2Ki 12:17 | TNotes | STEP | 12:17 Hazael , a perennial oppressor of God’s people (8:28 ; 9:14-15 ; 10:32-33 ; 13:3 ), had assassinated the Aramean king Ben-hadad II and seized the throne (8:15 ). Hazael’s campaign against Israel and Judah probably came after the death of the Assyrian king Shamshi-adad V in 811 BC and before Adad-nirari III (810–783 BC ) launched a series of campaigns in 805 BC , leading to the capture of Damascus in 802 BC . Free of Assyria’s heavy hand, Hazael could launch a campaign southward. • Whether Gath is the well-known city of the Philistines (1 Sam 5:8 ; 6:17 ) or a Hebrew city otherwise known as Gittaim (2 Sam 4:3 ; Neh 11:33 ) is disputed.

a12:17►

b8:28►

c9:14-15►

d10:32-33►

e13:3►

f8:15►

g1 Sam 5:8►

h6:17►

i2 Sam 4:3►

jNeh 11:33►

‏ 2 Kings 12:17

12:17 ^a Hazael, a perennial oppressor of God’s people (8:28 ^b; 9:14-15 ^c; 10:32-33 ^d; 13:3 ^e), had assassinated the Aramean king Ben-hadad II and seized the throne (8:15 ^f). Hazael’s campaign against Israel and Judah probably came after the death of the Assyrian king Shamshi-adad V in 811 BC and before Adad-nirari III (810–783 BC) launched a series of campaigns in 805 BC, leading to the capture of Damascus in 802 BC. Free of Assyria’s heavy hand, Hazael could launch a campaign southward.

• Whether Gath is the well-known city of the Philistines (1 Sam 5:8 ^g; 6:17 ^h) or a Hebrew city otherwise known as Gittaim (2 Sam 4:3 ⁱ; Neh 11:33 ^j) is disputed.