This verse from 2 Kings 12:17 describes a significant event in the reign of King Jehoash of Judah:
"Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it;" This tells us that Hazael, the king of Syria (also known as Aram), launched a military campaign. His first target mentioned here was Gath, a Philistine city. Hazael was successful and conquered Gath. This demonstrates the power and expansionist ambitions of the Syrian kingdom under Hazael. Gath being taken implies that other areas along the border may have been taken as well, and the Philistines were now subject to Hazael.
"and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem." This is the crucial part of the verse. After capturing Gath, Hazael turned his attention towards Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. "Set his face" is a Hebrew idiom meaning he was determined and resolutely aimed to attack Jerusalem. This posed a direct threat to King Jehoash and the Kingdom of Judah. The stage is now set for a potential siege or battle for Jerusalem.
In essence, the verse highlights the following:
Syrian Aggression: It shows the aggressive expansion of the Syrian kingdom under Hazael.
Threat to Judah: It reveals the imminent danger facing the Kingdom of Judah as Jerusalem becomes the target of Hazael's military campaign.
Jehoash's Vulnerability: It implies that Judah was vulnerable to attack, likely due to weakened military strength or internal problems.
The subsequent verses describe how King Jehoash managed to avert the attack by bribing Hazael with treasures from the temple and royal palace, preventing the siege and saving Jerusalem (temporarily).
This verse from 2 Kings 12:17 describes a significant event in the reign of King Jehoash of Judah:
"Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it;" This tells us that Hazael, the king of Syria (also known as Aram), launched a military campaign. His first target mentioned here was Gath, a Philistine city. Hazael was successful and conquered Gath. This demonstrates the power and expansionist ambitions of the Syrian kingdom under Hazael. Gath being taken implies that other areas along the border may have been taken as well, and the Philistines were now subject to Hazael.
"and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem." This is the crucial part of the verse. After capturing Gath, Hazael turned his attention towards Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. "Set his face" is a Hebrew idiom meaning he was determined and resolutely aimed to attack Jerusalem. This posed a direct threat to King Jehoash and the Kingdom of Judah. The stage is now set for a potential siege or battle for Jerusalem.
In essence, the verse highlights the following:
Syrian Aggression: It shows the aggressive expansion of the Syrian kingdom under Hazael.
Threat to Judah: It reveals the imminent danger facing the Kingdom of Judah as Jerusalem becomes the target of Hazael's military campaign.
Jehoash's Vulnerability: It implies that Judah was vulnerable to attack, likely due to weakened military strength or internal problems.
The subsequent verses describe how King Jehoash managed to avert the attack by bribing Hazael with treasures from the temple and royal palace, preventing the siege and saving Jerusalem (temporarily).
