Death of Ben-Hadad

7 Then Elisha went to Damascus, and fBen-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.” 8 And the king said to gHazael, h“Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and iinquire of the Lord by him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ” 9 So jHazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ”

10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the Lord has shown me that khe will really die.” 11 Then he 1set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God lwept. 12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?”

He answered, “Because I know mthe evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you nwill dash their children, and rip open their women with child.”

13 So Hazael said, “But what ois your servant—a dog, that he should do this gross thing?”

And Elisha answered, p“The Lord has shown me that you will become king over Syria.”

14 Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me you would surely recover.” 15 But it happened on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his place.