1 Kings 20:7

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,^[a] for he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, and I didn't turn him down."

1 Kings 20:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 20:7

Then the King of Israel called all the elders of the land
His poor sneaking spirit was a little aroused with the last message, and therefore called a council of the elders of the people upon it, which was a piece of wisdom in him:

and said, mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief;
nothing less than the entire ruin of the nation:

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;
in the sense he understood him, which was, that he was to be a vassal, and tributary to him, for the sake of holding these, which yet was very mean; but he wanted to have these in hand, and not them only, but the pillaging of all his subjects.

1 Kings 20:7 In-Context

5 The messengers then returned and said, "This is what Ben-hadad says: 'I have sent [messengers] to you, saying: Your silver, your gold, your wives, and your children you are to give to me.

6 But at this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your palace and your servants' houses. Whatever is precious to you, they will lay their hands on and take away.' "

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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Kg 5:7