Dictionary Article

King of Syria (843?–796? BC) who came to power by assassinating his ruler, Ben-hadad (2 Kgs 8:7-15), and establishing a new dynasty. An inscription of Shalmaneser speaks of Hazael as a “son of a nobody,” and mentions that he had “seized the throne.” The Hebrew prophet Elijah was told to anoint Hazael as the next king of Syria (1 Kgs 19:15).

Show passage in OET: KI2 8:7–15

OET-RV KI2 8:7

7 Elisha went to Aram’s (Syria) capital Damesek (Damascus) at a time when King Ben-Hadad of Aram was very sick, and someone told him that the man of God was in town.

OET-RV KI2 8:8

8 The king instructed an official named Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go and meet the man of God. Then inquire from Yahweh through him to find out if I’ll recover from this sickness.”

OET-RV KI2 8:9

9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha and took presents with him loaded on forty camels—some of every good thing that he could find in Damesek. He went and stood in front of him and asked, “Your servant, King Ben -Hadad sent me to ask you if he’ll recover from his sickness?”

OET-RV KI2 8:10

10 “Go and tell him that he’ll surely live,” Elisha answered. “But Yahweh has shown me that he’ll definitely die.”

OET-RV KI2 8:11

11 Then Elisha stared at him until Hazael felt embarrassed, and then the man of God started to cry.

OET-RV KI2 8:12

12 “Why are you crying, my master?” Hazael asked.
¶ “Because I know what evil things you’ll do to the Israelis,” he said. “You’ll burn down their fortresses and kill their young men with the sword. You’ll smash their children’s heads on rocks, and rip open the bellies of their pregnant women.”

OET-RV KI2 8:13

13 Hazael asked, “But how could your servant be in a position to do such a major thing when he’s only minor, like a dog in the palace?”
¶ “Yahweh has let me see you as king over Aram (Syria).” Elisha replied.

OET-RV KI2 8:14

14 Then he left Elisha and went back to his master who asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?”
¶ And he answered, “He told me that you’ll certainly live.”

OET-RV KI2 8:15

15 the very next day, Hazael dipped Ben-Hadad’s blanket in water and held it over his face until he died, and then Hazael started to reign in his place.

OET-LV KI2 8:7

7 And_ ʼElīshāˊ _he _went Dammeseq and_Ben- hₐdad the _king _of ʼArām was_sick and_it _was _told to_him/it to_say the _man _of the_ʼElohīm he _has _come to here.

OET-LV KI2 8:8

8 And_ the_king _he/it _said to Ḩₐzā^ʼēl take in_hand _of_your a _gift and_go to_meet the _man _of the_ʼElohīm and_you _will _consult DOM YHWH from_DOM_him to_say will_I _live from_sickness this.

OET-LV KI2 8:9

9 And_ Ḩₐzā^ʼēl _he/it _went to_meet_him and_he/it _took a _gift in_hand _of_his and_all (the)_good _thing _of Dammeseq the_load _of forty camel[s] and_he _came and_he _stood before_him and_he/it _said son _of_your Ben Hₐdad the _king _of ʼArām he_has _sent _me to_you to_say will_I _live from_sickness this.

OET-LV KI2 8:10

10 And_he/it _said to_him/it ʼElīshāˊ go say to_him certainly _(live) you _will _live and_he_has _shown _me YHWH if/because _that certainly _(die) he _will _die.

OET-LV KI2 8:11

11 And_he _set DOM his/its_faces/face and_he/it _assigned until was _ashamed and_ the _man _of the_ʼElohīm _he _wept.

OET-LV KI2 8:12

12 And_ Ḩₐzā^ʼēl _he/it _said why my_master weeping and_he/it _said if/because I _know DOM how you _will _do to_the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) harm fortifications _of_their you _will _send in_fire and_their _young _of_men with_sword you _will _kill and_children _of_their you _will _dash _in _pieces and_their _pregnant _of_women you _will _rip _open.

OET-LV KI2 8:13

13 And_ Ḩₐzā^ʼēl _he/it _said if/because _that what servant _of_is_your the_dog that/for/because/then/when he _will _do the_thing (the)_great the_this and_ ʼElīshāˊ _he/it _said he_has _shown _me YHWH you king over ʼArām.

OET-LV KI2 8:14

14 And_he/it _went from_with ʼElīshāˊ and_he _came to master(s)_of_his and_he/it _said to_him/it what did _he _say to/for_yourself(m) ʼElīshāˊ and_he/it _said he _said to_me certainly _(live) you _will _live.

OET-LV KI2 8:15

15 And_he/it _was from_the_next _day and_he/it _took the_coverlet and_he _dipped_it in_water and_he _spread_it_out over his/its_faces/face and_he/it _died and_ Ḩₐzā^ʼēl _he _became _king in_place _of _him.

Show passage in OET: KI1 19:15

OET-RV KI1 19:15

15 Then Yahweh told him, “Go back towards the Damesek (Damascus) wilderness, then you must go and anoint Hazael as king over Aram (Syria).

OET-LV KI1 19:15

15 And_ YHWH _he/it _said to_him/it go go _back to_way _of_your the _wilderness _of_to of _Dammeseq and_you _will _go and_you _will _anoint DOM Ḩₐzā^ʼēl to_king over ʼArām.

Jump to OET KI2 8:7–15 section.

Jump to OET KI1 19:15 section.

Upon becoming king, Hazael continued the policy of Ben-hadad in resisting the Assyrian military influence in Palestine. Although most of Palestine came under Assyrian control in 841 BC, Hazael was able to retain independence by withstanding the siege of Damascus. Failing in a final attempt to subdue Damascus in 837 BC, the Assyrians withdrew. This allowed Hazael the freedom to begin a series of attacks against Israel that resulted in Syrian domination of most of Palestine.

Toward the end of Jehu’s reign in Israel, Hazael occupied Israelite territory in the hills of Galilee and east of the Jordan (2 Kgs 10:32). After Jehu’s death, the Syrian king continually harassed Israel, captured much of Philistia, and spared Jerusalem only because Joash, king of Judah, asked for peace and was willing to pay heavy tribute (12:17-18). The Syrian oppression continued during the reign of Hazael’s son until Adad-nirari III, king of Assyria, marched into Syria, causing Damascus to submit and pay heavy tribute. This took the pressure off Israel and provided opportunity for her to regain territory taken by Hazael (13:24-25).

Show passage in OET: KI2 10:32

OET-RV KI2 10:32

32 During that period, Yahweh began to reduce the size of Yisrael’s (Israel) territory and Aram’s (Syria) King Hazael attacked along their border

OET-LV KI2 10:32

32 In _the_days the_those YHWH he _began to_cut _off in_Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) and_he_defeated _them Ḩₐzā^ʼēl in_all the _territory _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Show passage in OET: KI2 12:17–18

OET-RV KI2 12:17

17 Then Aram’s (Syria) King Hazael attacked Gat and captured it, after which he decided to attack Yerushalem (Jerusalem).

OET-RV KI2 12:18

18 Yehudah’s (Judah) King Yoash took all the sacred things that his ancestors Yehoshafat (Jehoshaphat) and Yehoram (Jehoram) and Ahazyah, the previous kings of Yehudah, had consecrated and his sacred things, and all of the gold that was found in Yahweh’s temple treasuries and in the king’s palace, and he sent them to Aram’s King Hazael who then cancelled his planned attack on Yerushalem.

OET-LV KI2 12:18

18  Then Ḩₐzā^ʼēl the _king _of ʼArām he _went _up and_he _fought on Gat and_he_captured _it and_ Ḩₐzā^ʼēl _he/it _assigned his/its_faces/face to_go _up on Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem).

OET-LV KI2 12:19

19  And_ Yəhōʼāsh/(Jehoash) the _king _of Yəhūdāh/(Judah) _he/it _took DOM all _of the _holy_things which Yəhōshāfāţ/(Jehoshaphat) and_Yəhōrām/(Jehoram) and_ʼAḩaz^yāh ancestors _of_his the _kings _of Yəhūdāh they _had _consecrated and_DOM holy _things _of_his _own and_DOM all _of the_gold which_was_found in_the _treasuries _of the _house _of YHWH and_the _house _of the_king and_he _sent_them to_Ḩₐzā^ʼēl the _king _of ʼArām and_he/it _ascended from_under Yərūshālaim/(Jerusalem).

Show passage in OET: KI2 13:24–25

OET-RV KI2 13:24

24 When Aram’s King Hazael died, his son Ben -Hadad replaced him as king.

OET-RV KI2 13:25

25 Then Yehoahaz’s son Yehoash attacked Aram three times, and he took back the cities from Hazael’s son Ben-Hadad that had been taken in the war in his father Yehoahaz’s time.

OET-LV KI2 13:24

24 And_ Ḩₐzā^ʼēl the _king _of ʼArām _he/it _died and_ Ben Hₐdad his/its_son _he _became _king in_place _of _him.

OET-LV KI2 13:25

25 And_ Yəhōʼāsh/(Jehoash) the _son _of Yəhōʼāḩāz _he _returned and_he/it _took DOM the_cities from_the _hand _of Ben the _son _of Ḩₐzā^ʼēl which he _had _taken from_the _hand _of Yəhōʼāḩāz his/its_father in_battle three times he_defeated _him Yōʼāsh/(Joash) and_he _restored DOM the _cities _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel).

Jump to OET KI2 10:32 section.

Jump to OET KI2 12:17–18 section.

Jump to OET KI2 13:24–25 section.

Archaeologists found the remains of a bed at Arslan Tash (Hadathah) that may have been included in the tribute taken from Damascus. Part of the inscription on a piece of ivory inlay from the bed reads “to our Lord Hazael.” Evidently there was a high level of culture in Damascus under Hazael. According to Josephus, Hazael was long remembered for his part in building temples in Damascus.

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary