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Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary

2 Kings 8:13

Is thy servant a dog? either so vile and unworthy, as this expression is used, 2 Samuel 3:8, 2 Samuel 9:8; or so impudent, for which dogs are noted; or so fierce, and barbarous, and inhuman. Compare Psalms 22:16,20 Psalms 59:6. Thou shalt be king over Syria; and then thou shalt have power in thy hand, thou wilt discover that bloody disposition, and that hatred against God's people, which now lies hid from others, and possibly from thyself; and therefore with the kingdom thou wilt inherit their cruel dispositions.

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See also 2 Kings 8:13 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 2 Kings 8:13. _BUT WHAT_, IS _THY SERVANT A DOG, THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS_ _GREAT THINGS_] I believe this verse to be wrongly interpreted by the general run of commentators. It is generally under...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BUT WHAT, IS THY SERVANT A DOG? - This is a mistranslation, and conveys to the English reader a sense quite different from that of the original. Hazael’s speech runs thus - “But what is thy servant, t...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE. HAZAEL, KING OF SYRIA. This chapter is somewhat varied as to composition. It opens with a short story about Elisha (2 Kings 8:1), of which we may presuppose (_a_) that it is...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    A DOG. Compare 1 Samuel 17:43; 1 Samuel 24:14; 2 Samuel 9:8....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _And Hazael said, But what,_is _thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?_ R.V. AND HAZAEL SAID, BUT WHAT IS THY SERVANT, WHICH IS BUT A DOG, THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT THING? Hazael ha...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    HAZAEL SAID, BUT WHAT, &C.— When the prophet with tears foretold to Hazael what calamities he should hereafter bring upon Israel, his ambition instantly took fire, and he cried out with transport, _"W...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    D. PREDICTION CONCERNING THE CAREER OF HAZAEL 8:7-15 TRANSLATION (7) Now Elisha went to Damascus when Benhadad the king of Aram was sick. And it was told him, saying, The man of God has come here. (8...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND HAZAEL SAID, BUT WHAT, IS THY SERVANT A DOG, THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT THING? AND ELISHA ANSWERED, THE LORD HATH SHEWED ME THAT THOU SHALT BE KING OVER SYRIA._ Hazael said, But what! is thy s...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BUT WHAT, etc.] RV 'but what is thy servant, which is but a dog,' the expression 'a dog' being a term of contempt (1 Samuel 17:43; 1 Samuel 24:14). Hazael meant that he could scarcely credit that so g...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ELISHA AND THE SHUNAMMITE. ELISHA AND HAZAEL. REIGNS OF JEHORAM AND AHAZIAH OF JUDAH 1. Then spake Elisha] The occasion is not indicated, all the stories related of Elisha in this and the three prece...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE LAST KINGS OF *ISRAEL AND *JUDAH BOOK OF 2 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 8 THE REPORT ABOUT ELISHA’S *MIRACLES V1 Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had brought back to life. ‘Go aw...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    (7-15) Elisha’s visit to Damascus, and its consequences....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    BUT WHAT, IS THY SERVANT A DOG, THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT THING? — Rather, (_Thou canst not mean it;_) _for what is the dog thy servant that he should do, &c._ Hazael answers in a tone of pretended...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֣אמֶר חֲזָהאֵ֔ל כִּ֣י מָ֤ה עַבְדְּךָ֙ ה

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE SHUNAMMITE AND HAZAEL 2 Kings 8:1 (_ Circa_ B.C. 886) "Our acts still follow with us from afar, And what we have been makes us what we are." -GEORGE ELIOT THE next anecdote of Elisha brings u...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE POWER BEHIND THE THRONE 2 Kings 8:1 Nothing happens in our life or in the world apart from the divine appointment or permission. Behind every event and incident there is a divine providence. The...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The influence of Elisha is incidentally seen in the converse of the king with Gehazi and the restoration of the lands of the Shunammite woman for the sake of the prophet. Elisha visited Damascus, wher...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And Hazael said, But what, [is] thy servant (g) a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou [shalt be] king over Syria. (g) That I should be with...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _A dog. He speaks with indignation, as if he could not be so brutal; (Tirinus) or he could not yet think that he should be king. (Calmet) --- He afterwards proved as cruel as the prophet had signified...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I hardly know a passage in history, even if simply considered as an history, more strikingly interesting to the feelings than this interview, as here related between Hazael and the prophet. Figure to...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    However, the next chapter (2 Kings 3:1-27) brings us at once into earthly circumstances. "Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of J...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _BEWARE!_ ‘Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?’ 2 Kings 8:13 It is a common saying that we can never tell to what we may come. He who is now the greatest criminal was once an...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The history of the woman [1], whose son Elisha had raised to life again, gives us a little picture of all God's dealings with Israel. During long years, as determined by Jehovah, Israel is deprived of...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND HAZAEL SAID, BUT WHAT, [IS] THY SERVANT A DOG, THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT THING?.... What dost thou take me to be, a vile, impudent, fierce, and cruel creature, as a dog, to be guilty of so grea...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And Hazael said, But what, [is] thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou [shalt be] king over Syria. Ver. 13. _But what, is thy se...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog?_ &c. The expression is used in Scripture to signify vile and unworthy, as in 2 Samuel 3:8; 2 Samuel 9:8; and fierce, barbarous, and inhuman, Psalms 22:16;...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The Shunammite, hauing left her countrey seuen yeeres, to auoide the forewarned famine, for Elishas miracle sake, hath her land restored by the king. 7 Hazael being sent with a present by Benhadad...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And Hazael, a hypocrite and actor, SAID, BUT WHAT, IS THY SERVANT A DOG, a lowly, contemptible person, THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT THING, wield such a mighty power? AND ELISHA ANSWERED, THE LORD HATH...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    HAZAEL ANOINTED KING...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SHUNAMITE AGAIN (vv.1-6) The Shunamite woman is typical of the godly remnant of Israel. She had learned the grace of God in giving new life (ch.4:17) and further in resurrection power (ch.4:32-3...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-15 Among other changes of men's minds by affliction, it often gives other thoughts of God's ministers, and teaches to value the counsels and prayers of those whom they have hated and despised. It w...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    2 Kings 8:13 Hazael H2371 said H559 (H8799) dog H3611 do H6213 (H8799) gross H1419 thing H1697 Elisha...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    BENHADAD OF ARAM, THROUGH HIS SERVANT HAZAEL, SEEKS ELISHA'S ASSURANCE THAT HIS ILLNESS IS NOT FATAL, BUT ELISHA DISCERNS DARK DEEDS AHEAD AT THE HANDS OF HAZAEL (2 KINGS 8:7). This incident presumabl...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    2 Kings 8:7 From this history some points of instruction may be derived. I. You cannot predict, from a man's early natural disposition, what he will be capable of. Nothing will save a man but firm h...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Famine predicted. Jehoram restores the Shunanmite land. Reigns of Jehoram and Ahaziah of Judah and Joram of Israel. CHARACTERS: God, Elisha, Gehazi, Jehoram, Ben-hadad, Hazael, Ahaziah, Shu...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    2 Kings 8:8. _Take a present._ See on 1 Kings 14:3. 2 Kings 8:10. _Thou mayest certainly recover._ Aye, say as you all do, both physicians and courtiers. Cry aloud, for Baal is a god. This was said in...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?_ SELF-DECEPTION No doubt the Syrian was perfectly sincere in this question. He had seen the tears which roiled down the aged prophet’s wrink...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Elisha came to Damascus._ STRIKING CHARACTERS We have here-- I. A dying king. 1. This dying king was very anxious. “Shall I recover of this disease?” This was the question he wanted Elisha to answ...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 8:7 The house of Omri has now held the throne of Israel since 1 Kings 16:23, and in spite of Elijah’s prophecy about its end ...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 2 Kings 8:7. AND ELISHA CAME TO DAMASCUS—Elijah, his master, had been divinely commissioned to this (1 Kings 19:15), and now Elisha. “by the instigation of the Spirit”...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 8:1 THE SEQUEL OF THE STORY OF THE SHUNAMMITE. THE KILLING OF BENHADAD BY HAZAEL; AND...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Elisha spake unto the woman, whose son had been restored to life, and he said, [You better get out of here because there's going to be a seven-year famine in this area] (2 Kings 8:1). And so she l...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 19:15; 1 Samuel 17:43; 2 Kings 8:10; 2 Samuel 9:8; Isaiah 56:

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    A dog — So fierce, barbarous, and inhuman. King — And when thou shalt have power in thy hand, thou wilt discover that bloody disposition, and that hatred against God's people, which now lies hid from...

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