1Kings:20:1-12
Seeker Overlay ON
*
Now Ben-Hadad the king of Syria gathered all his forces together ;
thirty-two kings were with him ,
with horses and chariots .
And he went up and besieged Samaria ,
and made war against it .
*
Then he sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel ,
and said to him , "
Thus says Ben-Hadad :
* "
Your silver and your gold are mine ;
your loveliest wives and children are mine ."'
*
And the king of Israel answered and said , "
My lord ,
O king ,
just as you say ,
I and all that I have are yours ."
*
Then the messengers came back and said , "
Thus speaks Ben-Hadad ,
saying , "
Indeed I have sent to you ,
saying , "
You shall deliver to me your silver and your gold ,
your wives and your children ";
*
but I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time ,
and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants .
And it shall be ,
that whatever is pleasant in your eyes ,
they will put it in their hands and take it ."'
*
So the king of Israel called all the elders of the land ,
and said , "
Notice ,
please ,
and see how this man seeks trouble ,
for he sent to me for my wives ,
my children ,
my silver ,
and my gold ;
and I did not deny him ."
*
And all the elders and all the people said to him , "
Do not listen or consent ."
*
Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben-Hadad , "
Tell my lord the king , "
All that you sent for to your servant the first time I will do ,
but this thing I cannot do ."'
And the messengers departed and brought back word to him .
*
Then Ben-Hadad sent to him and said , "
The gods do so to me ,
and more also ,
if enough dust is left of Samaria for a handful for each of the people who follow me ."
*
So the king of Israel answered and said , "
Tell him , "
Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off ."'
*
And it happened when Ben-Hadad heard this message ,
as he and the kings were drinking at the command post ,
that he said to his servants , "
Get ready ."
And they got ready to attack the city .