HAZAEL. The prophet Elijah being at mount Horeb, received orders from God to go and anoint Hazael to be King of Syria. The Prophet set out upon his journey towards him; but it does not appear In the Year of the World 3097, before J.C. 903, before the Vulg. Æra 907. a 2 Kings vii. 7. In the year of the World 3120, before J.C. 880, before the Vulgar Æra 884.that he himself executed this commission. Elisha many years after going to Damascus a, foretold to Hazael, that he should reign over Syria. I shall give a short account of what happened upon this occasion. Benhadad King of Damascus was at that time indisposed: and being informed that the prophet Elisha was coming to Damascus, he sent Hazael with great presents to meet him, in order to consult him concerning his disease. Hazael asked the Prophet whether Benhadad would recover. Elisha answered, Tell him, he shall be cured; but God hath declared to me, that he shall surely die. At the same time Elisha shewed some sort of disorder, his countenance changed, and he shed tears.
Hazael asked him, why he wept? Because, said Elisha, I know how many calamities thou wilt bring upon the children of Israel: their strong Cities thou wilt burn, their young men thou wilt put to the sword, their little infants thou wilt dash against the ground, and rip up the women, who are big with child. Hazael answered, Is thy servant a dog, that he should do these things? The Lord, said Elisha, hath revealed to me, that thou shalt be King of Syria. Hazael returned to the King his master, told him he would recover his health; but the next day he stifled him with a cloth dipt in water, which he spread over his face; and Benhadad being dead, he reigned in his place.
Hazael without delay executed all the evils which Elisha had foretold, that he would bring on Israel. Jehu breaking up the siege of Ramoth-Gilead, and coming to 2 Kings x. 32, 33.Samaria with his army, Hazael took the advantage of his absence, fell upon his territories beyond Jordan, destroyed all the land of Gilead, Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, from Aroer to Bashan. Many years passed without Hazael’s undertaking any thing against the Kingdom of Judah, because it was more remote from Damascus. He began not to distress it till the reign of Joash the son of Jehoahaz. He laid siege to Gath, took it, and marched against Jerusalem b. Joash perceiving himself not to be strong enough to resist him, gave him all the money, which was in his treasury, In the year of the World 3165, before J.C. 835, before the Vulgar Æra 839. b 2 Kings xii. 17, 18, &c. xiii. c 2 Chron. xxiv. 23, 24, &c.and in the treasuries belonging to the House of God, to ingage him to retire. The year following, Hazael’s army returned against Joash, c entred into the territories of Judah and Jerusalem, slew all the Princes of the people, and sent a very rich spoil to the King of Syria. The Syrian army was not numerous; but God delivered up to it great multitudes of the inhabitants of Judah; and Joash himself was treated by the Syrians with the utmost ignominy. Hazael did not spare the King of Israel any more than he had done the King of Judah; but what the mischief was which he did him, is not very distinctly known to us. He died much about the same time as Jehoahaz King of Israel; and was succeeded by his son Benhadad.