Ben-hadad

(son of Hadad, or Gadad) — a common title of the kings of Syria, just as, for example, the name Pharaoh was a general title for the kings of Egypt. In Holy Scripture, three kings of Syria, or of Damascus, are mentioned under this name: a) (1 Kings 15:18; 2 Chron. 16:2) a Syrian king, in the days of Asa, king of Judah, with whom the latter made an alliance against Baasha, king of Israel; b) (1 Kings 20:1, 34; 22:1; 2 Kings 6:8, 33; 7; 8:7, 15) Ben-hadad, king of Syria, son of the preceding.

He was a proud, boastful, treacherous king, godless and hardened of heart (1 Kings 20:10–12). He declared war on Joram, king of Israel, but the prophet Elisha revealed the intentions of Ben-hadad to the king so promptly and precisely that Joram was able to repel the enemy (2 Kings 6:8–33). Several years later, during the siege of Samaria, that city was reduced to the last extremity. Starving women then ate their own children. The Syrian forces, under the command of Ben-hadad, had already blockaded the city, but during the night it seemed to them that they heard a great noise of approaching armies.

Supposing that an Israelite army was hurrying to the city’s relief with provisions, the Syrians fled at daybreak in terror from the city walls, scattering along the way, in their flight, their provisions, garments, vessels, and the like. The following year Ben-hadad, having fallen ill, sent his servant Hazael to ask the prophet Elisha whether he would recover. The prophet answered Hazael that the king might perhaps recover, but would certainly soon die. The prophet also told Hazael that he would ascend the throne of Syria, but that, being king, he would do much evil to the sons of Israel.

The very next day after this, Hazael with his own hand killed Ben-hadad and became king of Syria (see Hazael). The account of this is contained in the Fourth Book of Kings (8:7–15). The wars of this king, under the name of Hadad-ezer, and of his successor Hazael against the Assyrians are recorded on one of the fragments of an obelisk brought out of Nimrud and now found in the British Museum; c) (2 Kings 13:3) Ben-hadad III, king of Syria, son of Hazael. He suffered many defeats at the hand of Joash, king of Israel, and was obliged to give up the whole territory of Israel that his father Hazael had conquered (2 Kings 13:25).