2 Kings 8 explained: A New King and Troubled Thrones

The Shunammite's land returned (vv. 1-6)

This is the woman from Shunem whose son Elisha raised in chapter 4. Warned of a seven-year famine, she lived abroad and came home to find her property held by others, and because she arrived just as Gehazi, Elisha's former servant, was telling the king her story, the king ordered her house, land and its income given back.

Ben-Hadad's question (vv. 7-10)

In Damascus, capital of Aram (Syria), the sick king Ben-Hadad sent his officer Hazael with a lavish gift to ask Elisha whether he would recover. Elisha's reply is unclear in the original Hebrew, which can be read as 'tell him he will recover' or 'tell him he will not recover,' but either way Elisha adds that the king will in fact die.

Elisha weeps, Hazael strikes (vv. 11-15)

Elisha stared at Hazael until he looked away, then wept as he foresaw the burning, killing of children and attacks on pregnant women Hazael would carry out against Israel as king. Hazael reported only hopeful words, and the next day spread a soaked cloth over the king's face and took his throne, which most readers take as deliberate murder.

Jehoram of Judah (vv. 16-19)

Confusingly, both kingdoms had a king named Joram or Jehoram at this time. Judah's Jehoram married Ahab's daughter and followed the ways of Ahab's family, yet the LORD spared Judah because of a promise to keep a "lamp" for David, meaning a living descendant on his throne, which Christians later read as pointing to Jesus.

Edom and Libnah break away (vv. 20-24)

Edom, the neighbor to the southeast that Judah had controlled, crowned its own king, and Jehoram's night breakout saved him but not the campaign. Libnah, a town on Judah's western edge, also revolted, and the writer seems to present these losses as signs of a failing reign.

Ahaziah follows Ahab's family (vv. 25-29)

Jehoram's son Ahaziah, whose mother Athaliah came from the royal line of Omri and Ahab, ruled only a year and took the same path. He fought Hazael alongside his uncle Joram of Israel, and his visit to the wounded Joram at Jezreel sets the stage for the bloodshed of the next chapter.

Key verse: 2 Kings 8:19

Where Christians differ

Readers differ over how to understand Elisha's part in Hazael's rise: whether his words in verse 10 approved a misleading message, simply foretold what would happen, or in some way cleared the path for Hazael's murder of the king.

Something to think about

Hazael insists he could never do such terrible things, yet soon does; have you ever been surprised by what you turned out to be capable of, for better or worse?