2 Kings 1:8

New English Translation

⁸They replied,^[a] “He was a hairy^[b] man and had a leather belt^[c] tied around his waist.” The king^[d] said, “He is Elijah the Tishbite.”

2 Kings 1:8 tn Heb “said to him.”
2 Kings 1:8 tn Heb “an owner of hair.” This idiomatic expression indicates that Elijah was very hairy. For other examples where the idiom “owner of” is used to describe a characteristic of someone, see HALOT 143 s.v. בַּעַל. For example, an “owner of dreams” is one who frequently has dreams (Gen 37:19) and an “owner of anger” is a hot-tempered individual (Prov 22:24).
2 Kings 1:8 tn Heb “belt of skin” (i.e., one made from animal hide).
2 Kings 1:8 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

New English Translation (NET)