Melachim Bais 8:12

12 And Chazael said, Why weepeth, adoni? And he answered, Because I know the ra’ah (evil, harm) that thou wilt do unto the Bnei Yisroel; their strongholds wilt thou with eish set ablaze, and their bochurim wilt thou slay with the cherev, and wilt dash their olelim, and their women with child thou wilt rip open.

Melachim Bais 8:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 8:12

And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord?
&c.] Imagining it was for the death of Benhadad he had predicted, for which he could see no reason; of the title, "my lord", see ( 1 Kings 18:7 )

and he answered, because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the
children of Israel;
which he foresaw by a spirit of prophecy; and Israel being his own people, he sympathized in their calamities before they came:

their strong holds wilt thou set on fire;
which should be taken by him, see ( 2 Kings 10:32 )

and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword;
in battle:

and wilt dash their children;
against rocks and stones, or stone walls, or upon the ground, floor, or pavement, as was usual in war ^F7, see ( Psalms 137:9 ) ,

and rip up their women with child:
which was the height of barbarity and cruelty. Ben Gersom and Ben Melech interpret this of breaking down the walls of fortified cities, built strong, like hills and mountains; but this is supposed in the first clause.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Vid. Homer. Iliad. 22. ver. 63, 64.

Melachim Bais 8:12 In-Context

10 And Elishah said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou shalt certainly recover; howbeit Hashem hath showed me that he shall surely die.

11 And he fixed his gaze steadfastly, and stared at him until he was ashamed; then the Ish HaElohim wept.

12 And Chazael said, Why weepeth, adoni? And he answered, Because I know the ra’ah (evil, harm) that thou wilt do unto the Bnei Yisroel; their strongholds wilt thou with eish set ablaze, and their bochurim wilt thou slay with the cherev, and wilt dash their olelim, and their women with child thou wilt rip open.

13 And Chazael said, But what, is thy eved a kelev (dog), that he should do this davar hagadol (great thing)? And Elishah answered, Hashem hath showed me that thou shalt be Melech over Aram (Syria).

14 So he departed from Elishah, and came to adonav (his master); who said to him, What said Elishah to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover.