2 Kings 8:8

And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

And the king {H4428} said {H559} unto Hazael {H2371}, Take {H3947} a present {H4503} in thine hand {H3027}, and go {H3212}, meet {H7125} the man {H376} of God {H430}, and enquire {H1875} of the LORD {H3068} by him, saying {H559}, Shall I recover {H2421} of this disease {H2483}?

The king said to Haza'el, "Take with you a gift, go meet the man of God and consult ADONAI through him; ask if I will recover from this illness."

So the king said to Hazael, โ€œTake a gift in your hand, go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD through him, โ€˜Will I recover from this illness?โ€™โ€

And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thy hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Jehovah by him, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness?

Commentary

2 Kings 8:8 details King Ben-hadad of Syria's desperate attempt to learn his fate through the prophet Elisha, highlighting the prophet's recognized spiritual authority even among foreign nations.

Context

This verse finds the prophet Elisha in Damascus, the capital of Aram (Syria), a nation often hostile to Israel. King Ben-hadad, who is gravely ill, hears of Elisha's presence and, despite his position as a powerful foreign monarch, acknowledges Elisha as a "man of God" through whom the Lord speaks. He dispatches his trusted servant Hazael with a significant present to meet Elisha and convey his urgent question: "Shall I recover of this disease?" This event underscores the pervasive recognition of Elisha's prophetic power and the God of Israel's influence extending beyond geographical and political boundaries, compelling even non-Israelite rulers to seek divine insight from His chosen servant. This sets the stage for a significant prophecy Elisha will deliver to Hazael in the verses that follow, as seen in 2 Kings 8:12.

Key Themes

  • Seeking Divine Counsel: The king's action reveals a universal human desire to seek answers from a higher power, especially in moments of great uncertainty or crisis like a life-threatening illness. Ben-hadad, though not a worshipper of Yahweh, acknowledged the potency of Israel's God through His prophet.
  • Prophetic Authority: Elisha is presented as a direct, reliable conduit for God's word. The king's instruction to "enquire of the LORD by him" emphasizes the prophet's crucial role as God's mouthpiece, indicating profound respect for his spiritual connection.
  • Human Vulnerability and Mortality: Even powerful and wealthy kings are not immune to sickness and the inevitability of death, highlighting the fragility of human life and the universal reality of mortality.
  • God's Sovereignty Beyond Borders: This interaction subtly demonstrates God's overarching sovereignty, showing His influence and ability to reveal His plans even to foreign nations and their leaders, as also seen in narratives like Daniel's interpretations for King Nebuchadnezzar.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "enquire of the LORD by him" (Hebrew: ืฉึฐืืึทืœ ื‘ึทึผื™ื”ื•ึธื” ื‘ึผื•ึน, sha'al ba-YHWH bo) implies more than just asking Elisha for his opinion. It signifies seeking an oracle or a specific divine word directly from Yahweh through the prophet. This emphasizes Elisha's unique role as a prophetic intermediary, through whom God's direct revelation could be obtained, rather than simply a wise counselor.

Practical Application

This verse resonates with the human experience of facing severe illness and uncertainty. It reminds us that in times of crisis, the desire for divine insight and assurance is natural. While the era of direct prophetic inquiry like Ben-hadad's has passed, believers today are encouraged to seek God's will and guidance through prayer, diligent study of His inspired Word (Psalm 119:105), and seeking wise, godly counsel. It also serves as a powerful testament to God's pervasive presence and influence, which extends even to those who may not explicitly acknowledge Him, demonstrating His ultimate control over all things.

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

  • 2 Kings 1:2

    And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that [was] in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

  • 1 Kings 19:15

    And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria:

  • 1 Samuel 9:7

    Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, [if] we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and [there is] not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?

  • 1 Kings 14:1

    ยถ At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.

  • 1 Kings 14:4

    And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes were set by reason of his age.

  • 2 Kings 1:6

    And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, [Is it] not because [there is] not a God in Israel, [that] thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

  • Luke 13:23

    ยถ Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
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