a convenient territory and a safe haven where Ben-Hadad and his forces could comfortably gather [רלב״ג].