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About that time King Ben-hadad of Aram mobilized his army, supported by the chariots and horses of thirty-two allied kings. They went to besiege Samaria, the capital of Israel, and launched attacks against it.
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Ben-hadad sent messengers into the city to relay this message to King Ahab of Israel: “This is what Ben-hadad says:
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‘Your silver and gold are mine, and so are your wives and the best of your children!’”
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“All right, my lord the king,” Israel’s king replied. “All that I have is yours!”
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Soon Ben-hadad’s messengers returned again and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have already demanded that you give me your silver, gold, wives, and children.
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But about this time tomorrow I will send my officials to search your palace and the homes of your people. They will take away everything you consider valuable!’”
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Then Ahab summoned all the elders of the land and said to them, “Look how this man is stirring up trouble! I already agreed with his demand that I give him my wives and children and silver and gold.”
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“Don’t give in to any more demands,” all the elders and the people advised.
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So Ahab told the messengers from Ben-hadad, “Say this to my lord the king: ‘I will give you everything you asked for the first time, but I cannot accept this last demand of yours.’” So the messengers returned to Ben-hadad with that response.
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Then Ben-hadad sent this message to Ahab: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if there remains enough dust from Samaria to provide even a handful for each of my soldiers.”
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The king of Israel sent back this answer: “A warrior putting on his sword for battle should not boast like a warrior who has already won.”
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Ahab’s reply reached Ben-hadad and the other kings as they were drinking in their tents. 1 “Prepare to attack!” Ben-hadad commanded his officers. So they prepared to attack the city.