2 Kings 12:17

Then Hazael. The events here mentioned took place not long after the repair of the Temple, which began in the 23rd year of Jehoash’s reign (v. 6), the same year that Jehoahaz came to the throne in Israel (2 Kings 13:1). After the death of Jehoiada, Joash fell into sin, and brought upon himself the onslaughts of Hazael (2 Chronicles 24:15-25).

Gath. Hazael reached this Philistine city probably via Beth-shan, the Jezreel Valley, and the coastal plain; hence he must have mastered the northern kingdom of Israel (see 2 Kings 13:3). Gath, so far from Syria, must have reverted soon to Philistine control. Later Azariah of Judah broke down the wall of Gath (2 Chronicles 26:6). The site of the city is uncertain. Most scholars have favored ‘Araq el-Menshiyeh, at the modern Kiryat Gat, 6 1/2 mi. (10.4 km.) west of Beit Jibrin (Eleutheropolis in NT times). But Beit Jibrin and Tell es-Safi (usually identified with Libnah) have been suggested also. A site immediately north of Kiryat Gat, supported by many Israeli scholars, is Tell Sheikh el-‘Areini, 6 1/2 mi. (10.4 km.) west of Beit Jibrin and 20 mi. (32 km.) west-northwest of Hebron.

To Jerusalem. When Hazael had taken Gath, he was southwest of Jerusalem, and the city lay on the road of a convenient way back to Damascus. It was probably on this occasion that the host of Syria came up “to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of the people” (2 Chronicles 24:23). After the death of Jehoiada, the king of Judah and his princes “left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols” (2 Chronicles 24:18). When Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, protested against this iniquity, they “stoned him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 24:21). At this time Hazael came against Jerusalem, where he was met by “a very great host,” but gained the victory “with a small company,” because the people “had forsaken the Lord” (2 Chronicles 24:24).