1 Kings 20:1-7

1 And Benhadad 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 warred against it.

2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, "Thus saith Benhadad:

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, "My lord, O king, according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have."

5 And the messengers came again, and said, "Thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, `Although I have sent unto thee, saying, "Thou shalt deliver me thy silver and thy gold and thy wives and thy children,"

6 yet 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."

1 Kings 20:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 20

This chapter relates the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, and his insolent demand of Ahab's wives, children, and riches, 1Ki 20:1-12, the sally made out upon him, at the direction of the prophet, and the route made of the Syrian army, 1Ki 20:13-21, the return of the Syrian army the next year, when there was a pitched battle between them and Israel, in which the former were entirely defeated, 1Ki 20:22-30, the peace Ahab made with the king of Syria, 1Ki 20:31-34, and the reproof one of the sons of the prophets gave him for it, which made him very uneasy, 1Ki 20:35-43.