2 Kings 8:11 kjv
And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.
2 Kings 8:11 nkjv
Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept.
2 Kings 8:11 niv
He stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael was embarrassed. Then the man of God began to weep.
2 Kings 8:11 esv
And he fixed his gaze and stared at him, until he was embarrassed. And the man of God wept.
2 Kings 8:11 nlt
Elisha stared at Hazael with a fixed gaze until Hazael became uneasy. Then the man of God started weeping.
2 Kings 8 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 16:7 | "For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance..." | God's discerning sight vs. human perspective |
| Ps 139:2-4 | "You know my downsitting and my uprising... discern my thoughts..." | God's profound knowledge of individuals |
| Jer 17:10 | "I, the LORD, search the heart and test the mind..." | God’s knowledge of internal motivations |
| Isa 6:8-10 | "Go, and say to this people: ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand...'" | Prophetic foresight of impending judgment |
| Jer 9:1 | "Oh that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears..." | Prophetic sorrow for national sin |
| Jer 13:17 | "But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride..." | Prophet's weeping over stubbornness |
| Lam 1:16 | "For these things I weep; my eyes flow with tears..." | Lamentation over national suffering |
| Luke 19:41-44 | "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it..." | Jesus' weeping over Jerusalem's coming fate |
| John 11:35 | "Jesus wept." | Divine compassion and empathy |
| 1 Ki 19:15-17 | "And the LORD said to him, ‘Go, return on your way... anoint Hazael king of Aram..." | Prophecy concerning Hazael's future reign |
| 2 Ki 8:12 | "And Hazael said, ‘Why does my lord weep?’ He answered, ‘Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel’" | Immediate clarification of Elisha's tears |
| 2 Ki 10:32-33 | "In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel; and Hazael defeated them throughout all the territory of Israel:" | Fulfillment of Hazael's destructive actions |
| 2 Ki 13:3-4 | "And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel... and he gave them repeatedly into the hand of Hazael king of Aram..." | Hazael as an instrument of divine judgment |
| 2 Ki 13:22 | "Now Hazael king of Aram had oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz." | Continuing oppression by Hazael confirmed |
| Deut 32:21 | "They have made me jealous with what is no god... and I will make them jealous with a people who are no people;" | God using foreign nations for judgment |
| Hab 3:16 | "I heard, and my body trembled... I waited for the day of trouble, for the coming of the people who invade us." | Prophetic fear/trembling at divine judgment |
| Joel 2:12 | "“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;" | Call for national repentance and sorrow |
| Ezek 9:4 | "And the LORD said to him, 'Pass through the city... and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations...'" | Those who mourn over sin are marked for preservation |
| Phil 3:18 | "For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ." | Apostolic grief over disobedience |
| Rom 9:1-3 | "I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed..." | Paul's deep sorrow for his kinsmen |
2 Kings 8 verses
2 Kings 8 11 Meaning
2 Kings 8:11 describes a profound moment between the prophet Elisha and Hazael, a servant of the King of Aram. Elisha intently gazed upon Hazael, a look so piercing that it caused Hazael to become uncomfortable and embarrassed. Following this intense scrutiny, Elisha, deeply moved by what he foresaw, began to weep. This divine revelation concerned the future cruelty and devastation Hazael would inflict upon the people of Israel, bringing suffering and judgment as a consequence of their sin. Elisha’s weeping signified his compassion for God's people and the heavy burden of the divine message he received.
2 Kings 8 11 Context
This verse is set in Damascus, where Elisha has traveled after anointing Jehu king of Israel. He encounters King Ben-Hadad of Aram, who is sick and sends Hazael to inquire of Elisha whether he will recover. The chapter context reveals Elisha’s powerful prophetic abilities and his influence, even among foreign nations. The historical context includes the ongoing political tension and frequent warfare between Aram and Israel. Prophets often served as key figures in foretelling political success, national judgment, or divine will for kings, both within Israel and for surrounding nations. Elisha’s immediate actions—his intense gaze and weeping—foreshadow the great evil Hazael will perpetrate against Israel, an act that God has foreseen and even purposed.
2 Kings 8 11 Word analysis
- And he fixed his gaze on him: The subject is Elisha, the man of God, and "him" refers to Hazael. The Hebrew phrase is wayyātseṣ pānāw (וַיָּצֶץ פָּנָיו), which means literally "he made his face gleam" or "shone his face." However, in context, it conveys the idea of an intense, piercing, and focused stare. It implies a deliberate, searching look that goes beyond the surface. This deep gaze suggests a moment of divine inspiration where Elisha is receiving prophetic insight.
- and stared at him: The repetition emphasizes the unusual nature and duration of Elisha’s gaze. The Hebrew is wayyireh bô (וַיִּרְאֶה בֹו), meaning "and he looked at him." Coupled with the previous phrase, it indicates a sustained, discerning inspection.
- until he was embarrassed: The Hebrew ‘ad boštō (עַד בֹּשְׁתּוֹ) signifies more than simple shyness. Boshet (בֹּשֶׁת) implies shame, confusion, or humiliation. Hazael's reaction suggests that Elisha's intense gaze exposed something within him—perhaps an unconscious guilt, a dawning realization of his own ambition, or merely the discomfort of being seen so thoroughly by a man of God. It implies Elisha saw into Hazael's heart, disturbing him profoundly.
- And the man of God wept: "The man of God" is a common title for Elisha, signifying his special relationship with Yahweh and his prophetic authority. His weeping (Hebrew: wayyevke) is not for himself, but an expression of profound sorrow for the future suffering of God's people. This compassionate act reveals the heavy burden of the prophet who perceives divine judgment. Elisha is weeping over the horrific future that he sees Hazael will bring upon Israel, foretold to him by God. This indicates a deep empathetic connection to his people and a spiritual sensitivity to the pain of sin and its consequences.
- "he fixed his gaze on him and stared at him until he was embarrassed.": This sequence describes Elisha's penetrating prophetic vision. His sustained and unnerving gaze likely conveyed to Hazael an unspoken revelation or intuition, making Hazael acutely uncomfortable, possibly sensing that his hidden intentions or future actions were exposed before the prophet. It underscores Elisha's spiritual discernment and Hazael's moral discomfort.
- "And the man of God wept.": This powerful statement reveals Elisha's humanity and his role as God's compassionate representative. His tears were not of weakness, but of profound grief for the devastating consequences of Israel's apostasy, which Hazael would be an instrument in bringing about. This empathetic sorrow demonstrates the heart of a true prophet who carries the burdens of his people before God.
2 Kings 8 11 Bonus section
The scene foreshadows the profound and lamentable truth that Hazael, initially coming in peace as a messenger, would become God's instrument of judgment against Israel (as prophesied earlier to Elijah in 1 Ki 19:15-17). Elisha's weeping is not just over the physical harm, but implicitly over the spiritual state of Israel that would necessitate such judgment. It reflects the consistent biblical theme of God using foreign nations as instruments for discipline against His covenant people when they persist in disobedience. Elisha's act is a living parable, indicating the prophet’s participation in the divine sorrow over human sin and its tragic outcomes.
2 Kings 8 11 Commentary
2 Kings 8:11 portrays a vivid scene of prophetic discernment and divine compassion. Elisha's penetrating gaze upon Hazael was not a mere look, but a spiritual seeing, an encounter in which the prophet received a direct revelation of Hazael's future character and actions. This was a moment of acute prophetic insight, cutting through Hazael's outward appearance to the depths of his being and revealing the future atrocities he would commit against Israel. Hazael's subsequent embarrassment underscores the power of this divine revelation to expose the wickedness within. Elisha’s tears were a manifestation of his identification with the suffering of God's people and his anguish over the impending divine judgment. It speaks to the burden of prophetic office, which often required prophets to deliver messages of judgment and witness great sorrow, even as they felt it personally. The prophet here is deeply moved by what God has shown him, demonstrating a heartfelt empathy that mirrors God's own grief over sin and its painful consequences.