מלכים ב, פרק ח׳, פסוק י״א

Elisha the prophet experienced a sudden, devastating vision of the future. He foresaw the terrible suffering that would soon strike his people following the expected death of Ben-hadad and the rise of Hazael to the throne. Overwhelmed by this harsh reality, the prophet attempted to conceal his intense emotional turmoil from Hazael, who was standing right in front of him.

Commentators offer different perspectives on exactly how the prophet tried to hide his deep sadness. Some explain that he froze in place, suppressing his grief by keeping his face completely blank and stoic to stop himself from breaking down [רש"י, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Others suggest that he turned his head away so Hazael would not be able to see his tears [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, מלבי"ם]. A third perspective adds that he went as far as covering his face entirely with his hands [רד"ק, רלב"ג].

Regardless of his exact physical reaction, the prophet maintained this effort for a significant amount of time. He held himself back with tremendous willpower, resulting in a long, heavy pause. This prolonged and tense silence stretched on for so long that it likely caused a deep sense of awkwardness and discomfort for Hazael [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Eventually, the emotional burden became too great to bear. Exhausting his strength, the prophet could no longer suppress his sorrow. He finally broke down and wept aloud. Realizing that his tears could no longer be hidden, he turned his face back toward Hazael [מצודת דוד].