II Kings 8

מלכים ב׳ פרק ח׳

Section: נביאים · נביאים ראשונים | Book: II Kings | Chapter: 8 of 25 | Day: 130 of 742

Date: June 21, 2026

קלאוד על הנ״ך

Chapter 8 is a study in transitions of power, both human and divine. It opens with a quiet epilogue to the Shunammite woman’s story (אישה השונמית) and closes with the Aramean wounding of a king of Israel, but its true center of gravity is the way prophecy converts into political reality. Elisha had foretold a seven-year famine, and the woman whose son he had revived (see chapter 4) heeds his warning and sojourns among the Philistines; when she returns to reclaim her confiscated house and field, the timing is providential. She arrives precisely as Gehazi is recounting to the king how Elisha brought a dead boy back to life, and the king, struck by the living proof standing before him, restores all her property along with its accrued revenue. The narrative quietly insists that the prophet’s word governs not only life and death but the mundane machinery of land and law.

The chapter’s most disturbing scene is Elisha’s encounter with Hazael in Damascus. Sent by the ailing King Ben-hadad to ask whether he will recover, Hazael receives a two-edged answer: tell the king he will live, yet the Lord has shown me that he will surely die. Then the prophet does something extraordinary — he fixes Hazael with an unblinking stare until both men are unsettled, and Elisha weeps. He weeps not for Ben-hadad but for Israel, foreseeing the atrocities Hazael will commit: burning fortresses, killing young men, dashing infants, ripping open pregnant women. Hazael protests that he is but a dog, too lowly for such deeds, but Elisha has already seen him as king of Aram. The next day Hazael smothers his master with a wet cloth and seizes the throne, fulfilling the commission first given to Elijah at Horeb (I Kings 19:15) to anoint Hazael over Aram. The prophet here is not the agent of the evil but its grieving witness, the man who must announce a future he cannot avert.

The remainder of the chapter shifts to the throne of Judah and the long shadow of the House of Ahab. Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat becomes king of Judah and walks in the ways of the kings of Israel, for he had married a daughter of Ahab — almost certainly Athaliah, whose presence will poison the Davidic line for a generation. The text pauses to make its central theological assertion: despite Jehoram’s wickedness, the Lord would not destroy Judah, for the sake of David His servant, as He had promised to give him a lamp (ניר) for his sons forever. This is the davidic covenant functioning as a brake on judgment; the dynasty endures not on its merits but on the strength of an ancient promise. In Jehoram’s days Edom successfully revolts, throwing off Judahite control, and Libnah rebels as well — concrete signs that the kingdom is fraying under an unfaithful king.

The chapter ends by introducing Ahaziah son of Jehoram, whose single year on the throne is defined entirely by his maternal line. His mother is named as Athaliah, granddaughter (or daughter) of Omri, and he too walks in the way of the House of Ahab, for he was a son-in-law of that house. The intermarriage of the two royal lines, Judah and Israel, has produced a king who is Ahab’s grandson on his mother’s side and David’s heir on his father’s — a living symbol of the spiritual compromise that the alliance entailed. The chapter closes on a note of foreboding: Ahaziah joins Joram of Israel in war against Hazael at Ramoth-gilead, Joram is wounded by the Arameans, and Ahaziah goes down to Jezreel to visit his stricken ally. The reader who knows what follows recognizes that both kings are walking toward Jehu’s sword. Hazael’s accession, foreseen and wept over in Damascus, has set in motion the very judgment that will soon engulf both Israel and the compromised house of Judah.

פרק ח׳ · Chapter 8

פסוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וֶאֱלִישָׁ֡ע דִּבֶּ֣ר אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֨ה אֶת־בְּנָ֜הּ לֵאמֹ֗ר ק֤וּמִי וּלְכִי֙ (אתי) [אַ֣תְּ] וּבֵיתֵ֔ךְ וְג֖וּרִי בַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר תָּג֑וּרִי כִּֽי־קָרָ֤א יְהֹוָה֙ לָרָעָ֔ב וְגַם־בָּ֥א אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִֽים׃

English:

Elisha had said to the woman whose son he revived, “Leave immediately with your family and go sojourn somewhere else;asomewhere else Lit. “wherever you may sojourn.” for GOD has decreed a seven-year famine upon the land, and it has already begun.”

פסוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַתָּ֙קׇם֙ הָאִשָּׁ֔ה וַתַּ֕עַשׂ כִּדְבַ֖ר אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתֵּ֤לֶךְ הִיא֙ וּבֵיתָ֔הּ וַתָּ֥גׇר בְּאֶרֶץ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים שֶׁ֥בַע שָׁנִֽים׃

English:

The woman had done as the agent of God had spoken; she left with her family and sojourned in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

פסוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֗י מִקְצֵה֙ שֶׁ֣בַע שָׁנִ֔ים וַתָּ֥שׇׁב הָאִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֣רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַתֵּצֵא֙ לִצְעֹ֣ק אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֶל־בֵּיתָ֖הּ וְאֶל־שָׂדָֽהּ׃

English:

At the end of the seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went to the king to complain about her house and farm.

פסוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וְהַמֶּ֗לֶךְ מְדַבֵּר֙ אֶל־גֵּ֣חֲזִ֔י נַ֥עַר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר סַפְּרָה־נָּ֣א לִ֔י אֵ֥ת כׇּל־הַגְּדֹל֖וֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֥ה אֱלִישָֽׁע׃ {ס}        

English:

Now the king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the agent of God, and he said, “Tell me all the wonderful things that Elisha has done.”

פסוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַ֠יְהִ֠י ה֥וּא מְסַפֵּ֣ר לַמֶּ֘לֶךְ֮ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֣ה אֶת־הַמֵּת֒ וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָאִשָּׁ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֤ה אֶת־בְּנָהּ֙ צֹעֶ֣קֶת אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ עַל־בֵּיתָ֖הּ וְעַל־שָׂדָ֑הּ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר גֵּֽחֲזִי֙ אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ זֹ֚את הָֽאִשָּׁ֔ה וְזֶה־בְּנָ֖הּ אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֥ה אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

English:

While he was telling the king how [Elisha] had revived a dead person, in came the woman whose son he had revived, complaining to the king about her house and farm. “My lord king,” said Gehazi, “this is the woman and this is her son whom Elisha revived.”

פסוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁאַ֥ל הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ לָאִשָּׁ֖ה וַתְּסַפֶּר־ל֑וֹ וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֣הּ הַמֶּ֩לֶךְ֩ סָרִ֨יס אֶחָ֜ד לֵאמֹ֗ר הָשֵׁ֤יב אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָהּ֙ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־תְּבוּאֹ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה מִיּ֛וֹם עׇזְבָ֥הֿ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְעַד־עָֽתָּה׃ {פ}

English:

The king questioned the woman, and she told him [the story]; so the king assigned a eunuch to her and instructed him: “Restore all her property, and all the revenue from her farm from the time she left the country until now.”

פסוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיָּבֹ֤א אֱלִישָׁע֙ דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק וּבֶן־הֲדַ֥ד מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם חֹלֶ֑ה וַיֻּגַּד־ל֣וֹ לֵאמֹ֔ר בָּ֛א אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עַד־הֵֽנָּה׃

English:

Elisha arrived in Damascus at a time when King Ben-hadad of Aram was ill. The kingbThe king Moved up from v. 8 for clarity. was told, “The agent of God is on his way here,“

פסוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־חֲזָהאֵ֗ל קַ֤ח בְּיָדְךָ֙ מִנְחָ֔ה וְלֵ֕ךְ לִקְרַ֖את אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֨ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה מֵאוֹתוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳלִ֥י זֶֽה׃

English:

and he said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go meet the agent of God, and through him inquire of GOD: Will I recover from this illness?”

פסוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ חֲז��אֵל֮ לִקְרָאתוֹ֒ וַיִּקַּ֨ח מִנְחָ֤ה בְיָדוֹ֙ וְכׇל־ט֣וּב דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק מַשָּׂ֖א אַרְבָּעִ֣ים גָּמָ֑ל וַיָּבֹא֙ וַיַּעֲמֹ֣ד לְפָנָ֔יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר בִּנְךָ֨ בֶן־הֲדַ֤ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָם֙ שְׁלָחַ֤נִי אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳלִ֥י זֶֽה׃

English:

Hazael went to meet him, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the bounty of Damascus. He came and stood before him and said, “Your son, King Ben-hadad of Aram, has sent me to you to ask: Will I recover from this illness?”

פסוק י׳ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֱלִישָׁ֔ע לֵ֥ךְ אֱמׇר־[ל֖וֹ] (לא) חָיֹ֣ה תִֽחְיֶ֑ה וְהִרְאַ֥נִי יְהֹוָ֖ה כִּי־מ֥וֹת יָמֽוּת׃

English:

Elisha said to him, “Go and say to him, ‘You will recover.’ However, GOD has revealed to me that he will die.”

פסוק י״א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַיַּעֲמֵ֥ד אֶת־פָּנָ֖יו וַיָּ֣שֶׂם עַד־בֹּ֑שׁ וַיֵּ֖בְךְּ אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

English:

The agent of God kept his face expressionlessckept his face expressionless Meaning of Heb. uncertain. for a long time; and then he wept.

פסוק י״ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חֲזָאֵ֔ל מַדּ֖וּעַ אֲדֹנִ֣י בֹכֶ֑ה וַיֹּ֡אמֶר כִּֽי־יָדַ֡עְתִּי אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁר־תַּעֲשֶׂה֩ לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל רָעָ֗ה מִבְצְרֵיהֶ֞ם תְּשַׁלַּ֤ח בָּאֵשׁ֙ וּבַחֻֽרֵיהֶם֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב תַּהֲרֹ֔ג וְעֹלְלֵיהֶ֣ם תְּרַטֵּ֔שׁ וְהָרֹתֵיהֶ֖ם תְּבַקֵּֽעַ׃

English:

“Why does my lord weep?” asked Hazael. “Because I know,” he replied, “what harm you will do to the Israelite people: you will set their fortresses on fire, put their young men to the sword, dash their little ones in pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”

פסוק י״ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר חֲזָהאֵ֔ל כִּ֣י מָ֤ה עַבְדְּךָ֙ הַכֶּ֔לֶב כִּ֣י יַעֲשֶׂ֔ה הַדָּבָ֥ר הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע הִרְאַ֧נִי יְהֹוָ֛ה אֹתְךָ֖ מֶ֥לֶךְ עַל־אֲרָֽם׃

English:

“But how,” asked Hazael, “can your servant, who is a mere dog, perform such a mighty deed?” Elisha replied, “GOD has shown me a vision of you as king of Aram.”

פסוק י״ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ ׀ מֵאֵ֣ת אֱלִישָׁ֗ע וַיָּבֹא֙ אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔יו וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ מָה־אָמַ֥ר לְךָ֖ אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיֹּ֕אמֶר אָ֥מַר לִ֖י חָיֹ֥ה תִֽחְיֶֽה׃

English:

He left Elisha and returned to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha say to you?” He replied, “He told me that you would recover.”

פסוק ט״ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֗ת וַיִּקַּ֤ח הַמַּכְבֵּר֙ וַיִּטְבֹּ֣ל בַּמַּ֔יִם וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ עַל־פָּנָ֖יו וַיָּמֹ֑ת וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ חֲזָהאֵ֖ל תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ {פ}

English:

The next day, [Hazael] took a piece of netting,da piece of netting Meaning of Heb. uncertain. dipped it in water, and spread it over his face. So [Ben-hadad] died, and Hazael succeeded him as king.

פסוק ט״ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת חָמֵ֗שׁ לְיוֹרָ֤ם בֶּן־אַחְאָב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָלַ֛ךְ יְהוֹרָ֥ם בֶּן־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

In the fifth year of King JorameJoram Throughout this chapter, the name Joram is sometimes written Jehoram. son of Ahab of Israel—Jehoshaphat had been king of Judah—Joram son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah became king.

פסוק י״ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּשְׁתַּ֛יִם שָׁנָ֖ה הָיָ֣ה בְמׇלְכ֑וֹ וּשְׁמֹנֶ֣ה (שנה) [שָׁנִ֔ים] מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃

English:

He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.

פסוק י״ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ ׀ מַלְכֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית אַחְאָ֔ב כִּ֚י בַּת־אַחְאָ֔ב הָ֥יְתָה לּ֖וֹ לְאִשָּׁ֑ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהֹוָֽה׃

English:

He followed the practices of the kings of Israel—whatever the House of Ahab did, for he had married a daughterfdaughter Emendation yields “sister”; cf. v. 26. of Ahab—and he did what was displeasing to GOD.

פסוק י״ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וְלֹא־אָבָ֤ה יְהֹוָה֙ לְהַשְׁחִ֣ית אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה לְמַ֖עַן דָּוִ֣ד עַבְדּ֑וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַר־ל֗וֹ לָתֵ֨ת ל֥וֹ נִ֛יר לְבָנָ֖יו כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

English:

However, GOD refrained from destroying Judah, for the sake of God’s servant David, in accordance with God’s promise to maintain a lamp for his descendants for all time.

פסוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

בְּיָמָיו֙ פָּשַׁ֣ע אֱד֔וֹם מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־יְהוּדָ֑ה וַיַּמְלִ֥כוּ עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם מֶֽלֶךְ׃

English:

During his reign, the Edomites rebelled against Judah’s rule and set up a king of their own.

פסוק כ״א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַיַּעֲבֹ֤ר יוֹרָם֙ צָעִ֔ירָה וְכׇל־הָרֶ֖כֶב עִמּ֑וֹ וַֽיְהִי־ה֞וּא קָ֣ם לַ֗יְלָה וַיַּכֶּ֨ה אֶת־אֱד֜וֹם הַסֹּבֵ֤יב אֵלָיו֙ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרֵ֣י הָרֶ֔כֶב וַיָּ֥נׇס הָעָ֖ם לְאֹהָלָֽיו׃

English:

Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariotry. He arose by night and attacked the Edomites, who were surrounding him and the chariot commanders; butgHe arose by night … but Meaning of Heb. uncertain. his troops fled to their homes.

פסוק כ״ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַיִּפְשַׁ֣ע אֱד֗וֹם מִתַּ֙חַת֙ יַד־יְהוּדָ֔ה עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אָ֛ז תִּפְשַׁ֥ע לִבְנָ֖ה בָּעֵ֥ת הַהִֽיא׃

English:

Thus Edom fell away from Judah, as is still the case. Libnah likewise fell away at that time.

פסוק כ״ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וְיֶ֛תֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י יוֹרָ֖ם וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

The other events of Joram’s reign, and all his actions, are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Judah.

פסוק כ״ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יוֹרָם֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו בְּעִ֣יר דָּוִ֑ד וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ אֲחַזְיָ֥הוּ בְנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ {פ}

English:

Joram rested with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David; his son Ahaziah succeeded him as king.

פסוק כ״ה · Verse 25

Hebrew:

בִּשְׁנַת֙ שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֔ה לְיוֹרָ֥ם בֶּן־אַחְאָ֖ב מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מָלַ֛ךְ אֲחַזְיָ֥הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹרָ֖ם מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃

English:

In the twelfth year of King Joram son of Ahab of Israel, Ahaziah son of Joram became king of Judah.

פסוק כ״ו · Verse 26

Hebrew:

בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים וּשְׁתַּ֤יִם שָׁנָה֙ אֲחַזְיָ֣הוּ בְמׇלְכ֔וֹ וְשָׁנָ֣ה אַחַ֔ת מָלַ֖ךְ בִּירוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם וְשֵׁ֤ם אִמּוֹ֙ עֲתַלְיָ֔הוּ בַּת־עׇמְרִ֖י מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

English:

Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year; his mother’s name was Athaliah daughter of King Omri of Israel.

פסוק כ״ז · Verse 27

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ בְּדֶ֙רֶךְ֙ בֵּ֣ית אַחְאָ֔ב וַיַּ֧עַשׂ הָרַ֛ע בְּעֵינֵ��י יְהֹוָ֖ה כְּבֵ֣ית אַחְאָ֑ב כִּ֛י חֲתַ֥ן בֵּית־אַחְאָ֖ב הֽוּא׃

English:

He walked in the ways of the House of Ahab and did what was displeasing to GOD, like the House of Ahab, for he was related by marriage to the House of Ahab.

פסוק כ״ח · Verse 28

Hebrew:

וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־יוֹרָ֣ם בֶּן־אַחְאָ֗ב לַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה עִם־חֲזָאֵ֥ל מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם בְּרָמֹ֣ת גִּלְעָ֑ד וַיַּכּ֥וּ אֲרַמִּ֖ים אֶת־יוֹרָֽם׃

English:

He marched with Joram son of Ahab to battle against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, but the Arameans wounded Joram.

פסוק כ״ט · Verse 29

Hebrew:

וַיָּ֩שׇׁב֩ יוֹרָ֨ם הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ לְהִתְרַפֵּ֣א בְיִזְרְעֶ֗אל מִן־הַמַּכִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַכֻּ֤הוּ אֲרַמִּים֙ בָּרָמָ֔ה בְּהִלָּ֣חֲמ֔וֹ אֶת־חֲזָהאֵ֖ל מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֑ם וַאֲחַזְיָ֨הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹרָ֜ם מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֗ה יָרַ֡ד לִרְא֞וֹת אֶת־יוֹרָ֧ם בֶּן־אַחְאָ֛ב בְּיִזְרְעֶ֖אל כִּי־חֹלֶ֥ה הֽוּא׃ {פ}

English:

King Joram retired to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted upon him at Ramah, when he fought against King Hazael of Aram. And King Ahaziah son of Joram of Judah went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab while he was ill.

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