At that time Hazael king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he decided to attack Jerusalem.
Parallel translations
- WEB Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
- KJV Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
- NKJV Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; then Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
- NASB Then Hazael the king of Aram went up and fought against Gath and captured it, and Hazael was intent on going up against Jerusalem.
- NLT About this time King Hazael of Aram went to war against Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Hazael of Syria captures Gath and turns toward Jerusalem. A serious military threat presses upon Judah.
Overview
The Syrian king's advance after taking Gath endangers the capital itself. This external pressure tests Joash's reign and the nation's trust in God. The looming threat sets up the king's costly response and reflects the ongoing consequences of Judah's incomplete faithfulness.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Chr 24:23–24In the spring, the army of Aram went to war against Joash. They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people, and they sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.
- 1 Kgs 2:39–40After three years, however, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
- 1 Sam 27:2So David set out with his six hundred men and went to Achish son of Maoch, the king of Gath.
- Luke 9:51As the day of His ascension approached, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
- Jer 42:15then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah! This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and reside there,
- 2 Kgs 8:12–15“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”
- 1 Kgs 19:17Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
- Luke 9:53But the people there refused to welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem.
- 1 Chr 18:1Some time later, David defeated the Philistines, subdued them, and took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines.
- 1 Chr 8:13and Beriah and Shema (who were the heads of families of the inhabitants of Aijalon and who drove out the inhabitants of Gath).
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 12:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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