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.
• 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.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)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.”

Context of 2 Kings 8:13

11He stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael was embarrassed. Then the man of God began to weep. 12“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.” 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. 14Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” 15But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael succeeded him as king.

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, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
• 2 Samuel 9:8Mephibosheth bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?”
• Psalms 22:16Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.
• Isaiah 56:10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.
• Matthew 7:6“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
• Philippians 3:2Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.
• Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
• Jeremiah 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
• Matthew 26:33Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
• 2 Kings 8:10Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’ Nevertheless, the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.”
• 1 Kings 19:15The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram.
• Micah 2:1Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it.

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