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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 2 Kings 8:7–15. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Here, I. We may enquire what brought Elisha to Damascus, the chief city of Syria. Was he sent to any but the lost sheep of the house of Israel? It seems he was. Perhaps he went to pay a visit to Naaman his convert, and to confirm him in his choice of the true religion, which was the more needful now because, it should seem, he was not out of his place (for Hazael is supposed to be captain of that host); either he resigned it or was turned out of it, because he would not bow, or not bow heartily, in the house of Rimmon. Some think he went to Damascus upon account of the famine, or rather he went thither in obedience to the orders God gave Elijah, Kg1 19:15, "Go to Damascus to anoint Hazael, thou, or thy successor."
II.We may observe that Ben-hadad, a great king, rich and mighty, lay sick.
No honour, wealth, or power, will secure men from the common diseases and disasters of human life; palaces and thrones lie as open to the arrests of sickness and death as the meanest cottage.
III.We may wonder that the king of Syria, in his sickness, should make Elisha his oracle.
1.Notice was soon brought him that the man of God (for by that title he was well known in Syria since he cured Naaman) had come to Damascus, Kg2 8:7. "Never in better time," says Ben-hadad. "Go, and enquire of the Lord by him." In his health he bowed in the house of Rimmon, but now that he is sick he distrusts his idol, and sends to enquire of the God of Israel. Affliction brings those to God who in their prosperity had made light of him; sometimes sickness opens men's eyes and rectifies their mistakes. This is the more observable,
(1.)Because it was not long since a king of Israel had, in his sickness, sent to enquire of the god of Ekron (Kg2 1:2), as if there had been no God in Israel. Note, God sometimes fetches to himself that honour from strangers which is denied him and alienated from him by his own professing people.
(2.)Because it was not long since this Ben-hadad had sent a great force to treat Elisha as an enemy (Kg2 6:14), yet now he courts him as a prophet. Note, Among other instances of the change of men's minds by sickness and affliction, this is one, that it often gives them other thoughts of God's ministers, and teaches them to value the counsels and prayers of those whom they had hated and despised.
2.To put an honour upon the prophet,
(1.)He sends to him, and does not send for him, as if, with the centurion, he thought himself not worthy that the man of God should come under his roof.
(2.)He sends to him by Hazael, his prime-minister of state, and not by a common messenger. It is no disparagement to the greatest of men to attend the prophets of the Lord. Hazael must go and meet him at a place where he had appointed a meeting with his friends.
(3.)He sends him a noble present, of every good thing of Damascus, as much as loaded forty camels (Kg2 8:9), testifying hereby his affection to the prophet, bidding him welcome to Damascus, and providing for his sustenance while he sojourned there. It is probable that Elisha accepted it (why should he not?), though he refused Naaman's.
(4.)He orders Hazael to call him his son Ben-hadad, conforming to the language of Israel, who called the prophets fathers.
(5.)He puts an honour upon him as one acquainted with the secrets of heaven, when he enquires of him, Shall I recover? It is natural to us to desire to know things to come in time, while things to come in eternity are little thought of or enquired after.
IV.What passed between Hazael and Elisha is especially remarkable.
1.Elisha answered his enquiry concerning the king, that he might recover, the disease was not mortal, but that he should die another way (Kg2 8:10), not a natural but a violent death. There are many ways out of the world, and sometimes, while men think to avoid one, they fall by another.
2.He looked Hazael in the face with an unusual concern, till he made Hazael blush and himself weep, Kg2 8:11. The man of God could outface the man of war. It was not in Hazael's countenance that Elisha read what he would do, but God did, at this time, reveal it to him, and it fetched tears from his eyes. The more foresight men have the more grief they are liable to.
3.When Hazael asked him why he wept he told him what a great deal of mischief he foresaw he would do to the Israel of God (Kg2 8:12), what desolations he would make of their strong-holds, and barbarous destruction of their men, women, and children. The sins of Israel provoked God to give them up into the hands of their cruel enemies, yet Elisha wept to think that ever Israelites should be thus abused; for, though he foretold, he did not desire the woeful day. See what havock war makes, what havock sin makes, and how the nature of man is changed by the fall, and stripped even of humanity itself.
4.Hazael was greatly surprised at this prediction (Kg2 8:13): What, says he, Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? This great thing he looks upon to be,
(1.)An act of great power, not to be done but by a crowned head. "It must be some mighty potentate that can think to prevail thus against Israel, and therefore not I." Many are raised to that dominion which they never thought of and it often proves to their own hurt, Ecc 8:9.
(2.)An act of great barbarity, which could not be done but by one lost to all honour and virtue: "Therefore," says he, "it is what I shall never find in my heart to be guilty of: Is thy servant a dog, to rend, and tear, and devour? Unless I were a dog, I could not do it." See here,
[1.]What a bad opinion he had of the sin; he looked upon it to be great wickedness, fitter for a brute, for a beast of prey, to do than a man. Note, It is possible for a wicked man, under the convictions and restraints of natural conscience, to express great abhorrence of a sin, and yet afterwards to be well reconciled to it.
[2.]What a good opinion he had of himself, how much better than he deserved; he thought it impossible he should do such barbarous things as the prophet foresaw. Note, We are apt to think ourselves sufficiently armed against those sins which yet we are afterwards overcome by, as Peter, Mat 26:35.
5.In answer to this Elisha only told him he should be king over Syria; then he would have power to do it, and then he would find in his heart to do it. Honours change men's tempers and manners, and seldom for the better: "Thou knowest not what thou wilt do when thou comest to be king, but I tell thee this thou wilt do." Those that are little and low in the world cannot imagine how strong the temptations of power and prosperity are, and, if ever they arrive at them, they will find how deceitful their hearts were and how much worse than they suspected.
V.What mischief Hazael did to his master hereupon.
If he took any occasion to do it from what Elisha had said the fault was in him, not in the word.
1.He basely cheated his master, and belied the prophet (Kg2 8:14): He told me thou shouldst certainly recover. This was abominably false; he told him he should die (Kg2 8:10), but he unfairly and unfaithfully concealed that, either because he was loth to put the king out of humour with bad news or because hereby he might the more effectually carry on that bloody design which he conceived when he was told he should be his successor. The devil ruins men by telling them they shall certainly recover and do well, so rocking them asleep in security, than which nothing is more fatal. This was an injury to the king, who lost the benefit of this warning to prepare for death, and an injury to Elisha, who would be counted a false prophet.
2.He barbarously murdered his master, and so made good the prophet's word, Kg2 8:15. He dipped a thick cloth in cold water, and spread it upon his face, under pretence of cooling and refreshing him, but so that it stopped his breath, and stifled him presently, he being weak (and not able to help himself) or perhaps asleep: such a bubble is the life of the greatest of men, and so much exposed are princes to violence. Hazael, who was Ben-hadad's confidant, was his murderer, and some think, was not suspected, nor did the truth ever come out but by the pen of this inspired historian. We found this haughty monarch (1 Kings 20) the terror of the mighty in the land of the living, but he goes down slain to the pit with his iniquity upon his bones, Eze 32:27.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
“Elisha went to Damascus while King Ben-hadad was ill.” His illness had derived from his unhappiness. For he had been deeply afflicted by the fact that, in the war of Samaria, his armies had been defeated and that, at the same time, his people had been chased from the city when he had hoped that his victory would occur immediately. His entire army had fled and sunk into shame and dishonor, and he was troubled in his mind because of this. In addition, the anguish of his thoughts was due to something that was not responsible for his fall: he had been deceived in believing that a countless and powerful army would march against him, whereas it was later shown that there was no army at all to oppress him.Therefore the king, when he heard of the coming of Elisha, sent Hazael, one of his noble men, to meet him. He ordered him to persuade the prophet to take care of his healing, and since he thought that this request must be accompanied with gifts and offerings, according to secular customs, he sent him, through his ambassador, all sorts of goods from Damascus and forty camels. But certainly the prophets refused, just as Elisha had refused and had not accepted the offerings of Naaman, the Aramean.
“Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover;’ but the Lord has shown me that he shall certainly die.” These were the words of Elisha to the king, who asked him, “Will I live after this illness?” But it seems that they do not agree with the truth of the events, and not even with each other. However, after the words reported above in the story of the prophet Micah, it is evident that they do not cancel each other out or contradict each other. In fact, both prophets answer in the same manner, and the words of their reply pursue the same aim in the fact that they announce to their interlocutor good and death at the same time. But in the reply of Micah a particular aspect must be considered, that is, the fact that Ahab could not escape from death, because he so ardently and savagely wanted to go to the war, which was the real cause of his fall.But the case of Ben-hadad is quite different: it would have been easy for him to get rid of his illness, because it was not serious or fatal. He would have recovered from his illness, as Elisha had said to him and as Ben-Hadad had asked him by saying, “Will I live after my illness?” However, he died in a natural course but by a hostile means: he was misled by Hazael, his ambassador, the one who spread the bed cover on his master, killed him and reigned in his place, as Elisha had predicted.
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Summary
Second Kings 8:13 records the chilling and pivotal exchange between the prophet Elisha and Hazael, a high-ranking Syrian official. In this moment, Hazael responds with feigned humility and disbelief, rhetorically asking if he is a "dog" to commit such atrocities, after Elisha reveals God's foreknowledge that Hazael will not only become king of Syria but also inflict horrific suffering upon Israel. Elisha's concise reply confirms the divine decree of Hazael's ascension, underscoring God's absolute sovereignty over human affairs and the often-unrecognized potential for immense evil within the human heart.
Context
Literary Context
This verse serves as the dramatic climax of a significant prophetic encounter that unfolds in the Syrian capital of Damascus. The narrative begins with King Ben-hadad of Aram (Syria) falling gravely ill and sending his trusted official, Hazael, to inquire of Elisha whether he will recover. Elisha's initial, paradoxical response in 2 Kings 8:10 states that Ben-hadad "shall surely recover" from his illness, yet "the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die." This veiled prophecy hints at the king's impending death by other means. Immediately following, Elisha fixes his gaze on Hazael and weeps, explaining that he foresees the terrible atrocities Hazael will commit against the Israelites once he ascends to power (2 Kings 8:11-12). These prophesied acts include burning Israelite strongholds, slaying young men, dashing children, and ripping open pregnant women. Hazael's rhetorical question in verse 13 is his shocked or disingenuous reaction to this horrifying revelation of his own future wickedness, directly preceding his return to Ben-hadad and the king's subsequent murder (2 Kings 8:14-15). This exchange sets the stage for a period of intense conflict between Aram and Israel, with Hazael becoming a formidable adversary.
Historical & Cultural Context
The period of the Divided Monarchy (roughly 931-722 BCE) was characterized by frequent geopolitical instability, with the Northern Kingdom of Israel often embroiled in conflict with its powerful northern neighbor, Aram (Syria), whose capital was Damascus. Prophets like Elisha were not mere spiritual advisors but active participants in both domestic and international affairs, serving as God's direct spokespersons to kings and nations. Their words often carried immense political weight and divine authority. The term "dog" (Hebrew: kelev) in ancient Near Eastern culture was a profoundly derogatory epithet, signifying extreme lowliness, impurity, vileness, or a complete lack of moral restraint. It was often associated with scavenging animals or those utterly without honor or social standing. For Hazael to call himself a "dog" was to express profound self-abasement, either a genuine, albeit fleeting, shock at the idea of such depravity, or, more likely, a calculated display of humility and denial to deflect the prophet's unsettling words. The scene unfolds in Damascus, a major political and economic hub, highlighting the international scope of God's prophetic activity and His sovereignty over all nations.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully illustrates several enduring theological and narrative themes central to the books of Kings. Firstly, it highlights Divine Sovereignty and Foreknowledge, demonstrating God's absolute control over history and His ability to foretell the rise of foreign rulers and their actions, even those that are wicked and destructive. Elisha's knowledge comes directly from "the LORD," underscoring that no human power operates outside of God's ultimate plan, as seen in the broader biblical narrative of God raising up nations to judge His people or fulfill His purposes (e.g., Isaiah 10:5-7). Secondly, it reveals the Deceitfulness of the Human Heart and its profound capacity for self-deception and hypocrisy. Hazael's protest, though seemingly humble, contrasts sharply with his swift and brutal fulfillment of the prophecy, tragically demonstrating how individuals often fail to recognize their own potential for immense evil until confronted with opportunity, power, or unchecked ambition, echoing the solemn warning found in Jeremiah 17:9. Finally, it reaffirms Prophetic Authority and Divine Revelation, as Elisha, speaking God's word, accurately predicts future events, solidifying his role as a true messenger of the Lord whose words are certain to come to pass.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This proper name, meaning "God has seen," is profoundly ironic in this context. While the name suggests divine observation, Hazael's actions reveal his profound moral blindness and depravity. The name itself, however, subtly underscores the theme of God's foreknowledge and His active "seeing" of future events, including the rise of this specific individual and the atrocities he would commit.
This term (H3611) is a potent expression of contempt and debasement in ancient Near Eastern culture. To refer to oneself as a "dog" was to imply utter lowliness, impurity, and a complete lack of moral standing or honor, often associated with scavenging animals or those of the lowest social strata. It suggests a creature of base instincts, devoid of self-control or ethical boundaries. Hazael's use of this word is meant to convey that he is far too humble and morally upright to commit the horrific acts Elisha describes, contrasting sharply with the savagery of the deeds themselves.
This adjective (H1419), meaning "great (in any sense)," is used here to describe the "thing" Hazael is prophesied to do. While "great" can imply positive magnitude, in this context, it emphasizes the enormity, severity, and horrific scale of the predicted evil—burning cities, slaying young men, dashing children, and ripping open pregnant women (2 Kings 8:12). The use of "great" here makes Hazael's feigned disbelief or genuine shock at the idea of such depravity all the more ironic and tragic, as he would indeed perform "great" acts of wickedness.
This verb (H7200), specifically the Hiphil form hir'ani ("caused me to see"), indicates that Elisha's knowledge is not speculation, human insight, or a guess, but a direct, divine revelation. The Lord "caused me to see" or "revealed to me" the future events. This highlights the supernatural origin of the prophecy and underscores its certainty and inevitability, reinforcing God's active involvement and sovereign control in the affairs of nations and individuals.
Verse Breakdown
"And Hazael said, But what, [is] thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?"
Hazael's rhetorical question serves as his immediate and powerful reaction to Elisha's prophecy of his future wickedness. The introductory phrase "But what" (וּמָה, u-mah) expresses a profound sense of incredulity, protest, or even indignation. By calling himself a "dog," Hazael attempts to distance himself from the prophesied atrocities, either through genuine shock at the depth of depravity described or, more likely given his subsequent actions, through feigned humility and a denial of his own capacity for such immense evil. He implies that such heinous acts are beneath even the lowest of men, certainly beneath him, a high-ranking official.
"And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou [shalt be] king over Syria."
Elisha's response is stark, concise, and unyielding. He does not engage with Hazael's rhetorical protest, moral indignation, or self-abasement. Instead, he simply reiterates and reaffirms the core of the divine revelation: "The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria." This direct confirmation of Hazael's future kingship implicitly validates the entire prophecy, including the terrible acts that will accompany his reign. Elisha's focus remains solely on the divine origin and certainty of the message, leaving no room for doubt or denial about Hazael's destiny and the devastating consequences that would follow.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices that enhance its dramatic and theological impact. Rhetorical Question is prominently featured in Hazael's "is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?" This question is not posed to elicit information but to express a strong emotional reaction—whether genuine disbelief, feigned humility, or an attempt to deflect the prophecy's weight and moral implications. Irony permeates Hazael's protest; his self-description as a "dog" and his apparent shock at the idea of committing "great things" of evil stands in stark contrast to his swift and brutal fulfillment of Elisha's prophecy (2 Kings 8:14-15), revealing a profound human capacity for self-deception or hypocrisy. The entire exchange serves as powerful Foreshadowing, as Elisha's words definitively predict Hazael's future reign and the immense suffering he will inflict upon Israel, setting the stage for subsequent historical events recorded in the books of Kings. Finally, the phrase "The LORD hath shewed me" highlights Divine Revelation, emphasizing that Elisha's knowledge is not his own human insight but a direct, authoritative communication from God, lending ultimate certainty and inevitability to the prophecy.
Theological and Thematic Connections
This passage profoundly illustrates the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God's foreknowledge of Hazael's future actions, including his rise to power and his horrific deeds, does not negate Hazael's moral culpability. Rather, it demonstrates that even the most wicked acts of humanity fall within the purview of God's overarching plan, which He uses to accomplish His purposes, sometimes through judgment or the testing of His people. The narrative challenges us to grapple with the mystery of how God can foreknow and even declare future evil without being the author of that evil. It underscores that human choices, though free, are not outside the boundaries of divine providence, and that God remains ultimately in control of history, even amidst human depravity.
Reflection and Application
The exchange in 2 Kings 8:13 serves as a sobering mirror, inviting us to examine the depths of our own hearts. Hazael's initial protest, whether genuine or feigned, reminds us of the human tendency to deny our capacity for sin or to believe ourselves immune to temptations that seem "too great" or too vile. Yet, the swift fulfillment of Elisha's prophecy underscores that given opportunity, power, or unchecked desires, the fallen human heart is capable of profound wickedness. This passage calls us to cultivate radical humility, acknowledging our inherent sinfulness and our constant need for God's grace and transforming power. It challenges us to not merely dismiss the potential for evil in others but to diligently guard our own hearts, recognizing that true righteousness comes not from self-assessment but from dependence on God. Furthermore, it offers comfort in the face of global turmoil, reminding us that even when wicked leaders rise and chaos seems to reign, God remains sovereign, working His purposes through all circumstances, ultimately for His glory and the good of His people.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Was Hazael genuinely shocked or feigning humility when he called himself a "dog"?
While his initial reaction might have contained an element of shock at the enormity of the prophesied atrocities, Hazael's subsequent actions—his immediate return to Ben-hadad and the king's murder (2 Kings 8:14-15), followed by his brutal reign against Israel (2 Kings 10:32-33; 2 Kings 13:3, 2 Kings 13:22)—strongly suggest that his protest was either feigned humility or a profound act of self-deception. The term "dog" was a common derogatory term, and his rhetorical question was likely a strategic or instinctive attempt to distance himself from the horrifying deeds Elisha described, perhaps even to avoid suspicion. The narrative implies that the capacity for such wickedness was indeed within him, waiting for the opportunity of power to unleash it.
Does this passage imply God forces people to do evil, or that Hazael had no choice?
No, this passage does not imply that God forces people to do evil. Instead, it highlights God's foreknowledge and sovereignty over human actions, even wicked ones, without negating human responsibility. God reveals what Hazael will do, not what He makes Hazael do. Hazael's choices to murder Ben-hadad and brutalize Israel remain his own, and he is morally accountable for them. However, his actions fall within God's overarching plan, which often uses human evil to achieve divine purposes, such as judging a sinful nation or fulfilling prophetic warnings. This is a profound mystery of divine providence, where God's ultimate control over history does not diminish human freedom or culpability, as seen in the story of Joseph and his brothers in Genesis 50:20. This passage affirms God's ultimate control over history, even amidst human depravity.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Hazael's story is a dark account of human depravity and the fulfillment of a prophecy of destruction, it ultimately points to the greater King, Jesus Christ, and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. Hazael's ascent to power, foretold by God, brought immense suffering and death, revealing the destructive nature of unredeemed human ambition and the fallen human heart. In stark contrast, Jesus, the true King over all creation, did not grasp for power or cling to His divine prerogatives but emptied Himself, taking on the very form of a servant (a status far lower than a "dog" in human estimation), and humbling Himself even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). He became "despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain" (as prophesied in Isaiah 53:3), effectively taking on the "dog" status of humanity's sin and curse, so that we might be elevated and reconciled to God. Elisha's prophecy of Hazael's kingship demonstrates God's sovereignty over earthly rulers and the course of history; yet, the ultimate display of God's sovereignty is seen in Christ, through whom "all things were created... and in him all things hold together" (Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), a King who brings salvation, healing, and eternal life, not destruction, thereby fulfilling God's ultimate purpose for humanity and reversing the curse brought by human sin and the reign of death. He is the King whose reign brings true justice and peace, unlike any earthly ruler.