2 Kings 8:9
New International Version
Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

New Living Translation
So Hazael loaded down forty camels with the finest products of Damascus as a gift for Elisha. He went to him and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

English Standard Version
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camels’ loads. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this sickness?’”

Berean Standard Bible
So Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift of forty camel loads of every good thing from Damascus. And he went in and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ”

King James Bible
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

New King James Version
So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ”

New American Standard Bible
So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand, even every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

NASB 1995
So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand, even every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

NASB 1977
So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand, even every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

Legacy Standard Bible
So Hazael went to meet him and took a present in his hand, even every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I be restored to life from this sickness?’”

Amplified Bible
So Hazael went to meet Elisha and took a gift with him of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, asking, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

Christian Standard Bible
Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift: forty camel-loads of all the finest products of Damascus. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son, King Ben-hadad of Aram, has sent me to ask you, ‘Will I recover from this sickness? ’ ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift: 40 camel-loads of all kinds of goods from Damascus. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son, Ben-hadad king of Aram, has sent me to ask you, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?”

American Standard Version
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness?

Contemporary English Version
Hazael left with forty camel loads of the best things made in Damascus as a gift for Elisha. He found the prophet and said, "Your servant, King Benhadad, wants to know if he will get well."

English Revised Version
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Hazael went to meet Elisha. He took with him a present and all kinds of goods from Damascus. He had loaded the goods on 40 camels. He stood in front of Elisha and said, "Your humble servant King Benhadad of Aram has sent me to you. He asks whether he will recover from this illness."

Good News Translation
So Hazael loaded forty camels with all kinds of the finest products of Damascus and went to Elisha. When Hazael met him, he said, "Your servant King Benhadad has sent me to ask you whether or not he will recover from his sickness."

International Standard Version
So Hazael went out to meet with him and took a gift with him—40 camel loads filled with samples of everything good in Damascus. He approached the man of God and said, "Your son King Ben-hadad from Aram has sent me to you to ask you, 'Will I recover from this sickness?'"

Majority Standard Bible
So Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift of forty camel loads of every good thing from Damascus. And he went in and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

NET Bible
So Hazael went to visit Elisha. He took along a gift, as well as forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, "Your son, King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question, 'Will I recover from this sickness?'"

New Heart English Bible
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, "Your son Benhadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, 'Will I recover from this sickness?'"

Webster's Bible Translation
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

World English Bible
So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him and said, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Hazael goes to meet him, and takes a present in his hand, even of every good thing of Damascus, a burden of forty camels, and he comes in and stands before him, and says, “Your son Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, has sent me to you, saying, Do I revive from this sickness?”

Young's Literal Translation
And Hazael goeth to meet him, and taketh a present in his hand, even of every good thing of Damascus, a burden of forty camels, and he cometh in and standeth before him, and saith, 'Thy son Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, hath sent me unto thee, saying, Do I revive from this sickness?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Hazael will go to meet him, and he will take a gift in his hand, and every good of Damascus, the lifting up of forty camels, and he will go and stand before him, and say, Thy son the son of Hadad king of Aram sent me to thee, saying, Shall I live from this sickness?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Hazael went to meet him, taking with him presents, and all the good things of Damascus, the burdens of forty camels. And when he stood before him, he said: Thy son Benadad the king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying: Can I recover of this my illness?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And so, Hazael went to meet him, having with him gifts, and all the goods of Damascus, the burdens of forty camels. And when he had stood before him, he said: “Your son, Benhadad, the king of Syria, sent me to you, saying: ‘Will I be able to be healed from this, my infirmity?’ ”

New American Bible
Hazael went to visit him, carrying a present, and with forty camel loads of the best goods of Damascus. On his arrival, he stood before Elisha and said, “Your son Ben-hadad, king of Aram, has sent me to you to ask, ‘Will I recover from my sickness?’ ”

New Revised Standard Version
So Hazael went to meet him, taking a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camel loads. When he entered and stood before him, he said, “Your son King Ben-hadad of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this illness?’”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him and said to him, Your son Bar-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Khazail went on to meet him, and he carried a gift by his hand of every blessing of Darmsuq, a burden on forty camels, and he came and stood before him and said to him: “Your son, BarHadad, King of Edom, has sent me to you and said: “Shall I be saved from this sickness of mine?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said: 'Thy son Ben-hadad king of Aram hath sent me to thee, saying: Shall I recover of this sickness?'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Azael went to meet him, and he took a present in his hand, and all the good things of Damascus, forty camels' load, and came and stood before him, and said to Elisaie, Thy son the son of Ader, the king of Syria, has sent me to thee to enquire, saying, Shall I recover of this my disease?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Hazael Murders Ben-hadad
8So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand, go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD through him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’ ” 9So Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift of forty camel loads of every good thing from Damascus. And he went in and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’” 10Elisha answered, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover.’ But the LORD has shown me that in fact he will die.”…

Cross References
2 Kings 5:5-6
“Go now,” said the king of Aram, “and I will send you with a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman departed, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of clothing. / And the letter that he took to the king of Israel stated: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

1 Kings 14:3
Take with you ten loaves of bread, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him. He will tell you what will become of the boy.”

1 Samuel 9:7-8
“If we do go,” Saul replied, “what can we give the man? For the bread in our packs is gone, and there is no gift to take to the man of God. What do we have?” / The servant answered him again. “Look,” he said, “I have here in my hand a quarter shekel of silver. I will give it to the man of God, and he will tell us our way.”

1 Kings 10:2
She arrived in Jerusalem with a very large caravan—with camels bearing spices, gold in great abundance, and precious stones. And she came to Solomon and spoke to him all that was on her mind.

2 Kings 4:42
Now a man from Baal-shalishah came to the man of God with a sack of twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ripe grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” said Elisha.

2 Kings 5:15
Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “Now I know for sure that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.”

2 Kings 1:2
Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.”

2 Kings 3:11
But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here? Let us inquire of the LORD through him.” And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.”

2 Kings 4:8-10
One day Elisha went to Shunem, and a prominent woman who lived there persuaded him to have a meal. So whenever he would pass by, he would stop there to eat. / Then the woman said to her husband, “Behold, now I know that the one who often comes our way is a holy man of God. / Please let us make a small room upstairs and put in it a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp for him. Then when he comes to us, he can stay there.”

2 Kings 6:32
Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?”

Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Acts 8:18-20
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. / “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” / But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

Matthew 10:41-42
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. / And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward.”

Luke 7:37-38
When a sinful woman from that town learned that Jesus was dining there, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. / As she stood behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and wipe them with her hair. Then she kissed His feet and anointed them with the perfume.

Acts 10:25-26
As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him. / But Peter helped him up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”


Treasury of Scripture

So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

Hazael

1 Kings 19:15
And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

with him [heb] in his hand

2 Kings 5:5
And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.

Thy son Ben-hadad

2 Kings 6:21
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

2 Kings 13:14
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

2 Kings 16:7
So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, which rise up against me.

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Benhadad Ben-Hadad Burden Camels Damascus Disease Forty Good Hazael Meet Present Recover Sickness Stood Syria
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Benhadad Ben-Hadad Burden Camels Damascus Disease Forty Good Hazael Meet Present Recover Sickness Stood Syria
2 Kings 8
1. The Shunammite, having left her country seven years, to avoid the famine,
5. for Elisha's miracle's sake has her land restored by the king.
7. Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad and succeeds him
16. Jehoram's wicked reign in Judah
20. Edom and Libnah revolt
23. Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram
25. Ahaziah's wicked reign
28. He visits Joram, being wounded, at Jezreel














So Hazael went to meet Elisha
Hazael, whose name means "God has seen," is a significant figure in the narrative of 2 Kings. His journey to meet Elisha, the prophet of God, signifies a moment of divine encounter and revelation. Historically, Hazael was a high-ranking official in the Aramean court, and his meeting with Elisha marks a pivotal moment in his life and the history of Aram. This encounter underscores the influence and respect Elisha commanded, even among foreign nations.

taking with him a gift of forty camel-loads
The act of bringing a gift, especially one as substantial as forty camel-loads, reflects the ancient Near Eastern custom of presenting offerings to prophets or seers. This gesture indicates the seriousness of the inquiry and the respect for Elisha's prophetic authority. The number forty often symbolizes a period of testing or judgment in the Bible, suggesting the gravity of the situation facing Ben-hadad and Hazael.

of all the finest goods of Damascus
Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, was known for its wealth and trade. The "finest goods" likely included luxury items, spices, and precious materials, highlighting the prosperity of Damascus and the importance of the mission. This phrase emphasizes the value placed on Elisha's prophetic insight and the desperation of Ben-hadad's situation.

He went in and stood before him
Hazael's act of standing before Elisha signifies a posture of humility and respect. In the biblical context, standing before a prophet or a king often denotes readiness to receive a message or command. This moment is a prelude to the revelation that will change the course of Hazael's life and the history of Aram.

and said, 'Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask
The phrase "Your son" is a term of respect and endearment, indicating a relationship of honor between Ben-hadad and Elisha. Ben-hadad, the king of Aram, acknowledges Elisha's spiritual authority by sending Hazael to inquire of him. This reflects the recognition of God's power and the influence of His prophets, even among foreign rulers.

Will I recover from this illness?
This question reveals the vulnerability and mortality of even the most powerful rulers. Ben-hadad's inquiry about his recovery underscores the universal human concern for health and life. It also sets the stage for the unfolding of God's sovereign plan, as Elisha's response will have significant implications for the future of Aram and Israel. The question is a poignant reminder of the limits of human power and the ultimate authority of God over life and death.

(9) A present with him--i.e., in money. (Comp. 2Kings 5:5, and see the margin here.)

Even of every good thing.--Rather, and every kind of good thing; in addition to the present of money. Damascus was a great centre of traffic between Eastern and Western Asia. (Comp. Ezekiel 27:18; Amos 3:12.) Damask silk was originally imported from Damascus, and the Damascene sword-blades were famous in mediaeval Europe.

Forty camels' burden.--To be understood of an actual train of forty camels, carrying the presents of Ben-hadad. The Orientals are fond of making the most of a gift in this way. Chardin remarks, that "fifty persons often carry what a single one could very well carry" (Voyage, 3:21).

Came.--Or, went in, i.e., into the house where Elisha was.

Thy son Ben-hadad.--Comp. 2Kings 13:14; 2Kings 5:13; 2Kings 4:12; 2Kings 6:21. "Father" was a respectful mode of addressing the prophet. . . .

Verse 9. - So Hazael went to meet him -i.e. Elisha - and took a present with him; literally, in his hand; but we must not pros this expression "In his hand" means "under his control." The present was far too large to be carried by an individual. It consisted even of every good thing of Damascus; i.e. of gold and silver and costly raiment, of the luscious wine of Helbon, which was the drink of the Persian kings (Strab., 15:3. § 22), of the soft white wool of the Antilibanus (Ezekiel 27:18), of damask coverings of couches (Amos 3:12), perhaps of Damascus blades, and of various manufactured articles, the products of Tyro, Egypt, Nineveh, and Babylon, which her extensive land trade was always bringing to the Syrian capital. Forty camels' burden. Not as much as forty camels could carry, but a gift of such a size that it was actually placed on the backs of forty camels, which paraded the town, and conveyed in a long procession to the prophet's house the king's magnificent offering. Orientals are guilty of extreme ostentation with respect to the presents that they make. As Chardin says, "Fifty persons often carry what a single one could have very well borne" ('Voyage en Perse,' vol. 3. p. 217). The practice is illustrated by the bas-reliefs of Nineveh and Persepolis, which furnish proofs of its antiquity. One present-bearer carries a few pomegranates; another, a bunch of grapes; a third, a string of locusts; a fourth, two small ointment-pots; a fifth, a branch of an olive tree, and the like (Layard, 'Monuments of Nineveh,' second series, pls. 8, 9, etc.). It is not unlikely that a single camel could have carried the whole. And earns and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad King of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying - Benhadad seeks to propitiate Elisha by calling himself his son, thus indicating the respect he feels for him (comp. 2 Kings 6:21; 2 Kings 13:14) - Shall I recover of this disease? Nothing was more common in the ancient world than the consultation of an oracle or a prophet in cases of disease or other bodily affliction. Two questions were commonly asked, "Shall I recover?" and "How may I recover?" So Pheron of Egypt is said to have consulted an oracle with respect to his blindness (Herod., 2:111), and Battus of Cyrene to have done the same with respect to his stammering (ibid., 4:155). It was seldom that a clear and direct answer was given.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Hazael
חֲזָאֵל֮ (ḥă·zā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 2371: Hazael -- 'God sees', a king of Aram (Syria)

went
וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ (way·yê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

to meet Elisha,
לִקְרָאתוֹ֒ (liq·rā·ṯōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7125: Against he come, help, meet, seek, to, in the way

taking
וַיִּקַּ֨ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

with him
בְיָדוֹ֙ (ḇə·yā·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

a gift
מִנְחָ֤ה (min·ḥāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4503: A donation, tribute, a sacrificial offering

of forty
אַרְבָּעִ֣ים (’ar·bā·‘îm)
Number - common plural
Strong's 705: Forty

camel-loads
מַשָּׂ֖א (maś·śā)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4853: A burden, tribute, porterage, an utterance, chiefly a, doom, singing, mental, desire

of every
וְכָל־ (wə·ḵāl)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

good thing
ט֣וּב (ṭūḇ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2898: Good, goodness, beauty, gladness, welfare

from Damascus.
דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק (dam·me·śeq)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1834: Damascus -- a city in Aram (Syria)

And he went in
וַיָּבֹא֙ (way·yā·ḇō)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and stood
וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד (way·ya·‘ă·mōḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

before him
לְפָנָ֔יו (lə·p̄ā·nāw)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 6440: The face

and said,
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Your son
בִּנְךָ֨ (bin·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Ben-hadad
הֲדַ֤ד (hă·ḏaḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1130: Ben-hadad -- 'son of Hadad', the name of several Aramean (Syrian) kings

king
מֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Aram
אֲרָם֙ (’ă·rām)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 758: Aram -- Syria

has sent
שְׁלָחַ֤נִי (šə·lā·ḥa·nî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 7971: To send away, for, out

me to ask,
לֵאמֹ֔ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘Will I recover
הַאֶחְיֶ֖ה (ha·’eḥ·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2421: To live, to revive

from this
זֶֽה׃ (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's 2088: This, that

illness?’”
מֵחֳלִ֥י (mê·ḥo·lî)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2483: Malady, anxiety, calamity


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OT History: 2 Kings 8:9 So Hazael went to meet him (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 8:8
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