2 Kings 8:9

So Hazael went to visit Elisha. ¹  He took along a gift, ²  as well as ³  forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, “Your son, ⁴  King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question, ⁵  ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

1Sa 25:8; 1Ki 19:15; 2Ki 5:5; 2Ki 6:21; 2Ki 13:14; 2Ki 16:7; Phm 1:14

¹ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn The Hebrew text also has “in his hand.”

³ tn Heb “and.” It is possible that the conjunction is here explanatory, equivalent to English “that is.” In this case the forty camel loads constitute the “gift” and one should translate, “He took along a gift, consisting of forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus.”

⁴ sn The words “your son” emphasize the king’s respect for the prophet.

⁵ tn Heb “saying.”