The Meaning of 2 Kings 8:8 Explained

2 Kings 8:8

KJV: And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

YLT: And the king saith unto Hazael, 'Take in thy hand a present, and go to meet the man of God, and thou hast sought Jehovah by him, saying, Do I revive from this sickness?'

Darby: And the king said to Hazael, Take a present in thy hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Jehovah by him, saying, Shall I recover from this disease?

ASV: And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thy hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Jehovah by him, saying, Shall I recover of this sickness?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the king  said  unto Hazael,  Take  a present  in thine hand,  and go,  meet  the man  of God,  and enquire  of the LORD  by him, saying,  Shall I recover  of this disease? 

What does 2 Kings 8:8 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 8:8 mean?

And said the king to Hazael take in your hand a present and go to meet the man of God and inquire of by Yahweh by him saying shall I recover from disease this
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶל־ חֲזָהאֵ֗ל קַ֤ח בְּיָֽדְךָ֙ מִנְחָ֔ה וְלֵ֕ךְ לִקְרַ֖את אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֨ אֶת־ יְהוָ֤ה מֵֽאוֹתוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הַאֶחְיֶ֖ה מֵחֳלִ֥י זֶֽה

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
חֲזָהאֵ֗ל  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.
קַ֤ח  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
בְּיָֽדְךָ֙  in  your  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מִנְחָ֔ה  a  present 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִנְחָה  
Sense: gift, tribute, offering, present, oblation, sacrifice, meat offering.
וְלֵ֕ךְ  and  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לִקְרַ֖את  to  meet 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to encounter, befall, meet.
אִ֣ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֨  and  inquire  of 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דַּרְיׄושׁ 
Sense: to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require.
יְהוָ֤ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
מֵֽאוֹתוֹ֙  by  him 
Parse: Preposition-m, Direct object marker, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַאֶחְיֶ֖ה  shall  I  recover 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
מֵחֳלִ֥י  from  disease 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֳלִי  
Sense: sickness.
זֶֽה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.