Then the messengers came back to Ahab. They said, “Ben Hadad says, ‘I told you before that you must give me all of your silver and gold and your wives and children.
The man that took care of Ahab’s house, the man that controlled the city, the elders, and the people who raised {Ahab’s children} sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants. We will do anything you tell us. We will not make any man king. Do what you think is good.”
The survivors [449] will lose their courage in the land of their enemies. They will be scared of everything. They will run around like a leaf being blown by the wind. They will run like someone is chasing them with a sword. They will fall even when no one is chasing them!
So you will serve the enemies that the Lord will send against you. You will be hungry, thirsty, naked, and poor. The Lord will put a load on you that can’t be removed. You will carry that load until he destroys you. [186]