Hazael was a constant enemy of God’s people (2 Kings 8:28; 9:14–15; 10:32–33; 13:3). He killed the Aramean king Ben-hadad II and took the throne (2 Kings 8:15). Hazael likely attacked Israel and Judah after the Assyrian king Shamshi-adad V died in 811 BC and before Adad-nirari III, who ruled from 810 to 783 BC, began campaigns in 805 BC, capturing Damascus in 802 BC. Without Assyria's control, Hazael could attack southward.
There is debate about whether Gath is the well-known Philistine city (1 Samuel 5:8; 6:17) or a Hebrew city also called Gittaim (2 Samuel 4:3; Nehemiah 11:33).