2 Kings 12:17

17 At that time King Hazael of Aram went up, fought against Gath, and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem,

2 Kings 12:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 12:17

Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and
took it
When Jehoiada was dead, and Jehoash was become an apostate, the Lord suffered the king of Syria to be a scourge to him; who first attacked Gath, and took it, which was formerly one of the principalities of the Philistines, but was subdued by David, and had been in the hands of the Israelites ever since; the king of Syria began with this, as nearest to him, to open the way for what he had further in view:

and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem;
he made such preparations, and took such measures, as plainly indicated what his design was.

2 Kings 12:17 In-Context

15 They did not ask an accounting from those into whose hand they delivered the money to pay out to the workers, for they dealt honestly.
16 The money from the guilt offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.
17 At that time King Hazael of Aram went up, fought against Gath, and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem,
18 King Jehoash of Judah took all the votive gifts that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his ancestors, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, as well as his own votive gifts, all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king's house, and sent these to King Hazael of Aram. Then Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.
19 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah?
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.