Bible Strands
2 Kings 10:32
In those days the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The biblical narrator records this geopolitical shift immediately after noting Jehu’s failure to fully obey God’s law. It marks the beginning of territorial losses for Israel under foreign pressure.
The words — The verb לְקַצּוֹת (le./ka.Tzot) literally means “to cut off,” describing Yahweh’s initiation of Israel’s territorial reduction. This action is immediately executed by Hazael, who strikes down the Israelites across their borders.
The thread — This judgment fulfills Elisha’s earlier prophecy regarding Hazael’s future oppression of Israel (2 Kings 8:12; 1 Kings 19:17). The territorial losses described here continue under the reign of Jehoahaz (2 Kings 13:22).
Why it lands — The text demonstrates that divine judgment follows covenant failure, regardless of prior religious reforms. It requires the reader to recognize that political decline is recorded as a direct consequence of unfaithfulness.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
In those days the Lord began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 19:17 Then Jehu will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu.
- 2 Kings 8:12 “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael. “Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”
- 2 Kings 13:22 And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz.
- 2 Kings 13:25 Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and so recovered the cities of Israel.
- 2 Kings 14:25 This Jeroboam restored the boundary of Israel from Lebo-hamath to the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word that the LORD, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher.