Prophets I Catholic Bible study Lesson 13

Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks
Through His Servants the Prophets

Volume I: A Kingdom Divided

Lesson 13 Hazael Becomes King of Syria
the Second Book of the Kings 8:1–29

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary)
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
next lesson: Jezebel’s Violent Death

This material coordinates with Lesson 13 on pages 82–86 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, and I showed myself their Master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”—the Book of Jeremiah 31:31–34

welcome to Volume I of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume I of this Turning to God’s Word two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided contains 28 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 23-lesson Volume II: Restoration & Redemption also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the Second Book of the Kings 6:1—7:20
In Lesson 12 The LORD Thwarts Syrian Attacks, the sons of the prophets continue to remain close to Elisha. Because Elisha has been advising the ruler of the northern kingdom about how to avoid falling into Syrian ambushes, the Syrian king Ben-Hadad sends an army to capture the prophet. The LORD, who is protecting Elisha, blinds the Syrian army. Elisha leads them into Samaria, where their sight is restored. Elisha counsels Joram, the northern king, that instead of slaying the Syrians he should feed them and send them home. Joram follows Elisha’s advice, and the Syrians quit staging raids in Israel. Some time later, however, the Syrian king besieges Samaria. As conditions worsen, Joram blames God and threatens to have Elisha killed. Elisha anticipates this and announces that the famine will end in a day. The Syrians are deceived by the LORD and flee when they think that they hear a vast army coming to fight them. The starving residents of Samaria stampede to gain access to food in the abandoned Syrian camp, and the captain who had doubted Elisha’s words is killed in the ensuing melee.

map notes—Elisha’s travels
The prophet Elisha seems to be wandering over even more of the region than did his predecessor Elijah. After picking up Elijah’s mantel at the Jordan River not far from Jericho, Elisha went west to Bethel and then north to Mount Carmel before heading back to Samaria in the central part of the northern kingdom. Then he pops up in the wilderness of Edom south of Judah. Next we learn that Elisha frequently passes through Shunem in the north of Israel. He provides for sons of the prophets at Gilgal, which is almost on the border with Judah. He encounters Ben-Hadad’s army at Dothan, and leads them southwest to nearby Samaria. When that northern capital is besieged by the Syrians, the biblical text suggests that Elisha is living nearby. In the eighth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings, Elisha is in Damascus in Syria, where he foretells that Hazael is to become the next king of Syria. As the LORD’s representative, Elisha manages to be where he needs to be whenever the LORD requires him at a particular location. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 85 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

peace with the north poses a danger to Judah (17:22)
Although the southern kingdom of Judah has remained relatively faithful to the LORD, the close alliance developing between the north and the south spells trouble for the descendants of Jacob living in Judah. Not only are the rulers of the two kingdoms becoming chummy, the southern dynasty has begun to intermarry with women in the line of Ahab. In the video overview for Lesson 13, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps considers how collaborating with the kings of Israel affects Judah’s relationship with the LORD. The danger is that the southern kings will start modeling their behavior after kings other than David, their own ancestor who is described in Scripture as having a heart like God’s. What might make this particularly problematic?

The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. You can follow along with the video as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 13, “Hazael Becomes King of Syria,” on pages 82–86 in the study book.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about the restoration of the Shunammite woman’s property?
Elisha advises the Shunammite woman to leave her home and to sojourn with her household wherever she can in order to avoid a seven-year famine. She chooses to go to the land of the Philistines, which is located between the western border of Judah and the Mediterranean Sea. This is quite some distance from her home in Shunem in the northern kingdom of Israel.

? Consider why the Shunammite woman chose to travel so far when it would have been more convenient to sojourn with the Sidonians.
? What does the number seven usually symbolize in Scripture, and what might the Shunammite woman’s seven-year sojourn point to?
? When the Shunammite woman returns from the land of the Philistines, it is she instead of her husband who appeals to the king for restoration of her property. Does it seem likely that a married woman ordinarily would make such an appeal?
? What does this suggest about what might have happened to her husband?
? Now that Gehazi no longer appears to be serving the prophet Elisha, consider what might explain why he’s spending time with Joram, the ruler of the northern kingdom of Israel.
? What do you suppose is behind Joram’s interest in learning about Elisha’s great deeds?
? What does the Shunammite woman ask of King Joram?
? What might explain why Joram grants the Shunammite woman more than she asks?
? The excess that the Shunammite woman receives is restored in the form of fruits of the land. Consider what this excess might symbolize.

a foreshadowing of God’s plan for the salvation of his people
The account of the Shunammite woman’s property being restored foreshadows God’s plan for  the salvation of his people that will be made possible by Jesus’ Passion, death, and Resurrection described in the New Testament. It ’s significant that the woman  is given more than she asked. Although the kingdoms of Israel and Judah are doomed to fail as a result of the people’s refusal to obey their covenant with the LORD. God intends eventually  to restore the Promised Land to those who remain faithful. The New Covenant later instituted by Jesus Christ will restore much more than humanity has lost. You can learn more about the ramifications of God’s ability to provide in abundance in Lesson 7 A Lad with Five Barley Loaves in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth.

death—you could look it up in our archives
So far, the Second Book of the Kings has emphasized Elisha’s God-given connection to life, but now the prophet begins dealing with issues of death. Foretelling Hazael’s deeds as the future king of Syria causes Elisha to weep at the amount of death that is going to be unleashed on the northern kingdom. It’s important to keep in mind that in terms of eternal life, everyone in the Old Testament already is dead in sin. Lost in Translation is an online column by Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps. Readers seeking to connect with ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures can find it helpful. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries Lost in Translation are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week. You can learn more about death as a consequence of sin in Lesson 3 The Fall of Adam & Eve in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis.

? How does death relate to Christian salvation?
? What did death and salvation mean to the people living during Elisha’s time?

Hazael isn’t actually anointed
Why might Elisha not be the one to physically anoint this foreign king? Although Elisha also fails to carry out God’s instructions directly, the prophet still gets the point across. In terms of what anointing means, it may be important that the foreign king of Syria isn’t anointed by a prophet of the caliber of Elisha or Elijah, or even by one of their representatives. Hazael’s reign is sanctioned by God and is for the purpose of Hazael performing a specific duty for God, but Hazael isn’t serving as king in God’s place.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Elijah’s letter?
The eighth set of questions in Lesson 13 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, looks at supplementary material in the twenty-first chapter in the Second Book of the Chronicles, which includes a prophetic letter written by Elijah to Jehoram, the king of Judah.

? What does Elijah prophesy in this letter?
? Who reigns over Judah after Jehoram dies?
? What additional information about Jehoram’s death and burial is provided by the account in the Second Book of the Chronicles 21:18–20?
? What might explain why these things aren’t mentioned in the Second Book of the Kings?

watch out for Athaliah
Although Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri, is barely mentioned in the eighth chapter in the Second Book of the Kings, it’s wise for readers to watch for her to show up again. She soon will play a major role in the history of the southern kingdom of Judah.

what’s happening when & where
Click on the timeline for Lesson 13 to expand it. It also appears on page 83 in the study book.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however, including the passage in this lesson from the Second Book of the Kings 8:1–29.

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical text. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the Second Book of the Kings 8:1–29 (NIV)

close with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical text.

O God, you never cease working to bring about salvation
for those who are faithful to your commands.
Grant us the strength to serve you lovingly,
even when we’re unable to see how it is that you plan
to bring about good from the evils that beset us.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who persevered through death in order that sinners
might have the opportunity for eternal life. Amen.

Lesson 14 Jezebel’s Violent Death—the Second Book of the Kings 9:1–37
Lesson 12 The LORD Thwarts Syrian Attacks—the Second Book of the Kings 6:1—7:20

you also may like our study of Scripture & the Rosary (digital only)
Scripture & the Rosary: New Testament Mysteries, Old Testament Parallels, a 26-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, looks at the biblical foundations of the Rosary. The study includes lessons on Pope St. John Paul II’s Rosarium Virginis Mariae (Rosary of the Virgin Mary), the Apostles’ Creed, and the Luminous Mysteries as well as the original 15 Mysteries of the Rosary. Color photographs of stained glass windows depict key scenes in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Free digital lessons rotate throughout the year on our website.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets— Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. Information about beginning this or one of our other Turning to God’s Word Bible studies can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I always are available to answer your Bible-study questions or concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture on the online study pages for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided links to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. A handful of significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.