SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:13
Y Hazael dijo: ¿Por qu? ¿Es tu siervo perro, que har esta gran cosa? Y respondi Eliseo: El SEOR me ha mostrado que t has de ser rey de Siria.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 8:13
Verse 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: h[y yk blkh db[ hm yk hzh lwdgh rbdh 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, [o kuwn o teqnhkwv, 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. And Hazael said, but what, [is] thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing ? etc.] 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).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 7-15 - Among other changes of men's minds by affliction, it often gives othe thoughts of God's ministers, and teaches to value the counsels an prayers of those whom they have hated and despised. It was not in Hazael's countenance that Elisha read what he would do, but God revealed it to him, and it fetched tears from his eyes: the mor foresight men have, the more grief they are liable to. It is possibl for a man, under the convictions and restraints of natural conscience to express great abhorrence of a sin, yet afterwards to be reconcile to it. Those that are little and low in the world, cannot imagine ho strong the temptations of power and prosperity are, which, if ever the arrive at, they will find how deceitful their hearts are, how muc worse than they suspected. The devil ruins men, by saying they shal certainly recover and do well, so rocking them asleep in security Hazael's false account was an injury to the king, who lost the benefi of the prophet's warning to prepare for death, and an injury to Elisha who would be counted a false prophet. It is not certain that Hazae murdered his master, or if he caused his death it may have been withou any design. But he was a dissembler, and afterwards proved a persecuto to Israel.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 חזהאל 2371 כי 3588 מה 4100 עבדך 5650 הכלב 3611 כי 3588 יעשׂה 6213 הדבר 1697 הגדול 1419 הזה 2088 ויאמר 559 אלישׁע 477 הראני 7200 יהוה 3068 אתך 854 מלך 4428 על 5921 ארם׃ 758
