Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

He settled his countenance steadfastly - Of whom does the author speak? Of Hazael, or of Elisha? Several apply this action to the prophet: he had a murderer before him and he saw the bloody acts he was about to commit, and was greatly distressed; but he endeavored to conceal his feelings: at last his face reddened with anguish, his feelings overcame him, and he burst out and wept.

The Septuagint, as it stands in the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots, makes the text very plain: Και ἑστη Αζαηλ κατα πρωσοπον αυτου, και παρεθηκεν ενωπιον αυτου δωρα, ἑως ῃσχυνετο· και εκλαυσεν ὁ ανθρωπος του Θεου, And Hazael stood before his face, and he presented before him gifts till he was ashamed; and the man of God wept.

The Codex Vaticanus, and the Codex Alexandrinus, are nearly as the Hebrew. The Aldine edition agrees in some respects with the Complutensian; but all the versions follow the Hebrew.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

That is, “And he (Elisha) settled his conntenance, and set it (toward Hazael), until he (Hazael) was ashamed.” Elisha fixed on Hazael a long and meaning look, until the latter‘s eyes fell before his, and his cheek flushed. Elisha, it would seem, had detected the guilty thought that was in Hazael‘s heart, and Hazael perceived that he had detected it. Hence the “shame.”

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And he settled his countenance steadfastly,.... Refrained himself as much as possible, that he might not weep, as some Jewish writers interpret it; or, as others, he turned his face on one side, and covered it with his hands, that Hazael might not see him weep; or rather he set his face on Hazael, and looked at him so wistly:

until he was ashamed; that is, Hazael; the prophet looked him out of countenance:

and the man of God wept; at the thought of what calamities the man before him, he looked on, would be the cause of in Israel, as the following words show.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

he settled his countenance stedfastly until he was ashamed — that is, Hazael. The steadfast, penetrating look of the prophet seemed to have convinced Hazael that his secret designs were known. The deep emotions of Elisha were justified by the horrible atrocities which, too common in ancient warfare, that successful usurper committed in Israel (2 Kings 10:32; 2 Kings 13:3, 2 Kings 13:4, 2 Kings 13:22).

Keil & Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Elisha then fixed Hazael for a long time with his eye, and wept. וגו ויּעמד literally, he made his face stand fast, and directed it (upon Hazael) to shaming. עד־בּשׁ as in Judges 3:25; not in a shameless manner (Thenius), but till Hazael was embarrassed by it.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

He settled — The prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael.

Until — 'Till Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending the prophet discerned something of an evil and shameful nature in him.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Kings 8:11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

Ver. 11. And he settled his countenance steadfastly.] Heb., And set it. He settled his countenance and looked wistly with a comely gravity; Elisha did so upon Hazael.

Until he was ashamed.] Till Hazael blushed to see the prophet look so earnestly upon him.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

2 Kings 8:11. And he settled his countenance— "He [Hazael] keeping his countenance, continued with the same look for some time, while the man of God wept." Hazael pretended surprise at the answer of Elisha, desirous to conceal from him the satisfaction which he had in the intelligence of his king's death. Houbigant.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

He settled his countenance stedfastly; the prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael.

Until he was ashamed; either till the prophet was ashamed to look any longer upon him; or till Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending that the prophet suspected or discerned something extraordinary and of an evil and shameful nature in him. The Hebrew words are ambiguous, and may indifferently be referred to either of them; but they seem more properly to belong to Hazael, because it follows, by way of distinction, the man of God wept.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11.He settled his countenance steadfastly — Literally, He made his countenance stand, and fixed it. That is, Elisha composed himself and fastened upon Hazael a deep, steadfast, searching gaze that seemed to read him through and through.

Until he was ashamed — Until Hazael was ashamed. The prophet continued that steadfast, searching gaze, until Hazael blushed with embarrassment, not knowing what to say.

Man of God wept — Here was another manifestation of Elisha’s emotion, greater even than that with which he had answered the question of Hazael.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

2 Kings 8:11. He settled his countenance steadfastly — Elisha fixed his eyes on Hazael, and looked upon him so earnestly, so long, and with such a settled countenance, that Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending that the prophet discerned or suspected something of an evil and shameful nature in him. The Hebrew words, however, rendered till he was ashamed, are ambiguous, and may be indifferently referred either to the prophet or to Hazael: but they seem more properly to belong to the latter, because it follows by way of distinction, The man of God wept.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Blush. This may be referred either to Hazael, who was astonished at the words and looks of the prophet, (Haydock) or to Eliseus. (Menochius) --- Septuagint (Complutensian), "and Hazael stood before his face, and he displayed the presents before him, till he blushed, and the," &c. Though this has the appearance of a gloss, it is perhaps more conformable to the Hebrew and to an ancient Greek version. (Calmet) --- Protestants, "he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed."

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

he: i.e. Hazael.

ashamed. The thought of murder came into his mind.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

He settled his countenance stedfastly, [ Waya`

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) And he settled his countenance stedfastly.—Literally, and he (Elisha) made his face stand, and set (it upon Hazael).

Until he was ashamed.—Literally, unto being ashamed. This may mean either in shameless fashion or until Hazael was disconcerted. We prefer the latter. Hazael, conscious that Elisha had read his; thoughts aright, shrank from that piercing gaze. (Comp. 2 Kings 2:17.)

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

stedfastly

Heb. and set it. wept.

Genesis 45:2; Psalms 119:136; Jeremiah 4:19; 9:1,18; 13:17; 14:17; Luke 19:41; John 11:35; Acts 20:19,31; Romans 9:2; Philippians 3:18