חֲזָאֵל
𐤇𐤆𐤀𐤋
Chazael
H2371 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper name referring to the Aramean (Syrian) king Hazael. The name means 'El has seen' or 'God has seen,' likely denoting that the deity El is acknowledged as perceiving or caring for an individual. The name is typically applied to Hazael, a non-Israelite ruler mentioned primarily in relation to the kingdoms of Israel and Aram (Syria) during the 9th century BCE. The semantic range is restricted to this personal name within the Hebrew Bible.
Semantic Range
personal name (King of Aram/Syria), theophoric name referring to divine perception or favor
Root / Etymology
The name חֲזָאֵל is a theophoric compound, formed from the verb חָזָה (to see, perceive, behold) and the divine name אֵל (El, God). Thus, the name means 'El has seen.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲזָאֵל (Hazael) appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of an Aramean king, especially in the narratives surrounding the prophet Elisha and the Israelite monarchy (2 Kings 8–13). The name is not Israelite but reflects the broader use of the theophoric element אֵל in Northwest Semitic names. The biblical Hazael was a significant antagonist to Israel in the 9th century BCE, ruling Damascus and mentioned in contemporary Assyrian inscriptions as well. The use of the root חָזָה ('to see') in a personal name stresses divine attentiveness or selection, a motif common in West Semitic naming practices. Later English translations may use 'Hazael,' but the name does not carry religious connotations relating to Judaism or Israelite identity. No evidence suggests the name was used for Israelite persons in the biblical period.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or חֲזָהאֵל; from חָזָה and אֵל; God has seen; Chazael, a king of Syria; Hazael.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חזה (ḥ-z-h) — to see, to perceive, to behold
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2306 | חֲדִי | his breast |
| H2335 | חוֹזַי | Visionary-One |
| H2370 | חֲזָא | he beheld |
| H2372 | חָזָה | in visionary seeing |
| H2373 | חָזֶה | front breast |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2371-01 |
חֲזָאֵ֛ל | chazael | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen | 15 |
H2371-02 |
חֲזָהאֵ֗ל | chazahel | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen | 6 |
H2371-03 |
לַֽ/חֲזָאֵל֙ | lachazael | HR/Np |
to Hazael | to El-has-seen | 1 |
H2371-04 |
וַֽ/חֲזָאֵל֙ | vachazael | HC/Np |
And Hazael | And El-has-seen | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
23 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2371-01 |
1 Kings 19:15 | חֲזָאֵ֛ל | chazael | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-01 |
1 Kings 19:17 | חֲזָאֵ֖ל | chazael | HNp |
of Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-02 |
2 Kings 8:8 | חֲזָהאֵ֗ל | chazahel | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-01 |
2 Kings 8:9 | חֲזָאֵל֮ | chazael | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-01 |
2 Kings 8:12 | חֲזָאֵ֔ל | chazael | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-02 |
2 Kings 8:13 | חֲזָהאֵ֔ל | chazahel | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-02 |
2 Kings 8:15 | חֲזָהאֵ֖ל | chazahel | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-02 |
2 Kings 8:28 | חֲזָהאֵ֥ל | chazahel | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-02 |
2 Kings 8:29 | חֲזָהאֵ֖ל | chazahel | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |
H2371-01 |
2 Kings 9:14 | חֲזָאֵ֖ל | chazael | HNp |
Hazael | El-has-seen |