מלכים ב, פרק ח׳, פסוק י״ג

Faced with a prophecy of the terrible destruction he is destined to bring upon the Israelites, Hazael struggles to believe he could ever cause such massive upheaval. There is a stark contrast between his present reality and this promised future. At this point in time, he sees himself merely as a simple subject of King Ben-Hadad. He wonders how he could ever gather the immense power needed to fight and defeat the Israelites on such a grand scale [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Elisha answers by explaining the dramatic change in status that is about to happen. He reveals that God has shown him Hazael ruling as the king of Aram. Only after taking the throne will Hazael possess the vast authority and strength required to carry out these monumental acts [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Yet, Elisha's statement is more than just a glimpse into the future. This declaration serves as the actual anointing of Hazael as king. By speaking these words, Elisha carries out and completes an earlier instruction from God, who had originally commanded Elijah to anoint Hazael for the crown [רלב״ג].