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Death of Ben-hadad

Elisha went to Damascus while King Ben-hadad of Aram was ill. When it was told him, “The man of God has come here,”(A) the king said to Hazael, “Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God. Inquire of the Lord through him, whether I shall recover from this illness.”(B) So Hazael went to meet him, taking a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camel loads. When he entered and stood before him, he said, “Your son King Ben-hadad of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this illness?’ ” 10 Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover,’ but the Lord has shown me that he shall certainly die.”(C) 11 He fixed his gaze and stared at him to the point of embarrassment. Then the man of God wept. 12 Hazael asked, “Why does my lord weep?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel; you will set their fortresses on fire; you will kill their young men with the sword, dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their pregnant women.”(D) 13 Hazael said, “What is your servant, who is a mere dog, that he should do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you are to be king over Aram.”(E) 14 Then he left Elisha and went to his master Ben-hadad,[a] who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” 15 But the next day he took the bedcover and dipped it in water and spread it over the king’s face, until he died. And Hazael succeeded him.(F)

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Footnotes

  1. 8.14 Heb lacks Ben-hadad

Hazael Murders Ben-hadad

Now Elisha came to (A)Damascus. (B)Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick. And when it was told him, “The man of God has come here,” the king said to (C)Hazael, (D)“Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God, (E)and inquire of the Lord through him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?’” So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camels' loads. When he came and stood before him, he said, (F)“Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?’” 10 And Elisha said to him, (G)“Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover,’ but[a] the Lord has shown me that (H)he shall certainly die.” 11 And he fixed his gaze and stared at him, (I)until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept. 12 And Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” He answered, “Because I know (J)the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword (K)and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women.” 13 And Hazael said, “What is your servant, (L)who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” Elisha answered, (M)“The Lord has shown me that you are to be king over Syria.” 14 Then he departed from Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me (N)that you would certainly recover.” 15 But the next day he took the bed cloth[b] and dipped it in water and spread it over his face, till he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 8:10 Some manuscripts say, ‘You shall certainly not recover,’ for
  2. 2 Kings 8:15 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain