Jakautunut kuningaskuntaKingWarriorc. 842–796 BC (reign)
Hazael was a powerful king of Aram (Syria) who was anointed by the prophet Elisha at God's command, though he seized power by murdering his predecessor Ben-Hadad and became an instrument of God's judgment against Israel. His reign was marked by military expansion and ongoing conflicts with Israel and Judah.
Hazael was sent by the sick King Ben-Hadad to the prophet Elisha to ask if he would recover. Elisha prophesied that Hazael would become king and foretold the atrocities he would commit against Israel.
9So Hazael went to meet him, taking with him a gift—the finest goods of Damascus, a load for forty camels. He came and stood before him and said, "Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask you: Will I recover from this illness?"
10Elisha said to him, "Go and tell him, 'You will certainly recover.'[^1] Yet the LORD has shown me that he will surely die."
[^1]: The written Hebrew consonants here can be read as "tell him" or as "you will not certainly recover"; the traditional reading is "tell him."
12"Why is my lord weeping?" Hazael asked. He answered, "Because I know the harm you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women."
13Hazael said, "But what is your servant—a mere dog—that he should do such a great thing?" Elisha answered, "The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Aram."
14Then Hazael left Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, "What did Elisha say to you?" He answered, "He told me that you would certainly recover."
29So King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab, because he was ill.