He fixed his gaze and stared at him …: This verse contains four different clauses in Hebrew, but only in the last case is the subject clearly identified in Hebrew. The pronoun he in the first clause, he fixed his gaze (literally “he raised his faces”), is the topic of much discussion since it is not clear whether it refers to Elisha or Hazael. New Century Version understands the clause to mean “Hazael stared at Elisha” (similarly Hobbs). But many translations reverse these roles, making “the man of God” the subject of the verbs fixed and stared (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, La Bible du Semeur). Good News Translation similarly has “Elisha” staring at Hazael. This is more likely to be the meaning. The writer does not state why Elisha fixed his gaze and stared at Hazael, but most likely he was in an ecstatic trance in which he was receiving a message from God. Or perhaps Elisha was staring at Hazael because he knew what Hazael was going to do to the people of Israel.
Stared at him is literally “he put/set.” Some translators follow the Vulgate and read “he was troubled” (so Osty-Trinquet) instead of “he put/set.” But the Masoretic Text makes sense in that Elisha “set [his face]” or “stared,” and it should be followed here.
The subject of the Hebrew clause translated until he was ashamed (literally “as far as to shame”) seems to be Hazael (so Good News Translation and Revised English Bible, which replace the pronoun with the name “Hazael”). The meaning of the Hebrew verb here, however, is interpreted in slightly different ways by recent translations; for example, “became disconcerted” (Revised English Bible), “became ill at ease” (Good News Translation, New American Bible), “felt ashamed” (New International Version, New Century Version), and “was embarrassed” (Contemporary English Version, Hobbs).
It is also possible to understand the Hebrew words for “as far as to shame” to mean “extremely” (Osty-Trinquet) or “for a long while” (American Bible), in which case the idea of embarrassment is omitted altogether (similarly New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Peregrino, em>Parola Del Signore: La Bibbia in Lingua Corrente, Bible en français courant, La Bible Pléiade, Nouvelle Bible Segond, Nouvelle version Segond révisée). Peregrino, for example, translates the whole verse as follows: “Then his [Elisha’s] gaze was fixed, he remained outside of himself a long time and began to cry.” Compare 2 Kgs 2.17, where the same expression is found.
Although some Hebrew scholars suggest that the words “as far as to shame” are an idiom meaning “excessively,” it is probably better to understand these words as referring to what was felt by Hazael. A possible model for the first sentence in this verse is “Elisha looked at him with a steady gaze until Hazael became uncomfortable.”
The text is quite clear that it was Elisha who wept. The reason for his sorrow is clearly stated in response to Hazael’s question in the following verse. He was discouraged because he knew what would happen to the people of Israel after Hazael became king of Syria. In some languages it will be most natural to translate the verb “started crying” or “began to weep.”
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .