{"id":63424,"date":"2018-07-09T17:44:34","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T14:44:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wall\/wall-317\/"},"modified":"2023-04-24T09:23:24","modified_gmt":"2023-04-24T06:23:24","slug":"wall-317","status":"publish","type":"wall","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wall\/wall-317\/","title":{"rendered":"chapter-Prophets-II Kings-8"},"parent":0,"template":"","acf":{"type":"chapter","wall_id":"317","date":"20261116","book":"II Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","books_group":"Prophets","posts":[{"order":1,"id":"63017","color":"#f8ebe3","size":"1","name":"JPS Audio Bible - 2 Kings Chapter 8 ","post_title":"JPS Audio Bible - 2 Kings Chapter 8","slug":"jps-audio-bible-2-kings-chapter-8","old_id":"63017","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34686,"post_title":"Soundcloud","slug":"soundcloud","old_id":"34686","first_name":"","last_name":"","description":"","short_description":"","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34656,"alt":"","title":"491","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","width":300,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","medium_large-width":300,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","large-width":300,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","1536x1536-width":300,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","2048x2048-width":300,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","post_full_size-width":300,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/491-2.jpg","home_baner-width":300,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"4","show_author_image":true,"old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"","post_main_content_content":"","post_main_content_image":"","post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"JPS Audio Bible","tile_main_caption":"2 Kings Chapter 8","tile_main_caption_size":"2","tile_sub_caption":"Hear the daily chapter","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":"","tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"https:\/\/soundcloud.com\/929-bible\/JPS_Audio_Bible_2_Kings_Chapter_8","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","old_create_date":"","links":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","date":"20261116","wall_id":"317"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false},{"order":2,"id":"114295","color":"#f6edf6","size":"1","name":"Ambiguous Actors, And Actions ","post_title":"Ambiguous Actors, And Actions","slug":"ambiguous-actors-and-actions","old_id":"114295","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":78133,"post_title":"Josh Blechner","slug":"josh-blechner","old_id":"78133","first_name":"Josh ","last_name":"Blechner ","description":"Josh first finished the Tanach during Yeshiva in Mevaseret Zion. He and his daughter studied the Tanach again for her bat mitzvah. Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group. When not studying for 929, Josh works as an in-house lawyer in New Jersey.","short_description":"Josh has taught many classes on Tanach throughout the years and currently in the New Rochelle 929 group, and is an in-house attorney in New Jersey. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":78134,"alt":"","title":"josh blechner","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","width":276,"height":351,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner-236x300.jpg","medium-width":236,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","medium_large-width":276,"medium_large-height":351,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","large-width":276,"large-height":351,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","1536x1536-width":276,"1536x1536-height":351,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","2048x2048-width":276,"2048x2048-height":351,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","post_full_size-width":276,"post_full_size-height":351,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/josh-blechner.jpg","home_baner-width":276,"home_baner-height":351}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Two intriguing verses, and one dead king\r\n\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Chapter 8 contains two verses that are ambiguous. The first is verse 11 \u201cAnd he \u201cstood his face\u201d (kep his face expressionless) steadfastly upon him, until he was ashamed and the man of God wept.\u201d\u00a0 Who is the subject of the first two actions? Most commentators believe this verse is all about Elisha. As Elisha was delivering the message to Hazael, he became more and more upset. Some say the first part means he turned his face away until he could hold it in no longer and cried. Others say that he literally held his face to cover the tears and sobbing.\u00a0 But if the first two clauses talked about Elisha, why is \u201cthe man of God\u201d only mentioned with the last clause?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This question has led to other interpretations that Hazael was the one who kept a stoney face. Either he kept a straight face because he did not want to reveal his excitement about being told he would be king or he held a straight face because he could see that something was bothering Elisha. It was only when Elisha broke down that Hazael relaxed his expression.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The second ambiguity is in verse 15: \u201cand it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet and spread it upon his face, and he died, and Hazael reigned in his stead.\u201d Who is the subject of the first clause of the verse? Some commentators say that it was the king that placed a cooling rag or cloth over his own face to help him recover from his illness. The king thought that he would recover after he heard what Hazael said, but in the end he died anyway and Hazael became king. But what would be the point of the verse telling the reader that Ben-Hadad was using a cold compress? There must be something else going on here. Others read this as Hazael suffocating the king by placing a cloth on his face. Because the king was weak this made it easy to kill him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Which is correct? It is unclear, however, there is one connection that should aid in the interpretation. Although each taken by itself may seem ambiguous, the text\u00a0 may have left a hint with the one similarity between the two. Both verses employ an ambiguous beginning, but a named actor at the end. The first- Elisha and the second Ben Hadad. Whatever the interpretation is in each case, it would make sense that the text took a uniform tack. Either the named people were the actors of the entire verse, or the named people are mentioned at the end because someone else did the action at the beginning.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

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Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","date":"20261116","wall_id":"317"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"835","name":"King","old_id":"1235"},{"term_id":"931","name":"Elisha","old_id":"1331"}]},{"order":3,"id":"63626","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Athaliah\u2019s Dream ","post_title":"Athaliah\u2019s Dream","slug":"athaliahs-dream","old_id":"63626","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":33877,"post_title":"Marc Bregman","slug":"marc-bregman","old_id":"33877","first_name":"Marc","last_name":"Bregman","description":"Marc Bregman received his Ph.D. from The Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 1991. He taught at the Hebrew Union College (Jerusalem), The Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Schechter Institute for Judaic Studies in Jerusalem, and at the Ben-Gurion University in Beer Sheba, Israel. During 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at Yale University, and during 1996 he was the Stroum Professor of Jewish Studies and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Washington in Seattle. During 2005, Bregman served as the Harry Starr Fellow in Judaica at Harvard University and was awarded a Teaching Fellowship at the Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He also has served as Forchheimer Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Humanities at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is the author of The Tanhuma-Yelammedenu Literature: Studies in the Evolution of the Versions (Gorgias Press, 2003). In 2006, Bregman was appointed the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro, where he also headed the program in Jewish Studies, until 2013. Bregman retired from UNCG as of July 31, 2017. He has now returned to Jerusalem where he is continuing his research and teaching activities.","credit":"","image_url":"","short_description":"Marc Bregman is the Herman and Zelda Bernard Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies emeritus, at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro.","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":33878,"alt":"Marc Bregman","title":"Marc Bregman","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","width":361,"height":488,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-222x300.jpg","medium-width":222,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","medium_large-width":361,"medium_large-height":488,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","large-width":361,"large-height":488,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","1536x1536-width":361,"1536x1536-height":488,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","2048x2048-width":361,"2048x2048-height":488,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman.jpg","post_full_size-width":361,"post_full_size-height":488,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Marc-Bregman-311x420.jpg","home_baner-width":311,"home_baner-height":420}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"She was a terrible queen, but we got some great theater out of it...\r\n","post_main_content_content":"

Our chapter introduces Athaliah, (II Kings 8:26, see also II Chronicles 22:2), who was married to Jehoram of Judah to seal a treaty between the kingdoms of Israel and Judah (18). After her husband\u2019s death, she reigned as queen of Judah for six years. Athaliah restored the worship of Baal in Judah (II Kings 11:18). She also managed to eliminate all other possible claimants to the throne (II Kings 9), except for her one-year old grandson, Jehoash. This infant was rescued by the priest Jehoiada and his wife Jehosheba and was raised secretly by his nurse in the House of the Lord (II Kings 11:1-4). Seven years later, Jehoiada led a rebellion, anointed Jehoash as the king of Judah, had Athaliah slain at \u201cthe horses\u2019 entrance to the king\u2019s house\u201d in Jerusalem. And then, \u201cAll the people of the land\u201d razed the altars of Baal (II Kings 11:4-20).<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Rabbinic Sages dealt with the aftermath of Athaliah\u2019s destructive reign. Exodus Rabbah 40:3 tells that her sons removed the golden nails from the Temple, and it remained for the priest Jehoiada to later repair the damage. Ruth Rabbah 4:15 explains that Athaliah did not succeed in entirely destroying the Davidic dynasty,\u00a0 because of the women who said to Naomi: \u201cBlessed be the Lord, who has not withheld a redeemer from you today! May his name be perpetuated in Israel!\u201d (Ruth 4:14). The Midrash concludes that this refers to the King Messiah, the descendant of King David.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This Midrashic approach to creatively elucidate Scripture did not end in ancient times. In his tragedy for the French stage, Jean Racine adapted the biblical story of Athaliah (Atalie, 1691). The influential French philosopher Voltaire acclaimed this play \"perhaps the masterpiece of mankind\". In 1920, the French-Jewish actress, Sarah Bernhardt played the title role in a revival staged in Paris. One of the many adaptations of Racine\u2019s Atalie is the Hebrew play, Gemul Atalyah (\"Athaliah's Revenge\", 1770), by the Dutch author David Franco-Mendes. Operas on the biblical story of Athaliah were created by the German composer Johann Simon Mayr (1822) and as recently as the 1960\u2019s by the American composer Hugo Weisgall, who employed Jewish liturgical motifs to create a biblical atmosphere.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Most famously, Racine\u2019s French drama served as the basis for the English libretto of Handel\u2019s oratorio \u201cAthalia\u201d (1733). When Athaliah is first introduced, she awakens in the palace from a nightmare in which a young boy dressed as a Jewish priest plunges a dagger into her heart, whom she later recognizes as Jehoash, who is subsequently crowned king to the acclaim of the people. Athaliah goes to her death declaring that she will seek vengeance even from the grave. In a 1986 recording of Handel\u2019s oratorio, the title role of Athaliah was sung by the legendary soprano, Dame Joan Sutherland\u00a0<\/span>(click here to listen to her aria).<\/a> In one key point, she sings: \u201cMy vengeance awakes me\u2026Compassion forsakes me\/All softness and mercy away\/My foes with confusion\/Shall find their illusion\/And tremble before me today\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: Athaliah Expelled from the Temple by Antoine Coypel (1661-1722) \/ 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From 2011-16 he was Vice President for Research and Senior Economist at Energiya Global, a Jerusalem-based solar energy company focused on the developing world and he continues to consult on renewable energy and climate change preparedness. In 2014 he published together with Hazon, a translation of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's great work on shmitta, the Sabbatical year, \"Introduction to Shabbat Ha'aretz.\" Yedidya holds a BA from Oxford University, an MPA from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and lives with his family in Jerusalem.","short_description":"Yedidya Sinclair is a Jerusalem-based rabbi and economist, and is Senior Rabbinic Scholar at Hazon. ","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":36278,"alt":"","title":"yedidya sinclair","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","width":200,"height":200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium-width":200,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","medium_large-width":200,"medium_large-height":200,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","large-width":200,"large-height":200,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","1536x1536-width":200,"1536x1536-height":200,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","2048x2048-width":200,"2048x2048-height":200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","post_full_size-width":200,"post_full_size-height":200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/yedidya-sinclair.jpg","home_baner-width":200,"home_baner-height":200}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Why did Elisha weep? In giving his horrifying decree, Elisha may have helped prevent the worst","post_main_content_content":"

Today\u2019s chapter finds Elisha in Damascus, where he prophecies to Hazael, a court official, that King Ben-Hadad of Aram will soon die, and Hazael will become king instead. Then Elisha bursts out crying.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

What was Elisha doing in Damascus anyway? Why did he visit this courtier? And why did he weep in mid-prophecy - something unparalleled in the Bible?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In his brilliant Hebrew book on the Elisha stories, Rabbi Elchanan Samet deciphers these mysteries. He shows that the dramatic heart of the story is Elisha\u2019s weeping; \u201cThe man of God kept his face expressionless for a long time, and then he wept\u201d (8:11). Elisha\u2019s crying comes after he has prophesied that the king will die, and before he predicts that Hazael will usurp the throne.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why did Elisha cry? That\u2019s exactly what Hazael asked him. Radak points out the obvious meaning of the question, coming after the prophecy of the old king\u2019s death: \u201chow come you are so upset about the king dying?\u201d He had been a long-standing scourge of Israel. Why shed tears about his demise?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This ironic misapprehension heightens the force of Elisha\u2019s actual answer to Hazael: \u201cBecause I know\u2026what harm you will do to the Israelite people; you will put their young men to the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.\u201d (V.12) In other words, \u201cyou are a monster.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n

This man of God foresaw his ascent to the throne, thus validating his legitimacy and then wept with dismay at the abysmal evil he sees in the future king. Rav Samet argues that this prophecy would have had a shattering effect on Hazael.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Moreover, he shows that Elisha\u2019s prediction was not fully fulfilled. We read of Hazael\u2019s later career in Chronicles and Amos. Indeed, he remained an enemy of Israel and decimated its army. But we hear nothing of the atrocities against women and children that Elisha predicted. Rav Samet, suggests that meeting the prophet was a turning point in Hazael\u2019s life. It didn\u2019t exactly turn him into a pacifist, but it did moderate his brutality.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

And this was precisely the point of Elisha\u2019s visit to Damascus. It was a sort of a secret diplomatic mission. Seeing the evil that the future King of Aram could do, Elisha confronted him with his inhuman potential and so saved Israel from the worst of which Hazael was capable.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Many have pointed out the similarities between the story of Saul and Shakespeare\u2019s Macbeth. Both live with the knowledge of supernatural prophecies about their ultimate downfalls yet were powerless to escape the preordained end.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Today\u2019s story, in Rav Samet\u2019s reading, is like Macbeth with a hopeful twist. Hearing the prophet\u2019s prediction about his awful future, the soon-to-be king steps back from the full horror that awaits him. A prophecy, as the Rambam (<\/span>Hilchot Yesodei Ha\u2019Torah 10:4<\/span><\/em>) writes, need not be an exorable prediction. It may be a warning that, if heeded, can avert the feared-for future.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Image: R. Nevison \/ CC 3.0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63608,"alt":"","title":"2kings8-weeping prophet2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","width":1800,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1800,"2048x2048-height":1200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Macbeth With A Twist","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Why did Elisha weep? In giving his horrifying decree, Elisha may have helped prevent the worst","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63608,"alt":"","title":"2kings8-weeping prophet2","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","width":1800,"height":1200,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-300x200.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":200,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1024x683.jpg","large-width":1024,"large-height":683,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2.jpg","2048x2048-width":1800,"2048x2048-height":1200,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-1200x800.jpg","post_full_size-width":1200,"post_full_size-height":800,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2kings8-weeping-prophet2-630x420.jpg","home_baner-width":630,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","date":"20261116","wall_id":"317"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"373","name":"Literature","old_id":"773"},{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"},{"term_id":"931","name":"Elisha","old_id":"1331"}]},{"order":5,"id":"63610","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"Was The King Assassinated? ","post_title":"Was The King Assassinated?","slug":"was-the-king-assassinated","old_id":"63610","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":34243,"post_title":"Moshe Sokolow","slug":"moshe-sokolow","old_id":"34243","first_name":"Moshe","last_name":"Sokolow","description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University, and teaches a weekly class in parashat hashavu`a at Lincoln Square Synagogue. He is the author of TANAKH: An Owner\u2019s Manual (Jerusalem: Urim\/Ktav, 2015).\r\n\r\n","short_description":"Dr. Moshe Sokolow is Associate Dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration, Yeshiva University","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":34244,"alt":"","title":"sokolow","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","width":302,"height":300,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow-300x298.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":298,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","medium_large-width":302,"medium_large-height":300,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","large-width":302,"large-height":300,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","1536x1536-width":302,"1536x1536-height":300,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","2048x2048-width":302,"2048x2048-height":300,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","post_full_size-width":302,"post_full_size-height":300,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sokolow.jpg","home_baner-width":302,"home_baner-height":300}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"Or was it a negligent suicide? In trying to resolve the ambiguity, textual and contextual clues point in different directions","post_main_content_content":"

A sizable portion of this chapter is devoted to the incident in which Elisha revealed to Hazael, an Aramean officer, that his king, Ben Hadad, would die of his current illness and that he, Hazael, would succeed him. He cautioned Hazael, however, to engage in a subterfuge and to tell Ben Hadad that he would recuperate. (Although he prophesied that Hazael will do \u201charm\u201d to the Israelite people, one gets the sense that the prophet\u2019s candor was intended to offset that as much as possible.)<\/span><\/p>\r\n

When Hazael returned home and the king asked him \u201cWhat did Elisha say to you?\u201d he replied \u201cHe told me, \u2018You shall surely live\u2019\u201d (14). Then Scripture narrates, \u201cThe next day, he took a piece of netting, dipped it in water, and spread it over his face. So [Ben-hadad] died, and Hazael succeeded him as king\u201d (15). The ambiguity is: Who spread the wet netting over Ben Hadad\u2019s face?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Methodologically speaking, there are two principal ways to resolve ambiguities, which I shall call the textual and the contextual. The textual approach adheres closely to the accepted rules of grammar and syntax, which, in this case, dictate that the subject of \u201che took a piece of netting\u201d is one and the same with<\/span> the previous verb \u201che told me,\u201d namely Hazael, so it was he who smothered the king by placing a wet cloth on his face. Contextually, however, since Hazael trusted Elisha\u2019s forecast\u2014why would he put himself at risk by precipitating Ben Hadad\u2019s death?<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The more reasonable explanation is that Ben Hadad, believing that he would recover, imprudently placed a wet cloth on his own face and died as a result, thereby confirming Elisha\u2019s prognosis and leaving the way clear for Hazael to assume the throne without raising any doubts about his loyalty and without endangering his succession.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

image: Barbara Griffiths, \"The Unwise Prophecy\"<\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63624,"alt":"","title":"2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad.jpg","width":465,"height":317,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad-300x205.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":205,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad.jpg","medium_large-width":465,"medium_large-height":317,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad.jpg","large-width":465,"large-height":317,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad.jpg","1536x1536-width":465,"1536x1536-height":317,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad.jpg","2048x2048-width":465,"2048x2048-height":317,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad.jpg","post_full_size-width":465,"post_full_size-height":317,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/2Kings8-Hazael-benhadad.jpg","home_baner-width":465,"home_baner-height":317}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"","tile_main_caption":"Was The King Assassinated?","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Or was it a negligent suicide? 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","credit":"","image_url":"","hide_writer":false,"link_for_pay":false,"image":{"id":62572,"alt":"","title":"OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","width":141,"height":180,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler-141x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":141,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium-width":141,"medium-height":180,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","medium_large-width":141,"medium_large-height":180,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","large-width":141,"large-height":180,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","1536x1536-width":141,"1536x1536-height":180,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","2048x2048-width":141,"2048x2048-height":180,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","post_full_size-width":141,"post_full_size-height":180,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/yaakov-bieler.jpg","home_baner-width":141,"home_baner-height":180}},"tags":false},"related_cahpter":"317","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content_description":"A cautionary tale about losing tempers and burning bridges","post_main_content_content":"

One of the striking incidents recorded in II Kings 8 is the interchange between the prophet Elisha and Hazael. The only reason why these two individuals ever met, was that Elisha had come to Damascus (v. 7.) Immediately, upon learning of the prophet\u2019s trip, the reader wonders why he would risk his safety by coming to such a hostile locale.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Rabbis (Sota 47a) propose that Elisha undertook this dangerous mission in order to attempt to encourage his former servant, Gehazi, to return to the fold of Judaism. Their underlying assumption is that upon Gehazi\u2019s being cursed with leprosy by his holy master for improperly accepting compensation from Na\u2019aman (II Kings 5:27), he not only left Elisha\u2019s employ, but even turned his back completely on the Jewish people, defiantly travelling to Aram to be close to Na\u2019aman. While Elisha may have been deeply angered at his servant\u2019s behavior, he obviously didn\u2019t realize how devastated Gehazi would feel about being rejected and cursed, and in hindsight Elisha must have felt extremely guilty about the harsh reaction that he had engendered to have attempted to reach out to Gehazi.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The Rabbis contend (Sota 47a) that Gehazi rejected his former master\u2019s overture in a particularly caustic manner: \u201cHe (Elisha) said to him, 'Repent'; but he (Gehazi) replied: 'Thus have I received <\/span>from thee<\/span><\/em>, that whoever sinned and caused others to sin, is deprived of the power of doing penitence'.\u201d By using Elisha\u2019s own teaching to justify both his apostasy and obstinacy, Gehazi attempts to assure that Elisha will feel even worse as a result of his past moment of righteous indignation.<\/span><\/p>\r\n

The thrust of an essay by <\/span>R. Jonathan Sacks for Parashat Ki Tetzei,<\/span><\/a> is that the lesson of Deuteronomy 23:8 \u201cYou shall <\/span>not abhor<\/span> an Edomite, for he is your kinsman. You shall <\/span>not abhor<\/span> an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land\u201d is: \u201cTo be free, you have to let go of hate.\u201d This would appear to be something that both Elisha and Gehazi would have done well to internalize, and consequently, these two men constitute negative examples with respect to allowing anger to get the best of one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Both Elisha and Gehazi were entrapped by what they had done\u2014Elisha for losing his temper and cursing his servant instead of appropriately reasoning with him; Gehazi for burning his bridges and assuming that his only recourse was moving away absolutely from his past and his people, rather than accepting Elisha\u2019s magnanimous gesture. We should make sure that this very cautionary tale advanced by the Rabbis is not lost upon 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8:13 \u201cAnd Hazael said, \u2018How could your servant, a dog, do this great thing?\u2019 And Elisha said, \u2018The Lord has showed you to me as king over Aram.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\r\n

The humble self-designation reflects the fact that Hazael, though he is some sort of court official, is not of the royal line. In an inscription by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III, Hazael is in fact referred to as \u201cson of no one.\u201d One notes that he has no moral compunctions about the prospect of perpetrating the most barbaric cruelties on the men, women, and infants of Israel; on the contrary, these were common acts in military conquest and thus part of what constituted a \u201cgreat thing\u201d that he is not sure he is worthy to do.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

From: Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible<\/em>, vol. 2: Prophets, W. W. Norton & Co., 2019, ad loc. 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One particularly irksome aspect of Elisha's prophetic tenure is that with all his remarkable miracle-making \u2014 healing springs and lepers, procuring food, resurrecting the dead \u2014 he is unable to use his supernatural powers to repel the Aramean aggressor and to defend the nation. This is highly pronounced during the siege of Samaria (6:24-7:20) where the narrative celebrates Elisha's premonition of the siege's end, and yet absurdly, despite Elisha's amazing foreknowledge, he is absolutely powerless to overpower the enemy. Likewise, when he blinds the Aramean forces who surround Dothan, his chariots of fire and horses of fire protect him personally, but he never intends to destroy the power of the Aramean military.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Why is Elisha denied the wherewithal to save Israel?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

In God's original instruction to Elijah (I Kings 19:15-16), which is issued after Elijah's failure to reform Ahab and to draw his regime away from its commitment to idolatry, He decrees the fall of Ahab's kingdom. As such, Israel was destined to be overrun and controlled by Aram. Both Elisha and the king of Israel were incapable of altering Aram's relentless military assault that would terminate the Omride dynasty and punish Israel. Although initially it seemed that Elisha was the third agent of divine punishment alongside Hazael and Jehu, an instrument of God's wrath and retribution, Elisha adopts a very different role. During this time of phenomenal hardship for the kingdom of Israel, Elisha serves as something of an antidote, a counterbalance. His miracles serve individuals or small groups, offering benevolent assistance and a palpable sense of God's presence. In the international arena, his impressive powers never extend to eliminating the enemy forces; instead they generate reverence for the God of Israel, as expressed by Naaman and even Ben-Hadad.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Elisha, far from being the instrument of God's rage, is a symbol of consolation, support, assistance, and comfort. Throughout the years of foreign occupation and attack, domestic hardship and suffering, Elisha uses all his God-given powers in the service of keeping faith in God alive. Rather than confronting the king of Israel, he allies with him. In a generation in which faith might have been lost, Elisha is a beacon communicating God's steadfast presence, even during moments of punishment and military defeat. Elisha doesn't overpower the enemy, he cannot break the siege, but he befriends king and commoner alike, helping them understand that despite the adversity, God is still the God of Israel and He will not abandon His people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\r\n

Alex Israel, II Kings: In a Whirlwind,<\/em> Maggid Books, 2019, Elisha\u2019s Tears\u00a0<\/span><\/p>","post_main_content_image":{"id":63310,"alt":"","title":"Alex Israel - 2_kings_cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","width":1711,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-282x300.jpg","medium-width":282,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-768x817.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":817,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-962x1024.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1443,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1711,"2048x2048-height":1821,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-1128x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1128,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-395x420.jpg","home_baner-width":395,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"Excerpts from: II Kings - In A Whirlwind","tile_main_caption":"Elisha - Not The Savior Of Israel","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"His prophetic role is of a different nature","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":63310,"alt":"","title":"Alex Israel - 2_kings_cover","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","width":1711,"height":1821,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-282x300.jpg","medium-width":282,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-768x817.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":817,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-962x1024.jpg","large-width":962,"large-height":1024,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","1536x1536-width":1443,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover.jpg","2048x2048-width":1711,"2048x2048-height":1821,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-1128x1200.jpg","post_full_size-width":1128,"post_full_size-height":1200,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Alex-Israel-2_kings_cover-395x420.jpg","home_baner-width":395,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","date":"20261116","wall_id":"317"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":[{"term_id":"506","name":"Prophecy","old_id":"906"},{"term_id":"607","name":"Comfort","old_id":"1007"},{"term_id":"931","name":"Elisha","old_id":"1331"}]},{"order":11,"id":"63060","color":"#e2f4fa","size":"1","name":"A Lesson on the Daily Chapter- 2 Kings 8 ","post_title":"A Lesson on the Daily Chapter- 2 Kings 8","slug":"a-lesson-on-the-daily-chapter-2-kings-8","old_id":"63060","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":{"id":40936,"post_title":"David Silber","slug":"david-silber-2","old_id":"40936","first_name":"David ","last_name":"Silber ","description":"Rabbi David Silber is the Founder and Dean of Drisha Institute for Jewish Education. 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    \r\n\t
  1. Ongoing missions.<\/em> 12 chapters ago (1 Kings 19), Elijah received three assignments: Anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu king of Israel, and appoint Elisha as his own successor. Elijah fulfilled the third mission; here, Elisha indeed picks up where he left off and achieves the first one. What of the second? Wait til next chapter.<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  2. A medical diagnosis<\/em>. \u201cWill I recover from this illness? (9). Ben-hadad asks the man of God the same question that Ahaziah king of Israel posed 8 chapters ago (2 Kings 1) to\u2026 Baal Zebub. The king of Aram knows something that the king of Israel does not.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  3. Negligence, malpractice, or - ?<\/em> Ben-hadad king of Aram died during \u201ctreatment\u201d: \u201cThe next day, [Hazael] took a piece of netting, dipped it in water, and spread it over his face. So [Ben-hadad] died, and Hazael succeeded him as king\u201d (15). There was never an investigation. (But see Moshe Sokolow\u2019s post on this page for the possibility a different interpretation).<\/span><\/li>\r\n\t
  4. D\/Alliances.<\/em> The two kingdoms are joined together through marriage and military alliances. Like his fathers, Ahaziah, king of Judah \u201cmarched with Joram son of Ahab to battle against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead\u201d (28). <\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>","post_main_content_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"post_main_content_embedded_video":"","post_main_content_video_duration":"","post_main_content_show_fb_comments":"1","post_main_content_credit_media":"","tile_top_caption":"2 Kings 8","tile_main_caption":"Points to Ponder","tile_main_caption_size":"1","tile_sub_caption":"Insights and questions for personal reflection and group discussion","tile_preview_embedded":"","tile_preview_image":{"id":86314,"alt":"","title":"Points to ponder","caption":"","description":"","mime_type":"image\/jpeg","url":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","width":1000,"height":1000,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-300x300.jpg","medium-width":300,"medium-height":300,"medium_large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-768x768.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":768,"large":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","large-width":1000,"large-height":1000,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","1536x1536-width":1000,"1536x1536-height":1000,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","2048x2048-width":1000,"2048x2048-height":1000,"post_full_size":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder.jpg","post_full_size-width":1000,"post_full_size-height":1000,"home_baner":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Points-to-ponder-420x420.jpg","home_baner-width":420,"home_baner-height":420}},"tile_preview_video":"","tile_external_link":"","tile_tile_gallery_items":"","tile_credits":"","alternate_tile_top_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption":"","alternate_tile_main_caption_size":"1","alternate_tile_sub_caption":"","alternate_tile_hide_media":"0","tile_group_preview_image_url":"","tile_group_main_caption":"","tile_group_sub_caption":"","tile_group_popup_package_extra_content":"","tile_group_read_time":"","home_color":"","home_gallery_top":"","home_gallery_middle":"","home_gallery_book":"","home_gallery_bottom":"","seo_seo_title":"","seo_seo_description":"","seo_seo_default_title":"","seo_seo_default_description":"","links":false,"tile_link_for_pay":"0","send_noty":false,"chapter_info":{"books_group":"Prophets","book":"II Kings","chapter":"8","chapter_main_number":"317","date":"20261116","wall_id":"317"},"link_for_pay":false,"tags":false}],"hide_acf":true,"home_image":false,"home_posts":false,"home_posts_title":"","posts_home":[],"static_cube_title":"","static_cube_brief":"","static_cube_color":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall\/63424"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wall"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/wall"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}