God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 8:12
12“Sir, why are you crying?” Hazael asked. Elisha answered, “I know the evil you will do to the Israelites: You will set their fortresses on fire, kill their best young men, smash their little children, and rip open their pregnant women.”
2 Kings 8:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
- New International Version (NIV)“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the harm you will do to the Israelites,” he answered. “You will set fire to their fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to the ground, and rip open their pregnant women.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Hazael said, "Why does my lord weep?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set on fire their fortresses, and you will kill their young men with the sword and dash in pieces their little ones and rip open their pregnant women."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child.”
Context of 2 Kings 8:12
10Elisha replied, “Tell him that he will get better, although the Lord has shown me that he is actually going to die.” 11He stared at him until he became embarrassed. Then the man of God began to cry. “Sir, why are you crying?” Hazael asked. Elisha answered, “I know the evil you will do to the Israelites: You will set their fortresses on fire, kill their best young men, smash their little children, and rip open their pregnant women.” 13But Hazael asked, “How can a dog like me do such a significant thing?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will become king of Aram.” 14Hazael left Elisha and went to his master Benhadad, who asked him what Elisha had said. Hazael answered, “He told me that you will get better.”
Read all of 2 Kings 82 Kings 8:12 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חֲזָאֵ֔ל מַדּ֖וּעַ אֲדֹנִ֣י בֹכֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֡אמֶר כִּֽי־יָדַ֡עְתִּי אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־תַּעֲשֶׂה֩ לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל רָעָ֗ה מִבְצְרֵיהֶ֞ם תְּשַׁלַּ֤ח בָּאֵשׁ֙ וּבַחֻֽרֵיהֶם֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב תַּהֲרֹ֔ג וְעֹלְלֵיהֶ֣ם תְּרַטֵּ֔שׁ וְהָרֹתֵיהֶ֖ם תְּבַקֵּֽעַ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Hazaelחֲזָהאֵלchăzâ'êl chăzâh'êl · HazaelH2371
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Why weepethבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058
- my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- Because I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- the evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
- that thou wilt doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- unto the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- their strong holdsמִבְצָרmibtsâr mibtsârâh · fortificationH4013
- wilt thou setשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: burnH7971
- on fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
- and their young menבָּחוּרbâchûr bâchûr · youthH970
- wilt thou slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
- with the swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- and wilt dashרָטַשׁrâţash · to dash in piecesH7376
- their childrenעוֹלֵל‛ôlêl ‛ôlâl · infantH5768
- and rip upבָּקַעbâqa‛ · to break up/openH1234
- their women with childהָרָהhâreh hârîy · pregnantH2030
Cross-references for 2 Kings 8:12
- 2 Kings 4:28The woman said, “I didn’t ask you for a son. I said, ‘Don’t raise my hopes.’ ”
- 1 Kings 18:13Haven’t you heard what I did when Jezebel killed the Lord’s prophets? Haven’t you heard how I hid 100 of the Lord’s prophets in caves? I hid 50 prophets in each cave and provided bread and water for them.
- 2 Kings 10:32So in those days the Lord began to take away some of Israel’s territory. Hazael defeated Jehu’s army throughout Israel’s territory
- 2 Kings 12:17At this time King Hazael of Aram fought against Gath and conquered it. He was also determined to attack Jerusalem.
- 2 Kings 13:3So the Lord became angry with Israel and put it at the mercy of King Hazael of Aram and Hazael’s son Benhadad as long as they lived.
- Amos 1:3This is what the Lord says: Because Damascus has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The Arameans have crushed ⌞the people of⌟ Gilead with iron-spiked threshing sledges.
- 2 Kings 15:16Then Menahem attacked Tiphsah, everyone there, and its territory. Because the city didn’t open its gates for him, he attacked it and ripped open all its pregnant women.
- Psalms 137:8You destructive people of Babylon, blessed is the one who pays you back with the same treatment you gave us.
- Isaiah 13:16Their little children will be smashed to death right before their eyes. Their houses will be looted and their wives raped.
- Hosea 10:14So your army will hear the noise of battle. All your fortresses will be destroyed like the time Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel in battle. Mothers and their children were smashed to death.
- Hosea 13:16The people of Samaria are guilty as charged because they rebelled against their God. They will be killed in war, their children will be smashed to death, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.
- Nahum 3:10Even she went into captivity and was exiled. Even her little children were smashed to death at every street corner. Soldiers tossed dice for her important men, and all her best men were bound in chains.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 8:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12I know the evil that thou wilt do - We may see something of the accomplishment of this prediction, 2 Kings 10:32, 2 Kings 10:33; 2 Kings 13:3, 2 Kings 13:7.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12The evil that thou wilt do - The intention is not to tax Hazael with special cruelty, but only to enumerate the ordinary horrors of war, as it was conducted among the Oriental nations of the time. Compare the marginal references.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
Topics related to 2 Kings 8:12
In the dictionaries
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
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