2 Kings 12:17

Contextual Overview

¹⁷At that time King Hazael of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he planned to attack Jerusalem. ¹⁷ Then Haza'el king of Aram went up, and fought against Gat, and took it; and Haza'el set his face to go up to Yerushalayim. ¹⁷ Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. ¹⁷ At that time Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem, ¹⁷ About this time Hazael king of Aram attacked Gath and captured it. Then he went to attack Jerusalem. ¹⁷ At that time King Hazael of Syria attacked Gath and captured it. Hazael then decided to attack Jerusalem. ¹⁷Then Hazael king of Aram (Syria) went up, fought against Gath [in Philistia], and captured it. And Hazael resolved to go up to Jerusalem.¹⁷ Then Hazael the king of Aram went up and fought against Gath and captured it, and Hazael was intent on going up against Jerusalem.¹⁷ Then came vp Hazael King of Aram, & fought against Gath and tooke it, and Hazael set his face to goe vp to Ierusalem. ¹⁷Then Hazael king of Aram went up and fought against Gath and captured it, and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 3164, bc 840

Hazael: 2 Kings 8:12-15

against Gath: 1 Samuel 27:2, 1 Kings 2:39, 1 Kings 2:40, 1 Chronicles 8:13, 1 Chronicles 18:1

set his face: Jeremiah 42:15, Luke 9:51, Luke 9:53

to Jerusalem: 2 Chronicles 24:23, 2 Chronicles 24:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:21 - set his 2 Kings 13:3 - Hazael 2 Kings 16:8 - the silver 2 Chronicles 32:2 - he was purposed to fight Daniel 11:17 - set

Cross-References

Genesis 12:14
It happened that when Avram had come into Mitzrayim, the Mitzrim saw that the woman was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14
And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

Genesis 12:14
And it happened that as Abram came into Egypt, the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14
When Abram came to Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14
When Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14
And when Abram entered Egypt, the Egyptians saw that Sarai was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14
Now it came about, when Abram entered Egypt, that the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14
Nowe when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians behelde the woman: for she was very faire.

Genesis 12:14
Now it happened when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.

Genesis 12:14
As soon as Abram and Sarai arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians noticed how beautiful she was.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it,.... When Jehoiada was dead, and Jehoash was become an apostate, the Lord suffered the king of Syria to be a scourge to him; who first attacked Gath, and took it, which was formerly one of the principalities of the Philistines, but was subdued by David, and had been in the hands of the Israelites ever since; the king of Syria began with this, as nearest to him, to open the way for what he had further in view:

and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem; he made such preparations, and took such measures, as plainly indicated what his design was.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There was probably a considerable interval between the conclusion of the arrangement for the repairs and the Syrian expedition related in these verses. For the events which had happened, see 2 Chronicles 24:15-22.

2 Kings 12:17

This is the first and last time that we hear of the Damascene Syrians undertaking so distant an expedition. Gath (see Joshua 13:3 note) could only be reached from Syria through Israel or Judah. It was not more than 25 or 30 miles from Jerusalem. It is uncertain whether the city belonged at this time to Judah or to the Philistines.

Hazael set his face ... - This is a phrase for determination generally, but especially for determination to proceed somewhere (compare Jeremiah 42:15; Luke 9:51). Jerusalem can scarcely have been the primary object of this expedition, or it would have been attacked by a less circuitous route. Perhaps the Syrians were induced to make a sudden march against the Jewish capital, by learning, while at Gath, that a revolution had occurred there (compare 2 Chronicles 24:18-23).

2 Kings 12:18

Jehoash did not submit without a struggle. See the details in Chronicles. It was not until his army was defeated that he followed the example of his ancestor, Asa, and bought the friendship of the Syrians with the temple treasures (1 Kings 15:18. Compare the conduct of Hezekiah, 2 Kings 18:15-16).

Jehoram and Ahaziah - Though these two monarchs had been worshippers of Baal, yet they had combined with that idolatrous cult a certain amount of decent respect for the old religion. It is evident from this passage that they had made costly offerings to the temple.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 12:17. Hazael - fought against Gath, and took it — This city, with its satrapy or lordship, had been taken from the Philistines by David, (see 2 Samuel 8:1, and 1 Chronicles 18:1); and it had continued in the possession of the kings of Judah till this time. On what pretence Hazael seized it, we cannot tell; he had the ultima ratio regum, power to do it, and he wanted more territory.