Melachim Alef 20:7

7 Then the Melech Yisroel summoned kol Ziknei HaAretz, and said, Mark, now, and see how this man seeketh ra’ah; for he sent unto me for my nashim, for my banim, for my kesef, for my zahav; and I denied him not.

Melachim Alef 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.

Melachim Alef 20:7 In-Context

5 And the malachim came again, and said, Thus speaketh Ben-Hadad, saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me thy kesef, thy zahav, thy nashim, thy banim;

6 Yet I will send my avadim unto thee tomorrow about this time, and they shall search thine Bais (Palace), and the batim (houses) of thy avadim; and it shall be, that whatsoever is makhmad (precious) in thine eyes, they shall put it in their yad, and take it away.

7 Then the Melech Yisroel summoned kol Ziknei HaAretz, and said, Mark, now, and see how this man seeketh ra’ah; for he sent unto me for my nashim, for my banim, for my kesef, for my zahav; and I denied him not.

8 All the zekenim and kol HaAm said unto him, Pay not heed unto him, nor consent.

9 Wherefore he said unto the malachim of Ben-Hadad, Tell adoni HaMelech, All that thou didst send for to thy eved at the first I will do; but this thing I may not do. And the malachim departed, and took him back davar.