Hazael | |
---|---|
(El/God has seen) | |
King of Aram Damascus | |
Reign | 842–796 BC |
Predecessor | Hadadezer |
Successor | Ben-Hadad III |
Occupation | Court official |
Hazael (/ˈheɪziəl/; Biblical Hebrew: חֲזָאֵל or חֲזָהאֵל, romanized: Ḥăzāʾēl[1]) was a king of Aram-Damascus mentioned in the Bible.[2][3] Under his reign, Aram-Damascus became an empire that ruled over large parts of contemporary Syria and Israel-Samaria.[4] While he was likely born in the greater Damascus region of today, his place of birth is unknown, with both Bashan and the Beqaa Valley being favoured by different historians.[5][6][7]