2 Kings 8:11

And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) And he settled his countenance stedfastly.—Literally, and he (Elisha) made his face stand, and set (it upon Hazael).

Until he was ashamed.—Literally, unto being ashamed. This may mean either in shameless fashion or until Hazael was disconcerted. We prefer the latter. Hazael, conscious that Elisha had read his; thoughts aright, shrank from that piercing gaze. (Comp. 2Kings 2:17.)

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 8:11. He settled his countenance steadfastly — Elisha fixed his eyes on Hazael, and looked upon him so earnestly, so long, and with such a settled countenance, that Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending that the prophet discerned or suspected something of an evil and shameful nature in him. The Hebrew words, however, rendered till he was ashamed, are ambiguous, and may be indifferently referred either to the prophet or to Hazael: but they seem more properly to belong to the latter, because it follows by way of distinction, The man of God wept.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:7-15 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 restraints of natural conscience, to express great abhorrence of a sin, yet afterwards to be reconciled to it. Those that are little and low in the world, cannot imagine how strong the temptations of power and prosperity are, which, if ever they arrive at, they will find how deceitful their hearts are, how much worse than they suspected. The devil ruins men, by saying they shall certainly recover and do well, so rocking them asleep in security. Hazael's false account was an injury to the king, who lost the benefit of the prophet's warning to prepare for death, and an injury to Elisha, who would be counted a false prophet. It is not certain that Hazael murdered his master, or if he caused his death it may have been without any design. But he was a dissembler, and afterwards proved a persecutor to Israel.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That is, "And he (Elisha) settled his conntenance, and set it (toward Hazael), until he (Hazael) was ashamed." Elisha fixed on Hazael a long and meaning look, until the latter's eyes fell before his, and his cheek flushed. Elisha, it would seem, had detected the guilty thought that was in Hazael's heart, and Hazael perceived that he had detected it. Hence the "shame."

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

11. he settled his countenance stedfastly until he was ashamed—that is, Hazael. The steadfast, penetrating look of the prophet seemed to have convinced Hazael that his secret designs were known. The deep emotions of Elisha were justified by the horrible atrocities which, too common in ancient warfare, that successful usurper committed in Israel (2Ki 10:32; 13:3, 4, 22).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He settled his countenance stedfastly; the prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael.

Until he was ashamed; either till the prophet was ashamed to look any longer upon him; or till Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending that the prophet suspected or discerned something extraordinary and of an evil and shameful nature in him. The Hebrew words are ambiguous, and may indifferently be referred to either of them; but they seem more properly to belong to Hazael, because it follows, by way of distinction, the man of God wept.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he settled his countenance steadfastly,.... Refrained himself as much as possible, that he might not weep, as some Jewish writers interpret it; or, as others, he turned his face on one side, and covered it with his hands, that Hazael might not see him weep; or rather he set his face on Hazael, and looked at him so wistly:

until he was ashamed; that is, Hazael; the prophet looked him out of countenance:

and the man of God wept; at the thought of what calamities the man before him, he looked on, would be the cause of in Israel, as the following words show.

Geneva Study Bible

And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11. And he settled his countenance stedfastly] The R.V. adds ‘upon him’ in italics. This no doubt is the sense. Elisha fixed a stedfast gaze on the messenger. ‘The seer of God descries more in Hazael than he could see in himself: he fixes his eyes therefore stedfastly in the Syrian’s face, as one that in those lines read the bloody story of his life. Hazael blushes, Elisha weeps. The intention (i.e. the stedfast gaze) of those eyes did not so much amaze Hazael as the tears. As yet he was not guilty to himself of any wrong that might strain out this juice of sorrow’ (Bp Hall).

until he was ashamed] i.e. until Hazael blushed with embarrassment at the searching look.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - And he settled his countenance steadfastly - literally, and he settled his countenance and set it; i.e. Elisha fixed on Hazael a long and meaning look - until he - i.e. Hazael - was ashamed; i.e. until Hazael felt embarrassed, and his eyes fell It may be gathered that the ambitious courtier had already formed a murderous design against his master, and understood by the peculiar gaze which the prophet fixed upon him that his design was penetrated. And the man of God wept. There flashed on the prophet's mind all the long series of calamities which Israel would suffer at the hands of Syria during Hazael's reign, and he could not but weep at the thought of them (see the next verse). 2 Kings 8:11

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Elisha then fixed Hazael for a long time with his eye, and wept. וגו ויּעמד literally, he made his face stand fast, and directed it (upon Hazael) to shaming. עד־בּשׁ as in Judges 3:25; not in a shameless manner (Thenius), but till Hazael was embarrassed by it.