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 exact place of birth is still controversial, with both Bashan and the Beqaa Valley being favoured by different historians.[5][6][7]