The Hebrew begins this verse with the common conjunction that is sometimes overlooked by modern translations. New American Bible uses the contrasting conjunction “But,” while New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh and New Century Version take it as a temporal connection by translating “Then.” It may be better, however, to follow the model of Good News Translation, which translates the transition word in such a way as to indicate the passage of a certain amount of time between the first encounter and this one.

The messengers came again, and said: Good News Translation makes it explicit that Benhadad’s messengers were speaking to “Ahab.”

Thus says Ben-hadad is literally “Thus says Benhadad saying.”

I sent to you: The Hebrew text has the short word ki to begin this clause, but neither Revised Standard Version nor Good News Translation translates it. One function of this Hebrew particle is that it may introduce direct speech, in which case it is represented by quotation marks in English. This Hebrew word has a wide range of other uses, including the expression of cause (“because”) and condition (“if”). New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh takes it as a conjunction expressing a time relationship, so it says “When I sent you.” Gray translates it as an adversative particle by saying “Nay, but I have sent to you.” It may also be understood as a particle that indicates emphasis. Walsh renders it “See here! I sent to you,” and this may well be the best rendering in this context. Verse 6 begins with this same Hebrew word, which Revised Standard Version translates there as “nevertheless.”

Deliver to me your silver …: The wording used in this verse for Benhadad’s demand is not the same as in verse 3. In this case the Hebrew verb for “give/deliver” is used, but there seems to be no difference in meaning. If there is a difference in meaning, perhaps all that Benhadad was saying in verse 3 was that he exercised authority over all of Ahab’s kingdom, but now he is demanding that Ahab Deliver to him all of his possessions.

This verse contains the same problem of more than one level of quotation as found in verse 2, but in this case there are three levels of quotation instead of two. So this may require a somewhat more creative solution. Contemporary English Version provides one possible model for this verse as follows:

• Later, Benhadad sent another messenger to say to Ahab, “I already told you to give me your silver and gold, your wives, and your children.”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .