2 Kings 8 10

2 Kings 8:10 kjv

And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath showed me that he shall surely die.

2 Kings 8:10 nkjv

And Elisha said to him, "Go, say to him, 'You shall certainly recover.' However the LORD has shown me that he will really die."

2 Kings 8:10 niv

Elisha answered, "Go and say to him, 'You will certainly recover.' Nevertheless, the LORD has revealed to me that he will in fact die."

2 Kings 8:10 esv

And Elisha said to him, "Go, say to him, 'You shall certainly recover,' but the LORD has shown me that he shall certainly die."

2 Kings 8:10 nlt

And Elisha replied, "Go and tell him, 'You will surely recover.' But actually the LORD has shown me that he will surely die!"

2 Kings 8 verses

2 Kings 8 10 Meaning

Elisha, the prophet of the Lord, gave a two-part answer to Hazael regarding King Ben-Hadad's illness. The first part affirms that from the nature of his sickness, the king could recover. However, the second, more crucial part, revealed a direct word from the Lord that Ben-Hadad would indeed "surely die." This was not a prediction of death from the disease, but a divine decree about his ultimate end, foreshadowing a means other than his current illness. This enigmatic prophecy effectively laid bare the divine foreknowledge of Ben-Hadad's fate and inadvertently provided a catalyst for Hazael's ambitious and murderous act, revealing Hazael's own wicked character.

2 Kings 8 10 Context

This verse is part of a broader narrative of Elisha's ministry, specifically occurring during his journey to Damascus, the capital of Aram. Ben-Hadad, King of Aram, had fallen ill and sent Hazael, one of his trusted officials, to Elisha, the renowned prophet of Israel, with a substantial gift to inquire about his recovery. This request, though from a foreign king, demonstrates Elisha's widespread reputation as a man of God. Historically, relations between Israel and Aram were often hostile, marked by conflict (as seen in previous chapters with Aramean sieges and battles) yet punctuated by periods of diplomacy or at least inter-state consultation as depicted here. The immediate chapter context describes Ben-Hadad's illness and Hazael's mission (v.7-9), Elisha's enigmatic reply in v.10, his weeping at the prophecy's grim implications for Israel (v.11-12), and Hazael's subsequent murder of Ben-Hadad and usurpation of the throne (v.13-15). This prophetic encounter concerning Hazael directly fulfills a command given to Elisha's predecessor, Elijah, by God in 1 Kings 19:15-17, to anoint Hazael as king of Aram as part of God's judgment plan for both Aram and Israel.

2 Kings 8 10 Word analysis

• And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him,

  • This establishes the prophet's role as God's messenger and highlights the direct communication. Elisha gives explicit instructions for Hazael to convey to his king.

• Thou mayest certainly recover:

  • Hebrew: חיה תחיה (chayoh tichyeh). This employs the infinitive absolute construct (the root "live" - hayah repeated: "living, you shall live").
  • Significance: This linguistic form emphasizes intensity or certainty. Here, it conveys that King Ben-Hadad's disease itself was not fatal, meaning physical recovery was possible from the ailment he currently suffered. It is a medical assessment of his condition, not a prophetic declaration of his future. The prophet's ability to discern this indicates divine insight even into natural processes.
  • Original Context/Polemics: This part of the prophecy underscores the Lord's knowledge beyond simple "yes/no" answers typical of pagan divination. The true prophet speaks with nuanced truth.

• howbeit

  • Hebrew: כי (ki). This conjunction can mean "for," "because," "indeed," or "however."
  • Significance: In this context, ki introduces a contrast or a clarification that negates or re-directs the preceding statement's implication for the king's actual future. It signals a shift from the possibility of natural recovery to the certainty of a divinely decreed death, though not necessarily by the disease. This "however" is crucial to understanding the nuanced prophecy.

• the LORD hath showed me

  • Hebrew: הראני יהוה (heranani YHWH). This explicitly attributes the following information to direct divine revelation from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel.
  • Significance: It emphasizes that Elisha is not speaking from human wisdom or personal opinion, but from the infallible, omniscient God. This underscores the divine authority behind the otherwise ambiguous or potentially disturbing prophecy. This highlights the unique access a true prophet of God has to the divine counsel, contrasting sharply with divination reliant on omens or subjective interpretations.
  • Original Context: Consultation with prophets was a major form of discerning divine will, emphasizing God's active involvement in world affairs, even regarding foreign kings.

• that he shall surely die.

  • Hebrew: מות ימות (mot yamut). This is another infinitive absolute construct (the root "die" - mut repeated: "dying, he shall die").
  • Significance: Like chayoh tichyeh, this conveys certainty. King Ben-Hadad's death is an absolute certainty, a divinely appointed end. However, it does not state the means of death. Elisha had already foreseen (v.11-12) Hazael's wicked actions, which included the king's murder. Thus, while recovery from the sickness was possible, recovery from a divinely ordained death by other means (through Hazael) was impossible. This statement confirms God's ultimate sovereignty over life and death and the destinies of kings. It subtly acts as a test or revelation of Hazael's heart, knowing that he, Hazael, will be the instrument of this certain death.

2 Kings 8 10 Bonus section

This particular prophecy by Elisha is sometimes termed an "indirect prophecy" or a "prophetic word of catalyst." Elisha did not directly command Hazael to kill Ben-Hadad. Rather, by informing Hazael that the king "shall surely die" even though his illness wasn't fatal, Elisha provided information that could easily be, and was, leveraged by Hazael's pre-existing wicked ambition. Hazael could interpret Elisha’s words as either permission, or even a divine endorsement, to accelerate what was foretold. This ambiguity puts a moral weight on Hazael's response. The fact that Elisha wept when he gazed at Hazael (v.11-12) further confirms Elisha’s full understanding of the terror Hazael would unleash on Israel, a fulfillment of 1 Kings 19:15 and a necessary, yet horrific, stage in God’s plan of judgment for His people. Thus, Elisha delivers God's truthful yet complex message, fulfilling his prophetic office while acknowledging the profound sorrow and moral responsibility accompanying such divine disclosures. The divine truth about "sure death" (mot yamut) points beyond mere medical condition to an decreed end, executed through a wicked, yet divinely sovereignly allowed, means.

2 Kings 8 10 Commentary

2 Kings 8:10 presents a remarkable instance of prophetic speech, characterized by a paradox that hinges on divine foreknowledge and human depravity. Elisha’s initial assurance to Hazael that King Ben-Hadad "mayest certainly recover" (Hebrew chayoh tichyeh) acknowledges the medical possibility of survival from his illness. This shows the prophet's precise understanding of the king's current condition. However, this natural prognosis is immediately superseded by a divinely revealed certainty: "howbeit the LORD hath showed me that he shall surely die" (Hebrew mot yamut). This second declaration is not a contradiction but a deeper, ultimate truth regarding Ben-Hadad’s divinely ordained fate.

The "howbeit" acts as a stark divider, indicating that while natural recovery is possible, a supernatural decree overrides it. God has determined Ben-Hadad's end, and this fate will manifest not from his disease, but by other means. Elisha, with the burden of God's foreknowledge of Hazael's impending treachery and the horrors he would inflict upon Israel (2 Ki 8:11-12), speaks a truth that simultaneously answers the immediate question and subtly catalyzes the predetermined divine plan. Hazael, knowing a powerful prophecy guaranteed the king's certain death despite his curable illness, felt empowered and perhaps compelled to act as God's unwitting agent, revealing his own inherent ambition and wickedness by murdering Ben-Hadad shortly after. This verse thus profoundly illustrates God's sovereign control over nations and rulers, even gentile ones, bringing His purposes to pass through complex human actions without condoning the evil motives behind them.

Examples:

• Discernment of Will: Just as God revealed Ben-Hadad's true fate, even when circumstances suggested otherwise, believers are called to seek God's ultimate will through Scripture and prayer, recognizing that human possibility does not equate to divine destiny.
• Trust in Sovereignty: Even in difficult situations or the face of human wickedness, God's foreknowledge and control remain paramount, ensuring His larger plan unfolds.
• Testing of Character: Elisha's statement implicitly tested Hazael, revealing his heart's inclination towards violence and ambition once the path to power was clarified by prophecy. Similarly, situations often arise that expose true character.