1. Now Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army. Thirty-two kings, along with horses and chariots, were with him. He marched up, besieged Samaria, and fought against it.
2. He sent messengers into the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “This is what Ben-hadad says:
3. ‘Your silver and your gold are mine! And your best wives and children are mine as well! ’ ”
4. Then the king of Israel answered, “Just as you say, my lord the king: I am yours, along with all that I have.”
5. The messengers then returned and said, “This is what Ben-hadad says: ‘I have sent messengers to you, saying: You are to give me your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children.
6. But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your palace and your servants’ houses. They will lay their hands on and take away whatever is precious to you.’ ”
7. Then the king of Israel called for all the elders of the land and said, “Think it over and you will see that this one is only looking for trouble, for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn’t turn him down.”
8. All the elders and all the people said to him, “Don’t listen or agree.”
9. So he said to Ben-hadad’s messengers, “Say to my lord the king, ‘Everything you demanded of your servant the first time, I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’ ” So the messengers left and took word back to him.