The apparent deceitfulness of Elisha has been a problem for scribes and translators for centuries. But most scholars agree that the prophet advised Hazael to tell the Syrian king that he would live, while at the same time indicating to Hazael that the LORD had revealed to him that the king would die.
Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover’: In Hebrew You shall certainly recover is an emphatic construction, which is literally “Recovering you will recover.” The New Jerusalem Bible rendering, “You might recover,” is not recommended. A footnote in New International Version says “The Hebrew may also be read Go and say, ‘You will certainly not recover,’ for.” But this is misleading since the problem is not in the interpretation of the written Hebrew text. It is rather a discrepancy between the written text and the scribal notes that are a part of that text. The written Hebrew text clearly says “Go and say, ‘Recovering you will not recover.’ ” But the marginal note of the Masoretic scribes explains that what should be read is “Go and say to him, ‘Recovering you will recover.’ ” By changing a single Hebrew letter, the word translated “not” would mean “to him.” In the light of what Hazael says to Benhadad in verse 14, the reading without the negation is almost certainly the correct one and it is adopted by most modern versions. Some commentators have understood this to be a declaration that Benhadad would not die as a result of the illness that had caused him to go to bed (verse 7). This, of course, would be true since he was apparently smothered to death by Hazael (verse 15).
The quotation within the larger quotation here may be translated indirectly in order to avoid unnaturalness in the receptor language. Good News Translation provides a good model in this respect. A literal translation such as the one in Revised Standard Version may also confuse the person who only hears the text read, since it will not be clear that the second half of the verse is not part of what Hazael is to tell Benhadad.
He shall certainly die is literally “dying he shall die.” Like the previous emphatic expression in this verse, it repeats the same root verb in Hebrew to express certainty.
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 .