2 Kings 12:17 - Exposition

Then Hazael King of Syria went up, and fought against Gath. Hitherto Judah had been safe from any attack on the part of Syria, since Israel had been interposed between the two powers. Now, however, that Hazael had conquered from Jehu the entire trans-Jordanic territory ( 2 Kings 10:33 ), the case was wholly altered—Judah and Syria had become conterminous along the line of the lower Jordan, and Syria could invade Judaea at any moment. It is surprising that Gath should have been the special object of attack, since Oath ( Abu-Gheith ) lay remote from the Syrian frontier, in the southwestern part of Judaea, and could only be reached from Syria by an enemy who was not afraid of leaving Jerusalem behind him. Gath, when last mentioned, was a Judaean city, and was fortified by Rehoboam ( 2 Chronicles 11:8 ); but it was originally Philistine ( 1 Samuel 5:1-12 :17), and the Philistines had recovered it before the time of Uzziah ( 2 Chronicles 26:6 ). To which power it belonged when Hazael made war upon it is uncertain. And took it —probably took it by storm, and plundered it, but did not attempt an occupation— and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem. If Gath be Abu-Gheith , as appears probable, it would be distant from Jerusalem not less than forty miles in a direct line. If Hazael, however, was returning to the trans-Jordanic country taken from Israel, it would lie in his way, and might naturally tempt him to make a dash at it, more especially as he was flushed with victory.