Elisha Meets with Hazael

8:7 Elisha traveled to Damascus while King Ben Hadad of Syria was sick. The king10 was told, “The prophet11 has come here.” 8:8 So the king told Hazael, “Take a gift12 and go visit the prophet. Request from him an oracle from the Lord. Ask him,13 ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ” 8:9 So Hazael went to visit Elisha.14 He took along a gift,15 as well as16 forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, “Your son,17 King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question,18 ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ” 8:10 Elisha said to him, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover,’19 but the Lord has revealed to me that he will surely die.” 8:11 Elisha20 just stared at him until Hazael became uncomfortable.21 Then the prophet started crying. 8:12 Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, my master?” He replied, “Because I know the trouble you will cause the Israelites. You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to bits, and rip open their pregnant women.” 8:13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?”22 Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.”23 8:14 He left Elisha and went to his master. Ben Hadad24 asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?” Hazael25 replied, “He told me you would surely recover.” 8:15 The next day Hazael26 took a piece of cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over Ben Hadad’s27 face until he died. Then Hazael replaced him as king.