The Meaning of 2 Kings 8:15 Explained

2 Kings 8:15

KJV: And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

YLT: And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that he taketh the coarse cloth, and dippeth in water, and spreadeth on his face, and he dieth, and Hazael reigneth in his stead.

Darby: And it came to pass the next day, that he took the coverlet and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face, so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his stead.

ASV: And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass on the morrow,  that he took  a thick cloth,  and dipped  [it] in water,  and spread  [it] on his face,  so that he died:  and Hazael  reigned  in his stead. 

What does 2 Kings 8:15 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 8:1-15 - The Power Behind The Throne
Nothing happens in our life or in the world apart from the divine appointment or permission. Behind every event and incident there is a divine providence. The Shunammite who had done so much for Elisha was remembered and cared for, years afterward. The King has a wonderful memory for those who fed him when he was hungry, and ministered to him when he was in need. "When saw we thee"¦? Inasmuch as"¦," Matthew 25:37. This conversation between the king and Gehazi might have seemed an accident, but it was a providence. If we abide in the will of God, life will be sown with divine coincidences.
Here is another instance: Elisha comes to Damascus, evidently at God's bidding, just when Benhadad is sick. That sickness would not be mortal, but he would die prematurely from another cause. Would that men of God today had more of this gift of weeping over sinners and their destiny! No one resented hearing D.L. Moody talk of hell, because his voice always faltered. The prophet read Hazael's destiny from the Book of God-not from his set face-and how astounding it was! Ah, what depths of wickedness there are of which we are capable! "Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins." [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 8

1  The Shunammite, having left her country seven years, to avoid the famine,
5  for Elisha's miracle's sake has her land restored by the king
7  Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad and succeeds him
16  Jehoram's wicked reign in Judah
20  Edom and Libnah revolt
23  Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram
25  Ahaziah's wicked reign
28  He visits Joram, being wounded, at Jezreel

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 8:15 mean?

But it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped [it] in water and spread [it] over his face so that he died And reigned Hazael in his place -
וַיְהִ֣י מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת וַיִּקַּ֤ח הַמַּכְבֵּר֙ וַיִּטְבֹּ֣ל בַּמַּ֔יִם וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ עַל־ פָּנָ֖יו וַיָּמֹ֑ת וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ חֲזָהאֵ֖ל תַּחְתָּֽיו פ

וַיְהִ֣י  But  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
מִֽמָּחֳרָ֗ת  on  the  next  day 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מָחֳרָת  
Sense: the morrow, the day after.
וַיִּקַּ֤ח  that  he  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
הַמַּכְבֵּר֙  a  thick  cloth 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַכְבֵּר  
Sense: netted cloth or coverlet.
וַיִּטְבֹּ֣ל  and  dipped  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: טָבַל  
Sense: to dip, dip into, plunge.
בַּמַּ֔יִם  in  water 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ  and  spread  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַשׂ  
Sense: to spread, spread out, stretch, break in pieces.
עַל־  over 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
פָּנָ֖יו  his  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וַיָּמֹ֑ת  so  that  he  died 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ  And  reigned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַךְ 
Sense: to be or become king or queen, reign.
חֲזָהאֵ֖ל  Hazael 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֲזָאֵל 
Sense: a king of Syria; sent by his master, Ben-hadad, to the prophet Elisha, to seek a remedy for Ben-hadad’s leprosy; apparently later killed Ben-hadad, assumed the throne, and soon became engaged in a war with the kings of Judah and Israel for the possession of the city of Ramoth-gilead.
תַּחְתָּֽיו  in  his  place 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation