³¹ His officials said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of Israel are merciful.^(A) Let us go to the king of Israel with sackcloth^(B) around our waists and ropes around our heads. Perhaps he will spare your life.”

³² Wearing sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-Hadad says: ‘Please let me live.’”

The king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.”