1 Kings 20:1-8 ▼

1 Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered together all his forces, and thirty-two kings with him, and horse and chariot. And he went up and laid siege against Samaria and made war against it.

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, to the city,

3 and he said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad: ‘Your silver and your gold are mine, and your wives and loveliest children are mine.’”

4 And the king of Israel answered and said, “According to your word, My lord, the king, unto you are I and all that I have.”

5 And the messengers returned and said, “Thus speaks Ben-hadad, saying: ‘Surely I have sent to you, saying: Your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children, you shall deliver to me.

6 But about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants, and it will come to pass that whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will put it in their hands and take it.’”

7 And the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Know, please, and see that this one seeks evil, for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not withhold from him.”

8 And all the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen and do not consent.”