2 Kings 8:12 net — Hazael asked,“Why are you crying, my master?” He replied,“Because I know the trouble you will cause the Israelites. You…

NET Bible

"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.”"

— 2 Kings 8:12, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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2 Kings 8:12 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.”

  • ASV

    “And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strongholds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child. ”

  • WEB

    “Hazael said, "Why do you weep, my lord?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, and will dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child."”

  • DRB

    “And Hazael said to him: Why doth my lord weep? And he said: Because I know the evil that thou wilt do to the children of Israel. Their strong cities thou wilt burn with fire, and their young men thou wilt kill with the sword, and thou wilt dash their children, and rip up their pregnant women.”

  • BBE

    “And Hazael said, Why is my lord weeping? Then he said in answer, Because I see the evil which you will do to the children of Israel: burning down their strong towns, putting their young men to death with the sword, smashing their little ones against the stones, and cutting open the women who are with child.”

  • KJVA

    “And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.”

2 Kings 8 — Context

9

So Hazael went to visit Elisha. He took along a gift, as well as forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said,“Your son, King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question,‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

10

Elisha said to him,“Go and tell him,‘You will surely recover,’ but the LORD has revealed to me that he will surely die.”

11

Elisha just stared at him until Hazael became uncomfortable. Then the prophet started crying.

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.”

13

Hazael said,“How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?” Elisha answered,“The LORD has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.”

14

He left Elisha and went to his master. Ben Hadad asked him,“What did Elisha tell you?” Hazael replied,“He told me you would surely recover.”

15

The next day Hazael took a piece of cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over Ben Hadad’s face until he died. Then Hazael replaced him as king.

2 Kings 8:12 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Kings 8:12 say?
2 Kings 8:12 in the NET Bible reads: “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.””
Where is 2 Kings 8:12 in the Bible?
2 Kings 8:12 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 8, verse 12.
Who wrote 2 Kings?
2 Kings is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Jeremiah). It was written c. 561–538 BC.
What is the book of 2 Kings about?
2 Kings carries the divided kingdom from Elijah and Elisha through the fall of both Israel and Judah. Despite the prophets' warnings, both kingdoms decline through idolatry — the north into Assyrian captivity, the south into Babylonian exile — fulfilling the covenant curses.
What are the major themes of 2 Kings?
2 Kings explores themes including Judgment, Exile, Prophets, Covenant Curses, Remnant. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Kings 8:12.
What translation should I read 2 Kings 8:12 in?
2 Kings 8:12 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Kings 8:12?
2 Kings 8:12 reads (NET): “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.”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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