Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HAZAEL

(Heb. ḥăzāʾēl)

King of Aram (ca. 844/842-800 b.c.e.), usurper and founder of a new dynasty. In 2 Kgs. 8:7-15 Hazael, a servant of the ailing Ben-hadad, kills him after Elisha prophesies to Hazael that he will be the next king. In KAH 30 Shalmaneser III calls Hazael “a son of a nobody,” i.e., not a legitimate heir to the throne. In the Tell Dan stela Hazael declares that the god Hadad, not his father, made him king.

Exactly whom Hazael follows and when is a matter of debate. According to KAH 30, when Hadad-idri died (ca. 845) Hazael followed as king, but the text does not say when he took over. It is possible that a son of Hadad-idri reigned for a short time before he was assassinated by Hazael.

With the ascension of Hazael, Israel’s alliance against Assyria broke down. 2 Kgs. 8:25-29 relates how Joram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah fought against Hazael at Ramoth-gilead. In 2 Kgs. 9–10 the wounding of Joram in this battle begins the revolt by Jehu which ends in the death of the two kings. In the Tell Dan stela Hazael takes credit for killing both kings. Shortly after, Shalmaneser III in his 18th year (841) attacked Hazael at Mt. Senir, besieged him in Damascus, but failed to capture him. In his 21st and 22nd year Shalmaneser attacked Hazael at Malaḫu and Danabu, respectively, for the last time.

With Assyrian pressure gone Hazael began to expand his empire southward. During the reign of Jehu he added most of Israel’s Transjordan territory to Aram (2 Kgs. 10:32-33). After attacking Philistia and taking Aphek and Gath, he turned toward Jerusalem but stopped when Jehoash of Judah offered tribute (2 Kgs. 12:17-18).

Hazael’s greatest period of power came during the reign of Jehu’s son Jehoahaz. Israel suffered constant defeat at the hands of Hazael, and finally its army was reduced to nothing (2 Kgs. 13:1-9, 22-23). Hazael controlled Aram, Israel, Judah, Philistia, and the Transjordan.

The exact date of Hazael’s death is uncertain, though it was close to Jehoahaz’ death (ca. 800). Hazael was succeeded by his son Ben-hadad, who lost most of the Israelite territory to Jehoash (2 Kgs. 13:10-19, 24-25).

Bibliography. A. Biran and J. Naveh, “The Tel Dan Inscription: A New Fragment,” IEJ 45 (1995): 1-18; W. T. Pitard, Ancient Damascus (Winona Lake, 1987).

Russell Nelson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

HAZAEL

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)