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

11He fixed his gaze steadily on him until he was ashamed, and the man of God wept. 12Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” Then he answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their little ones you will dash in pieces, and their women with child you will rip up.” Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” And Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.” 14So he departed from Elisha and returned to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me that you would surely recover.” 15On the following day, he took the cover and dipped it in water and spread it on his face, so that he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

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

• Then Hazaelחֲזָהאֵלchăzâ'êl chăzâh'êl · HazaelH2371
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• But whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• is your servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• a dogכֶּ֫לֶבkeleb · dogH3611
• that he should doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• thingדָּבָרdâbâr · word: thingH1697
• And Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• The Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• has shownרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• me that you will be kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• overעַל‛al · uponH5921
• Aramאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758

Cross-references for 2 Kings 8:13

• 1 Samuel 17:43The Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
• 2 Samuel 9:8Again he prostrated himself and said, “What is your servant, that you should regard a dead dog like me?”
• Psalms 22:16For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet.
• Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber;
• Matthew 7:6“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
• Philippians 3:2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
• Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
• Jeremiah 17:9“The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?
• Matthew 26:33But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.”
• 2 Kings 8:10Then Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You will surely recover,’ but the Lord has shown me that he will certainly die.”
• 1 Kings 19:15The Lord said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram;
• Micah 2:1Woe to those who scheme iniquity, Who work out evil on their beds! When morning comes, they do it, For it is in the power of their hands.

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
• Benhadad
• Dog
• Elijah
• Hazael
• Oppression
• Restore
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoram; Joram

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