2 Kings 8:13

13 Then Hazael said, "But what is your servant, ¹who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?" And Elisha answered, "²The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram."

2 Kings 8:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 8:13

And Hazael said, but what, [is] thy servant a dog, that he
should do this great thing?
&c.] What dost thou take me to be, a vile, impudent, fierce, and cruel creature, as a dog, to be guilty of so great inhumanity and barbarity as this? or what is thy servant? a dog, a mean abject creature, of no power and authority, incapable of doing such great things spoken of? to which sense not only what is predicted of him, said to be great, inclines, but what follows:

and Elisha answered, the Lord hath showed me that thou shall be king
over Syria;
and that thou shalt have power enough to do this; this declaration, according to Ben Gersom, was the anointing of him, predicted ( 1 Kings 19:15 ) .

2 Kings 8:13 In-Context

11 He fixed his gaze steadily on him until he was ashamed, and the man of God wept.

12 Hazael said, "Why does my lord weep?" Then he answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their little ones you will dash in pieces, and their women with child you will rip up."

13 Then Hazael said, "But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?" And Elisha answered, "The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram."

14 So he departed from Elisha and returned to his master, who said to him, "What did Elisha say to you?" And he answered, "He told me that you would surely recover."

15 On the following day, he took the cover and dipped it in water and spread it on his face, so that he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 17:43; 2 Samuel 9:8
• 2. 1 Kings 19:15

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "said"