And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.
When Ben-hadad received this message, he was drinking with the other kings in their tents. He immediately ordered his servants, 'Get ready for battle!' So they prepared to attack the city.
Ben-hadad, while drinking with allied kings, angrily ordered his army to prepare for battle against the city after receiving an unexpected message.
📚 Historical Context
In the 9th century BC, during the divided kingdom of Israel, King Ahab ruled the northern kingdom while Ben-hadad II, the king of Aram (Syria), led a coalition of armies against Israel in a series of conflicts. This verse occurs amid a standoff where Ben-hadad had demanded tribute from Ahab and was now receiving a defiant response, highlighting the tensions of ancient Near Eastern warfare. It portrays Ben-hadad's forces camped outside a city, likely Samaria, as he and his allies relaxed in their tents, showing the casual arrogance often seen in royal military campaigns of that era.
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