2 Kings 8:11

And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

And he settled {H5975} his countenance {H6440} stedfastly {H7760}, until he was ashamed {H954}: and the man {H376} of God {H430} wept {H1058}.

Then the man of God fixed his gaze on him for so long that Haza'el became embarrassed; finally Elisha began to cry.

Elisha fixed his gaze steadily on him until Hazael became uncomfortable. Then the man of God began to weep.

And he settled his countenance stedfastly upon him, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

Commentary

2 Kings 8:11 captures a profoundly intense and revealing moment between the prophet Elisha and Hazael, an officer of the Syrian king, showcasing Elisha's divine insight and deep emotional response to future events.

Context

This verse is set in Damascus, the capital of Aram (Syria), where Elisha has traveled. King Ben-hadad of Syria is ill and sends his servant Hazael to Elisha to inquire if he will recover. Elisha tells Hazael to inform the king that he will indeed recover from his illness, but then delivers a grim and unsettling prophecy: the king will nevertheless die, and Hazael himself will violently usurp the throne and inflict terrible cruelties upon Israel. The intense gaze and Elisha's subsequent weeping in verse 11 precede the explicit revelation of Hazael's future atrocities, detailed in 2 Kings 8:12.

Key Themes

  • Divine Foreknowledge and Prophecy: Elisha's ability to "settle his countenance stedfastly" and perceive Hazael's future actions demonstrates God's complete foreknowledge of human events, even the darkest ones. This prophetic insight underscores the sovereignty of God, who declares the end from the beginning, a concept also seen in Isaiah 46:10.
  • The Burden of the Prophet: Elisha, as the "man of God," weeps not for personal sorrow but from the overwhelming grief of foreseeing the immense suffering and devastation Hazael would bring upon the people of Israel. This highlights the heavy emotional and spiritual toll that divine revelation and the knowledge of future calamities could place upon God's messengers.
  • Human Depravity and Potential for Evil: Hazael's reaction of being "ashamed" under Elisha's penetrating gaze suggests a subconscious awareness or discomfort with the evil path Elisha foresaw for him. The narrative starkly illustrates the capacity for profound wickedness within the human heart, even in someone who initially seems incapable of such acts.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "he settled his countenance stedfastly" uses the Hebrew verb qava (ืงึธื‘ึทืข), meaning to fix, settle, or establish. It conveys the idea of Elisha's unwavering and intense gaze, a deep, penetrating look into Hazael's very being and future. Hazael's response, "until he was ashamed," employs the Hebrew word bosh (ื‘ึผื•ึนืฉื), which means to be ashamed, confounded, or put to shame. This indicates a profound discomfort, embarrassment, or perhaps even a fleeting conviction as Elisha's spiritual discernment unveiled Hazael's hidden potential for cruelty. The title "man of God" (ืึดื™ืฉื ื”ึธืึฑืœึนื”ึดื™ื - ish ha'elohim) is a significant descriptor for prophets like Elisha and his predecessor Elijah, denoting one who is a divine representative and speaks the word of the Lord.

Reflection and Application

This powerful scene reminds us of the reality of sin and its devastating consequences. Elisha's tears serve as a potent example of compassion and grief over human suffering, aligning the prophet's heart with God's own sorrow over the brokenness of the world. It challenges believers to cultivate a similar empathy for those who are oppressed or are destined for destruction, and to pray for rulers and leaders, understanding the profound impact their choices have. Furthermore, the certainty of Elisha's prophecy and its subsequent fulfillment (as seen in 2 Kings 10:32) reinforces our confidence in God's promises and His ultimate control over history, giving hope for a future where all evil will be vanquished and God will wipe away every tear.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Luke 19:41

    ยถ And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

  • Psalms 119:136

    ยถ Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

  • Jeremiah 4:19

    ยถ My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

  • Jeremiah 9:18

    And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

  • Philippians 3:18

    (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:

  • Genesis 45:2

    And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.

  • Romans 9:2

    That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
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