8 Then the King Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “Take a gift and go meet the man of God. Ask him to ask the Lord if I will get well from my sickness.”
9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha. Hazael brought a gift with him. He brought all kinds of good things from Damascus. It took 40 camels to carry everything. Hazael came to Elisha and said, “Your follower, King Ben-Hadad of Aram, sent me to you. He asks if he will get well from his sickness.”
10 Then Elisha said to Hazael, “Go and tell Ben-Hadad, ‘You will live.’ But really the Lord told me, ‘He will die.’”
11 Elisha began to stare. He stared for an embarrassingly long time. Then the man of God began to cry.
12 Hazael said, “Sir, why are you crying?” Elisha answered, “I am crying because I know the bad things you will do to the Israelites. You will burn their strong cities and kill their young men with swords. You will kill their babies and split open their pregnant women.”
13 Hazael said, “I am not a powerful man! How can I do these great things?” Elisha answered, “The Lord showed me that you will be king over Aram.”
14 Then Hazael left Elisha and went to his king. Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “What did Elisha say to you?” He answered, “Elisha told me that you will live.”