Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 13
About 50 years had passed since Elisha appointed Hazael king of Aram, also called Syria (8:7-15). It is possible that Hazael remained king for all these years. However, there could have been more than one king with the same name. If so, the later Hazael seems as fierce and cruel as the former king (compare 2 Kings 8:12 with 10:32-33, 12:17-18 and 13:3-4).
The name of the king who replaced Hazael is also familiar to us from earlier passages. The new king, Ben-Hadad, had the same name as the king whom Hazael murdered 50 years earlier (8:14-15). This name may have been a title for the kings of Aram rather than a personal name. Ben-Hadad means the son of Hadad; Hadad was a false god whom the people in Aram served. Aram’s people understood this to mean that their king was like a god for them.
It was this powerful king that Jehoash opposed in battle. Even before he became king, Ben-Hadad had already fought with much success against Israel’s army (13:3). At that time, Ben-Hadad was an army leader in Aram; now, he had become its king. He expected to defeat Israel’s army again, because it had become such a weak army (13:7).
However, God had promised by Elisha that Jehoash would defeat Aram three times (13:19). Jehoash believed that message from God, so three times he led Israel’s army into battle. Each time, Jehoash won the battle. In that way, he regained control over several towns that Hazael had taken from Israel. With that success in war, Jehoash was able to make Israel’s army much stronger (2 Chronicles 25:6).
Next part: King Amaziah of Judah (2 Kings 14:1-4)
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