2 Könige 8:13

Schlachter Bibel

Hasael sprach: Was ist dein Knecht, der Hund, daß er solch große Dinge tun sollte? Elisa sprach: Der Herr hat mir gezeigt, daß du König über Syrien wirst!

Parallel Translations

Lutherbible (1912)
Hasael sprach: Was ist dein Knecht, der Hund, daß er solch großes Ding tun sollte? Elisa sprach: Der HERR hat mir gezeigt, daß du König von Syrien sein wirst.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a dog: 1 Samuel 17:43, 2 Samuel 9:8, Psalms 22:16, Psalms 22:20, Isaiah 56:10, Isaiah 56:11, Matthew 7:6, Philippians 3:2, Revelation 22:15

he should do: Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew 26:33-35

The Lord: 2 Kings 8:10, 1 Kings 19:15, Micah 2:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 44:7 - General 2 Samuel 3:8 - Amos I a dog's head 2 Kings 8:15 - And it came 2 Kings 8:28 - Hazael 2 Kings 9:3 - I have anointed 2 Kings 13:3 - Hazael Proverbs 28:26 - that Joel 2:20 - because Mark 14:31 - he spake Luke 22:33 - I am

Gill's Notes on the 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 great inhumanity and barbarity as this? or what is thy servant? a dog, a mean abject creature, of no power and authority, incapable of doing such great things spoken of? to which sense not only what is predicted of him, said to be great, inclines, but what follows:

and Elisha answered, the Lord hath showed me that thou shall be king over Syria; and that thou shalt have power enough to do this; this declaration, according to Ben Gersom, was the anointing of him, predicted 1 Kings 19:15.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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, this dog, that he should do this great thing?” He does not shrink from Elisha’s words, or mean to say that he would be a dog, could he act so cruelly as Elisha predicts he will. On the contrary, Elisha’s prediction has raised his hopes, and his only doubt is whether so much good fortune (“this great thing”) can be in store for one so mean. “Dog” here, as generally (though not always) in Scripture, has the sense of “mean,” “low,” “contemptible.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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 understood that Hazael was struck with horror at the prediction; that these cruelties were most alien from his mind; that he then felt distressed and offended at the imputation of such evils to him; and yet, so little did he know his own heart, that when he got power, and had opportunity, he did the whole with a willing heart and a ready hand. On the contrary, I think he was delighted at the prospect; and his question rather implies a doubt whether a person so inconsiderable as he is shall ever have it in his power to do such great, not such evil things; for, in his sight, they had no turpitude. The Hebrew text stands thus: כי מה עבדך הכלב כי יעשה הדבר הגדול הזה ki mah abdecha hakkeleb, ki yaaseh haddabar haggadol hazzeh? "But, what! thy servant, this dog! that he should do this great work!" Or, "Can such a poor, worthless fellow, such a dead dog, [ὁ κυων ὁ τεθνηκως, Sept.,] perform such mighty actions? thou fillest me with surprise." And that this is the true sense, his immediate murder of his master on his return fully proves. "Our common version of these words of Hazael," as Mr. Patten observes, "has stood in the front of many a fine declamation utterly wide of his real sentiment. His exclamation was not the result of horror; his expression has no tincture of it; but of the unexpected glimpse of a crown! The prophet's answer is plainly calculated to satisfy the astonishment he had excited. A dog bears not, in Scripture, the character of a cruel, but of a despicable animal; nor does he who is shocked with its barbarity call it a GREAT deed." - David Vindicated.