¹³ The king answered the people harshly. Rejecting the advice given him by the elders,

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven^(A) is first of all pure; then peace-loving,^(B) considerate, submissive, full of mercy^(C) and good fruit, impartial and sincere.^(D)

⁶ But about this time tomorrow I am going to send my officials to search your palace and the houses of your officials. They will seize everything you value and carry it away.’”

⁷ The king of Israel summoned all the elders^(A) of the land and said to them, “See how this man is looking for trouble!^(B) When he sent for my wives and my children, my silver and my gold, I did not refuse him.”

⁸ The elders and the people all answered, “Don’t listen to him or agree to his demands.”

⁹ So he replied to Ben-Hadad’s messengers, “Tell my lord the king, ‘Your servant will do all you demanded the first time, but this demand I cannot meet.’” They left and took the answer back to Ben-Hadad.

¹⁰ Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust^(C) remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”

¹¹ The king of Israel answered, “Tell him: ‘One who puts on his armor should not boast^(D) like one who takes it off.’”

⁴³ Then the men of Israel^(A) answered the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king; so we have a greater claim on David than you have. Why then do you treat us with contempt? Weren’t we the first to speak of bringing back our king?”

But the men of Judah pressed their claims even more forcefully than the men of Israel.