KJV ORIGINAL
Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
So he said to Ben-hadad's messengers, 'Tell my master the king: Everything you first asked your servant to do, I will do. But this latest demand I cannot do.' The messengers left and brought back his answer.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The writer is showing how King Ahab agreed to Ben-hadad's first demands but drew the line at his second, more unreasonable request.
📚 Historical Context
This occurs during a tense standoff between Israel's King Ahab and Syria's King Ben-hadad, who had surrounded the capital city of Samaria with his army. Ben-hadad had made increasingly demanding requests for tribute, starting with silver and gold, then escalating to claim Ahab's wives, children, and best possessions.
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