886 - Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

Elisha went to Damascus, the capital of Aram, where King Ben-hadad lay sick. 

When someone told the king, that the man, of God, had come, the king said, to Hazael, 

“Take a gift, to the man, of God. 

Then, tell him, to ask the Lord, 

‘Will I recover, from this illness?’ ” 

So, Hazael loaded forty camels, with the finest products, of Damascus, as a gift, for Elisha. 

He went, to him, and said, 

“Your servant, Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, has sent me, to ask, 

‘Will I recover, from this illness?’ ” 

And Elisha replied, 

“Go and tell him, 

‘You will surely recover.’ 

But, actually, the Lord has shown me, that he will surely die!” 

Elisha stared, at Hazael, with a fixed gaze, until Hazael became uneasy. 

Then the man, of God, started weeping. 

“What’s the matter, my lord?” Hazael asked him. 

Elisha replied, “I know the terrible things, that you will do, to the people of Israel. 

You will burn their fortified cities, kill their young men, with the sword, dash their little children, to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women!” 

Hazael responded, 

“How could a nobody, like me, ever accomplish, such great things?” 

Elisha answered, 

“The Lord has shown me, that you are going to be, the king of Aram.” 

When Hazael left Elisha, and went back, the king asked him, 

“What did Elisha tell you?” 

And Hazael replied, 

“He told me, that you will surely recover.” 

But, the next day, Hazael took a blanket, soaked it in water, and held it, over the king’s face, until he died. 

Then, Hazael became… the next king of Aram. 

2 Kings 8:7–15 (NLT)

Praise be to God!