Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said, Let my lord the king now speak.
Ver. 18. Then the king answered and said.] Hitherto he had with great delight hearkened to her silken words: and now as smelling a plot, he desires therein to be satisfied. Neither was she to seek of an answer, but comes off truly and trimly, extolling the king's singular sagacity.