2 Kings 8:13

2 Kings 8:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.
• New International Version (NIV)Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog, accomplish such a feat?” “The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram,” answered Elisha.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Hazael said, "What is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?" Elisha answered, "The Lord has shown me that you are to be king over Syria."
• New King James Version (NKJV)So Hazael said, “But what is your servant—a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” And Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will become king over Syria.”

Context of 2 Kings 8:13

11Then Elisha looked at him with open eyes until Hazael became ashamed. Then the man of God began to weep. 12So Hazael asked him, ‘Why are you weeping, my master?’ Elisha replied, ‘Because I know that you will cause great trouble for Israel's people. You will destroy their strong cities with fire. You will fight their young men and you will kill them. You will knock down their children to kill them. You will cut open their pregnant women.’ Hazael said, ‘I am only an ordinary man, sir. I am not more important than a dog! How could I ever do great things like that?’ Elisha answered, ‘The Lord has shown me that you will become the king of Syria.’ 14Then Hazael left Elisha. He returned to his master, the king. King Ben-Hadad asked him, ‘What did Elisha say to you?’ Hazael replied, ‘He told me that you will surely get well again.’ 15The next day, Hazael took a thick cloth. He used water to make it wet. Then he put it over the king's face so that he could not breathe. So King Ben-Hadad died. Hazael became king of Syria after him.

2 Kings 8:13 word by word

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חֲזָהאֵ֔ל כִּ֣י מָ֤ה עַבְדְּךָ֙ הַכֶּ֔לֶב כִּ֣י יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה הַדָּבָ֥ר הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע הִרְאַ֧נִי יְהוָ֛ה אֹתְךָ֖ מֶ֥לֶךְ עַל־אֲרָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Hazaelחֲזָהאֵלchăzâ'êl chăzâh'êl · HazaelH2371
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• thy servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• a dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• that he should doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• this greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• And Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• hath shewedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• over Syriaאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758

Cross-references for 2 Kings 8:13

• 1 Samuel 17:43He said to David, ‘Do you think that I am just a dog? Can you knock me down with a little stick?’ Then he prayed to his gods that they would curse David.
• 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bent his body low. He said, ‘I am your servant, no better than a dead dog. I do not deserve that you should be so kind to me.’
• Psalms 22:16Wicked people are everywhere around me. They are ready to attack me, like a group of wild dogs. They tear apart my hands and my feet.
• Isaiah 56:10Israel's guards are blind! They do not see what is happening. They are all like dogs that cannot make a noise. They cannot warn people about danger. They love to lie on the ground and they dream while they sleep.
• Matthew 7:6Do not give special things that are for God to dogs. The dogs will turn round and attack you. Do not throw valuable things to pigs. The pigs will only stand on them and bury them in the dirt.’
• Philippians 3:2Be very careful! Some people are teaching bad things. They say that you must cut your bodies. They are like dangerous dogs. Do not believe them!
• Revelation 22:15But other people must stay outside the city: wicked people; people who do magic; people who have sex in a wrong way; people who murder other people; people who worship idols; everyone who likes to tell lies and deceive people.
• Jeremiah 17:9A person's own mind deceives him, more than anything else does. Nobody can change it to be better. Nobody completely understands it.
• Matthew 26:33Peter said to Jesus, ‘Even if everyone else runs away, I will not leave you.’
• 2 Kings 8:10Elisha answered, ‘Go back to the king. Tell him, “Certainly, you will get well again.” But the Lord has shown me that the king will surely die.’
• 1 Kings 19:15The Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go back again along the way that you came. Go to the desert which is near Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to make him king of Syria.
• Micah 2:1Micah continues: People who prepare to do bad things should be afraid. God will do bad things to them! While they lie in bed, they think about bad things to do. Then, when the morning comes, they do those bad things. They have the authority to do whatever they want to do.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 8:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great things - I believe this verse to be wrongly interpreted by the general run of commentators. It is generally understood that Hazael was struck with horror at the prediction; that these cruelties were most alien from his mind; that he then felt distressed and offended at the imputation of such evils to him; and yet, so little did he know his own heart, that when he got power, and had opportunity…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13But what, is thy servant a dog? - This is a mistranslation, and conveys to the English reader a sense quite different from that of the original. Hazael‘s speech runs thus - “But what is thy servant, this dog, that he should do this great thing?” He does not shrink from Elisha‘s words, or mean to say that he would be a dog, could he act so cruelly as Elisha predicts he will. On the contrary, Elisha‘s prediction has raised his hopes, and his only doubt is…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-15Verses 7-15 Among other changes of men's minds by affliction, it often gives other thoughts of God's ministers, and teaches to value the counsels and prayers of those whom they have hated and despised. It was not in Hazael's countenance that Elisha read what he would do, but God revealed it to him, and it fetched tears from his eyes: the more foresight men have, the more grief they are liable to. It is possible for a man, under the convictions and…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13a mere dog: In the ancient Near East, people viewed dogs as scavengers and held them in low regard. King Shalmaneser III of Assyria noted in his records, “Hazael, son of a nobody, seized the throne.”Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 8:13

• Ben-Hadad
• Dog (Sodomite?)
• Elisha
• Falsehood
• Hazael
• Reproof

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Syria
• Syria, Ashur
• Benhadad
• Dog
• Elijah
• Hazael
• Oppression
• Restore
• Jehoahaz

Commentaries on 2 Kings 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings