2 Kings 8: The Shunammite's land, Hazael, and the kings Jehoram and Ahaziah
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Elisha had told the woman whose son he brought back to life to leave because of a seven-year famine; when she comes back from the land of the Philistines to appeal to the king for her house and land, Gehazi is telling the king about that very son, and the king gives back all that was hers. Elisha comes to Damascus, where Ben Hadad king of Syria is sick and sends Hazael with gifts to ask whether he will recover. Elisha tells Hazael what to say, says Yahweh has shown him that the king will die, weeps, and tells Hazael the harm he will do to Israel and that he will be king over Syria; the next day a wet cloth is spread over the king's face, he dies, and Hazael reigns in his place. In Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat reigns eight years and walks in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab did, for a daughter of Ahab is his wife, yet Yahweh will not destroy Judah for David's sake; Edom and Libnah break away. His son Ahaziah reigns one year, goes with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael at Ramoth Gilead, and goes down to see Joram in Jezreel after he is wounded.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. No verse is in gold: God speaks no words in this chapter. Elisha speaks to the woman in verse 1; his words that Yahweh has called for a famine are his own, so they are not in gold. The king speaks with Gehazi in verses 4 to 6. Ben Hadad is told of Elisha in verse 7 and sends Hazael in verse 8. Hazael and Elisha speak in verses 9 to 13; in verses 10 and 13 Elisha tells what Yahweh has shown him, in his own words. Ben Hadad and Hazael speak in verse 14. The reigns of Jehoram and Ahaziah, in verses 16 to 29, are told by the narrator; verse 19, that Yahweh would not destroy Judah, is the narrator's words. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for Yahweh has called for a famine. It will also come on the land for seven years.”
In plain English: Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had brought back to life: "Get up and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can, because Yahweh has called for a famine, and it will come on the land for seven years."
Good to know: This is the woman of Shunem () whose son Elisha brought back to life in and . The text does not say when Elisha told her to leave.
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2The woman arose, and did according to the man of God’s word. She went with her household, and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years.
In plain English: The woman got up and did as the man of God said. She went with her household and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years.
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3At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. Then she went out to beg the king for her house and for her land.
In plain English: At the end of the seven years the woman came back from the land of the Philistines, and she went to appeal (literally: cry out) to the king for her house and her land (literally: field).
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4Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.”
In plain English: Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, "Please tell me all the great things Elisha has done."
Good to know: In Gehazi went out from Elisha with the skin disease, "as white as snow". The text does not say when this talk with the king took place, and it says nothing more here about Gehazi's disease.
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5As he was telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life begged the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”
In plain English: As he was telling the king how Elisha had brought back to life the one who was dead, the woman whose son he had brought back to life came appealing to the king for her house and her land. Gehazi said, "My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha brought back to life."
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6When the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.”
In plain English: When the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, "Give back all that was hers, and all the crops of the field from the day she left the land until now."
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7Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick. He was told, “The man of God has come here.”
In plain English: Elisha came to Damascus. Ben Hadad king of Syria was sick, and he was told, "The man of God has come here."
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8The king said to Hazael, “Take a present in your hand, and go meet the man of God, and inquire of Yahweh by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
In plain English: The king said to Hazael, "Take a gift with you, go and meet the man of God, and ask Yahweh through him, 'Will I recover (literally: live) from this sickness?'"
Good to know: "Will I recover from this sickness?" is the same question, in almost the same Hebrew words, that King Ahaziah of Israel sent to ask of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, in . Here the king of Syria sends to ask it of Yahweh, through Elisha.
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9So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him and said, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
In plain English: So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' load. He came and stood before him and said, "Your son Ben Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you to ask, 'Will I recover from this sickness?'"
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10Elisha said to him, “Go, tell him, ‘You will surely recover;’ however Yahweh has shown me that he will surely die.”
In plain English: Elisha said to him, "Go, say to him, 'You will surely recover' (or: Go, say, 'You will surely not recover'; see the note). But Yahweh has shown me that he will surely die."
The Hebrew words: "Say to him" is emor lo. The Hebrew text writes lo here with the letters for "not"; the reading noted in the margin of the Hebrew text is lo, "to him", which sounds the same. This Bible follows the margin. The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "Go, say, Thou shalt certainly live".
What changes: Read with "to him", Elisha tells Hazael to say to the king, "You will surely recover", and then says that Yahweh has shown him the king will surely die. Read with "not", Elisha tells Hazael to say, "You will surely not recover". In verse 14 Hazael tells the king, "You would surely recover".
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11He settled his gaze steadfastly on him, until he was ashamed. Then the man of God wept.
In plain English: He fixed his gaze (literally: made his face stand) and kept it there until he was ashamed (the text does not say who; see the note). Then the man of God wept.
The Hebrew words: Word for word the Hebrew says "he made his face stand and set it, until ashamed". It does not name who fixed his gaze or who was ashamed; it names only "the man of God", who wept. "Ashamed" is bosh, which the dictionary gives as "to pale, i.e. by implication to be ashamed". The old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "he stood before him, and fixed his countenance till he was ashamed".
What changes: The one who fixed his gaze may be Elisha or Hazael, and the one who was ashamed may be either of them: Elisha may have stared at Hazael until Hazael was ashamed, or kept his gaze fixed until he himself was ashamed. Either way, the man of God then wept, and verse 12 gives the reason Elisha gives for his weeping.
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12Hazael said, “Why do you weep, my lord?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, and will dash their little ones in pieces, and rip up their pregnant women.”
In plain English: Hazael said, "Why is my lord weeping?" He answered, "Because I know the harm you will do to the children of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones in pieces, and rip open their pregnant women."
Good to know: These are Elisha's words about what Hazael will do. Later the text says that "Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel" () and that Yahweh "delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria" ().
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13Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he could do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “Yahweh has shown me that you will be king over Syria.”
In plain English: Hazael said, "But what is your servant, who is only a dog, that he should do this great thing?" Elisha answered, "Yahweh has shown me that you will be king over Syria."
Good to know: Hazael calls himself a dog, as David calls himself "a dead dog" before Saul in and Mephibosheth calls himself "such a dead dog as I am" in . In Yahweh told Elijah to "anoint Hazael to be king over Syria". The text here does not say that Elisha anointed him.
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14Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” He answered, “He told me that you would surely recover.”
In plain English: Then he left Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, "What did Elisha say to you?" He answered, "He told me that you would surely recover."
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15On the next day, he took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it on the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael reigned in his place.
In plain English: The next day he took the thick cloth (this Bible: a thick cloth), dipped it in water, and spread it over his face, and he died. And Hazael became king in his place.
Good to know: The Hebrew says only "he took". It does not name who took the cloth and spread it over his face, and this Bible keeps "he". The verse then says, "Hazael reigned in his place." "Thick cloth" is makber, which the dictionary gives as "a cloth (as netted)". It is in only this verse of the Bible.
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16In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being king of Judah then, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.
In plain English: In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, while Jehoshaphat was king of Judah (literally: and Jehoshaphat king of Judah), Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king.
Good to know: These are the text's own numbers. In Jehoram of Israel began to reign "in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah", and in "in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah". Here Jehoram of Judah begins to reign in the fifth year of Joram of Israel, "Jehoshaphat being king of Judah then". The text gives them as they are and does not explain how they fit together.
Good to know: Two kings with the same name reign at the same time. The king of Israel, the son of Ahab, is "Jehoram" in 1:17 and 3:1 and "Joram" in this chapter. The king of Judah, the son of Jehoshaphat, is "Jehoram" in verses 16, 25 and 29 and "Joram" in verses 21, 23 and 24.
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17He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign. He reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
In plain English: He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
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18He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did Ahab’s house, for he married Ahab’s daughter. He did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.
In plain English: He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab did, because a daughter of Ahab was his wife. He did what was evil in Yahweh's eyes.
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19However, Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.
In plain English: But Yahweh was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of his servant David, since he had promised to give him a lamp for his sons (this Bible: children) always (literally: all the days).
Good to know: "A lamp" is the word explained in the note on , where Yahweh gave Abijam "a lamp in Jerusalem" for David's sake. In the prophet Ahijah gave Yahweh's word that David would "have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem".
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20In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
In plain English: In his days Edom broke away (this Bible: revolted) from under the hand of Judah and made a king over themselves.
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21Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him; and he rose up by night and struck the Edomites who surrounded him with the captains of the chariots; and the people fled to their tents.
In plain English: Then Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. He got up by night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him and the commanders of the chariots (or: struck the Edomites, who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders), and the people fled to their tents.
The Hebrew words: The Hebrew says "he struck Edom, who surrounded him, and the commanders of the chariots". It can be read that Joram struck both the Edomites and the commanders of their chariots, or that the Edomites had surrounded Joram and his own chariot commanders. The dictionary gives Zair as "a place in Idumaea", that is, Edom. The text does not say whose people fled to their tents.
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22So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.
In plain English: So Edom has broken away from under the hand of Judah to this day. Libnah broke away at that same time.
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23The rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
In plain English: The rest of what Joram did, and all his deeds, are they not written in the book of the chronicles (literally: the matters of the days) of the kings of Judah?
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24Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
In plain English: Joram slept with his fathers (or: ancestors) and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. His son Ahaziah became king in his place.
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25In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.
In plain English: In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah became king.
Good to know: These are the text's own numbers. says, "In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah began to reign over Judah." The text gives both and does not explain.
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26Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
In plain English: Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the daughter (or: granddaughter; see the note) of Omri king of Israel.
Good to know: These are the text's own numbers. says "Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign"; the old Greek translation in this collection (Brenton) has "twenty and two" here. Verse 18 says Jehoram's wife was a daughter of Ahab, and this verse calls Athaliah "the daughter of Omri", Ahab's father. The dictionary gives bat, "daughter", as "used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship". The text does not explain more.
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27He walked in the way of Ahab’s house and did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, as did Ahab’s house, for he was the son-in-law of Ahab’s house.
In plain English: He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did what was evil in Yahweh's eyes, as the house of Ahab did, because he was related by marriage to the house of Ahab (this Bible: the son-in-law of Ahab's house).
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28He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram.
In plain English: He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram.
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29King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel from the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
In plain English: King Joram went back to Jezreel to be healed of the wounds the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram the son of Ahab, because he was sick.
Good to know: Verse 28 says the war was at Ramoth Gilead, and this verse says Joram was wounded "at Ramah". The text does not explain the two names. and tell it again: Joram had been defending Ramoth Gilead "because of Hazael king of Syria" and had returned to be healed in Jezreel.
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