Tree of Life Version
2 Kings 8:13
13Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do anything of such magnitude?” Elisha answered, “Adonai has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
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 he fixed his gaze steadily on him until he was ashamed, and then the man of God wept. 12When Hazael asked, “Why is my lord weeping?” he answered, “Because I know the evil that you will inflict on the men of Israel: their strongholds you will set on fire, their young men you will slay with the sword, their little ones you will dash into pieces, and their pregnant ones you will rip open.” Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do anything of such magnitude?” Elisha answered, “Adonai has shown me that you will be king over Aram.” 14Then he departed from Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha say to you?” He answered, “He told me that you would surely recover.” 15But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it on his face, so that he died. Then Hazael became king in his place.
Read all of 2 Kings 82 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 17:43Then the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” Then the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
- 2 Samuel 9:8Then he bowed down and said, “What is your servant, that you should turn to look at such a dead dog like me?”
- Psalms 22:16My strength is dried up like a clay pot, my tongue clings to my jaws. You lay me in the dust of death.
- Isaiah 56:10His watchmen are all blind. All of them know nothing. All of them are mute dogs unable to bark, dreamers lying down, lovers of slumber,
- Matthew 7:6“Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet, then turn and rip you to shreds.
- Philippians 3:2Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the mutilation.
- Revelation 22:15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
- Jeremiah 17:9“The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurable—who can know it?
- Matthew 26:33But Peter replied to Him, “Though all fall away because of You, I’ll never fall away.”
- 2 Kings 8:10Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him: ‘You will surely recover.’ However, Adonai has also shown me that he will surely die.”
- 1 Kings 19:15Then Adonai said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram,
- Micah 2:1Oy to them who scheme wickedness, who work out evil upon their beds! In the light of the morning, they do it, for the power is in 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
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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