Hazael: Conquests By
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Hazael, a significant figure in the history of the ancient Near East, was a king of Aram-Damascus who reigned during the 9th century BC. His rise to power and subsequent military campaigns are documented in the biblical narrative, particularly in the books of Kings and Chronicles. Hazael's conquests are notable for their impact on the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, as well as their broader influence on the geopolitical landscape of the region.

Rise to Power

Hazael's ascent to the throne of Aram-Damascus is marked by divine prophecy and political intrigue. The prophet Elisha, acting on a divine mandate, anointed Hazael as king, foretelling his future reign and the devastation he would bring upon Israel (2 Kings 8:12-13). Hazael's rise involved the assassination of his predecessor, Ben-Hadad II, which he accomplished by suffocating him with a wet cloth (2 Kings 8:15).

Military Campaigns Against Israel

Hazael's military campaigns were characterized by aggressive expansion and significant victories over Israel. He engaged in numerous battles against the northern kingdom, capturing key territories and inflicting heavy losses. The biblical account in 2 Kings 10:32-33 states, "In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory from the Jordan eastward—all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites—from Aroer by the Arnon Gorge through Gilead to Bashan."

Hazael's conquests extended to the siege of Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom, during the reign of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu. The Aramean king's relentless pressure on Israel is further described in 2 Kings 13:3 : "So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-Hadad for many years."

Impact on Judah

Hazael's influence was not limited to Israel; he also posed a significant threat to the southern kingdom of Judah. During the reign of King Jehoash (Joash) of Judah, Hazael advanced against Jerusalem. To avert the destruction of the city, Jehoash resorted to paying a substantial tribute, stripping the temple of its treasures to satisfy Hazael's demands (2 Kings 12:17-18).

Legacy and Historical Context

Hazael's conquests left a lasting mark on the history of the region. His military prowess and strategic acumen enabled him to expand Aramean influence significantly. The biblical narrative portrays Hazael as an instrument of divine judgment against Israel, fulfilling the prophetic words spoken by Elisha. His reign is corroborated by extrabiblical sources, including the Tel Dan Stele, which provides archaeological evidence of his victories and territorial expansions.

Hazael's legacy is one of both fear and respect, as he emerged as a formidable adversary to the Israelite and Judean kingdoms. His actions, as recorded in the biblical text, underscore the complex interplay of divine sovereignty and human agency in the unfolding history of God's people.
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2 Kings 8:28,29
And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
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2 Kings 9:14
So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria.
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2 Kings 10:32,33
In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
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2 Kings 12:17,18
Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
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2 Kings 13:3,22
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
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2 Chronicles 22:5,6
He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.
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Library

History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7
... IV, (812-783 BC) -- Jehu, Athaliah, Joash: the supremacy of Hazael over Israel ... The
growth of Urartu: the conquests of Menuas and Argistis I., their victories ...
/.../history of egypt chaldaea syria babylonia and assyria v 7/title page.htm

Book 9 Footnotes
... thought Benhadad died of the distemper he labored under, and not by Hazael's treachery ...
he was going into Arabia and Egypt, where he pushed his conquests as far ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/book 9 footnotes.htm

The Nations of the North-East
... But Hazael, like his predecessor, was soon called upon to face an Assyrian army. ...
our era a powerful dynasty arose at Van, which extended its conquests far and ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iv the nations of.htm

Kings
... They seem to have contained, eg, accounts of wars, conquests, conspiracies, buildings,
1 ... but two; the same event, eg, the campaign of Hazael, is sometimes ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/kings.htm

Babylonia and Assyria
... son Naram-Sin succeeded him shortly afterwards (BC3750), and continued the conquests
of his ... Ben-Hadad and Hazael, it is true, were beaten again and again along ...
/.../early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter vi babylonia and assyria.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... The revenues gleaned from these conquests would swell the treasury at Nineveh, the
native soldiers would be incorporated into the Assyrian army, and when the ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... tribes of Hauran, and, at the opposite extremity of the kingdom, the Philistines,***
who had bowed themselves before Hazael in the ... The conquests of Jeroboam II ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... The only event of which any definite mention is made is a raid across the north
of Arabia, in the course of which Hazael, King of Adumu, and chief among the ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6. <. ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Resources
What is the significance of Mount Horeb in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Ben-Hadad in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Who was King Jehu in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

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Hazael: Anointed King by Elijah
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