1. And Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
2. And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Ben-hadad,
3. Thy silver and thy gold is mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.
4. And the king of Israel answered and said, It is according to thy saying, my lord, O king; I am thine, and all that I have.
5. And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-hadad, saying, I sent indeed unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children;
6. but I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
7. Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
8. And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken thou not, neither consent.