“And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.”
And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area — the Legion's request is to remain in the region rather than be cast into the abyss (as Luke 8:31 specifies). The area is the local territory — the demons have a territorial attachment that is part of ancient demonological understanding. The begging again and again communicates sustained, urgent pleading — not a single request but repeated petitions. The fact that the Legion is begging rather than commanding or threatening reveals the power relationship: Jesus is in complete control, and the demons are reduced to supplicants. Their request, not Jesus' preference, initiates the negotiation that follows.
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