1 Kings 19:17 kjv
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.
1 Kings 19:17 nkjv
It shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill.
1 Kings 19:17 niv
Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.
1 Kings 19:17 esv
And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death.
1 Kings 19:17 nlt
Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha!
1 Kings 19 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 19:15-16 | "...anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu ... king over Israel; and Elisha... prophet in your place." | Immediate context of God's three-fold commission to Elijah. |
| Rom 11:2-4 | "...Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah?... 'I am the only one left... But what is God's reply to him? 'I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.'" | Remnant theme directly linked to Elijah's despair. |
| 2 Kgs 8:12-13 | "And Hazael said, 'Why does my lord weep?' He answered, 'Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel... you will burn their fortified cities... slay their young men with the sword...'" | Fulfillment of Hazael's destructive judgment. |
| 2 Kgs 9:6-10 | "...Thus says the LORD... You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets..." | Fulfillment of Jehu's commission against Ahab's house. |
| 2 Kgs 10:1-36 | "Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men... he also struck down all the worshippers of Baal... the pillars of Baal..." | Detailed account of Jehu's extensive purge. |
| 2 Kgs 10:30-32 | "The LORD said to Jehu, 'Because you have done well in carrying out what is right in my eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in my heart... In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel." | Divine approval for Jehu's judgment actions. |
| 2 Kgs 13:3 | "So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael..." | Further evidence of Hazael as God's instrument. |
| Deut 32:41-43 | "If I whet my glittering sword... I will make my arrows drunk with blood... avenge the blood of my servants." | God's use of 'sword' and agents for vengeance. |
| Lev 26:25 | "I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant..." | Sword as a divine judgment for covenant breaking. |
| Jer 25:9 | "I am sending for all the tribes of the north... and for Nebuchadnezzar... and I will bring them against this land..." | Foreign nations as instruments of divine judgment. |
| Isa 10:5-7 | "Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath..." | Assyria as God's instrument of judgment. |
| Ezek 14:17 | "Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, 'Sword, go through the land,' and cut off man and beast from it..." | Sword as a pervasive divine judgment mechanism. |
| Amos 9:1-4 | "Though they dig into Sheol, from there shall my hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, from there I will bring them down..." | Inescapability and thoroughness of divine judgment. |
| Zeph 1:2-3 | "I will utterly sweep away everything from the face of the earth... I will sweep away man and beast..." | Extensive divine purging and judgment. |
| Zeph 1:4 | "I will stretch out my hand against Judah... and I will cut off from this place the remnant of Baal..." | Divine purging of idolatry by direct action. |
| Mal 4:1 | "For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze..." | Ultimate, inescapable judgment for the wicked. |
| John 3:36 | "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him." | Spiritual judgment: divine wrath for disobedience. |
| Rom 1:18 | "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." | Revelation of divine wrath for unrighteousness. |
| Heb 10:30-31 | "For we know him who said, 'Vengeance is mine; I will repay.' And again, 'The Lord will judge his people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." | God's ultimate prerogative and execution of judgment. |
| Rev 6:4 | "Another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword." | Sword as an instrument of widespread death/judgment. |
| Rev 19:15 | "From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with an iron scepter." | Christ's ultimate judgment, His word as a sword. |
| Jer 51:20-23 | "You are my war club, my weapon of war; with you I break nations in pieces..." | Individuals/nations as God's instruments for judgment. |
1 Kings 19 verses
1 Kings 19 17 Meaning
1 Kings 19:17 describes a prophetic decree from God to Elijah concerning the purification of Israel from its idolatry. It foretells a layered, inescapable judgment: those who escape the physical devastation inflicted by Hazael will be purged by Jehu, and those who somehow escape Jehu's actions will ultimately face divine judgment enacted through Elisha. This sequence underscores God's determined will to eradicate persistent Baal worship and apostasy in Israel, establishing that divine justice would be fully meted out through distinct human instruments.
1 Kings 19 17 Context
This verse is part of God's restorative message to a despondent Elijah on Mount Horeb (Mount Sinai). After his great victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18) and subsequent flight from Jezebel's death threat (1 Kings 19:1-3), Elijah collapses under a juniper tree and desires to die. He travels to Horeb, where God speaks to him, revealing His presence not in dramatic natural phenomena (wind, earthquake, fire) but in a "still small voice." Elijah expresses his despair, believing he is the only faithful prophet left and his life is sought. In response, God outlines three divine appointments: anointing Hazael as king over Aram, Jehu as king over Israel, and Elisha as Elijah's successor. This tri-fold commission, of which verse 17 is a core part, is meant to assure Elijah that God's plan is not thwarted and that His covenant justice against idolatry in Israel will indeed be executed, securing a remnant.
1 Kings 19 17 Word analysis
- And it shall come to pass: Signifies a definite, prophetic future event, decreed by divine will. This is a declaration of certainty from God.
- that him that escapeth (וּפָלִ֙יט֙ - uphalit): Hebrew for 'survivor' or 'escapee.' It emphasizes that even those who manage to evade one layer of judgment will inevitably face the next. This implies a rigorous and comprehensive cleansing, leaving no refuge for the unrepentant.
- the sword of Hazael: Hazael (חֲזָאֵל - Hazael), meaning "God has seen." He was a historical figure who usurped the throne of Aram and became a severe oppressor of Israel, inflicting brutal military defeats and atrocities (2 Kgs 8:7-15; 2 Kgs 10:32-33; 2 Kgs 13:3). His "sword" represents foreign military conquest and physical devastation, acting as an initial purge of the idolatrous Israelites. This directly refers to the physical violence Hazael would perpetrate against Israel as a divine instrument.
- shall Jehu slay: Jehu (יֵהוּא - Yehu), meaning "The Lord is He." He was anointed by a prophet of Elisha to become king of Israel and was commanded by God to eradicate the house of Ahab, particularly for their promotion of Baal worship (2 Kgs 9:6-10). Jehu’s "slaying" was a specific, bloody, and internal political purge, executing the dynasty that had championed Baalism. His actions are extensively documented as fulfilling this prophecy (2 Kings 9-10).
- and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu: Reinforces the inescapable nature of God's judgment. Even after the severe internal cleansing by Jehu, if anyone devoted to Baal worship managed to survive, they would not ultimately escape divine justice.
- shall Elisha slay: Elisha (אֱלִישָׁע - Elisha), meaning "My God is salvation." This phrase requires careful understanding as Elisha was primarily a prophet known for miracles, healing, and guidance, not for wielding a physical sword. His "slaying" refers not to literal physical killing but to judgment executed through divine decree, prophetic word, spiritual curses, or by identifying those on whom God’s judgment was to fall. Examples include the leprosies of Naaman and Gehazi (2 Kgs 5), the striking with blindness of the Aramean army (2 Kgs 6:18-20), or calling for specific judgments that would lead to death or defeat (2 Kgs 1:10; 2 Kgs 2:24). This represents the culmination of judgment, perhaps identifying those the prior agents missed, or condemning those spiritually. It also points to the idea that those who reject the prophetic word are ultimately "slain" by divine condemnation.
1 Kings 19 17 Bonus section
- The layered judgment reveals divine wisdom in applying consequences for national sin. It shows that God does not abandon His covenant but actively works to purify His people, even if it requires severe measures.
- This specific judgment sequence directly addresses Elijah’s despair that he was the only faithful person left. God reassures him that divine instruments exist, and the eradication of Baal worship is part of His plan, whether Elijah personally sees it through or not.
- The progression from external military judgment (Hazael), to internal political/dynastic cleansing (Jehu), to prophetic and spiritual condemnation (Elisha), suggests an increasing precision or spiritual finality in God's judgment, ensuring that even the most stubborn heart would not escape His justice.
- The inclusion of Hazael, a non-Israelite, demonstrates God's sovereignty over all nations and His ability to use any means, even a pagan ruler, to achieve His righteous ends within Israel.
- While this verse describes intense judgment, the overarching narrative of 1 Kings 19 includes the promise of a preserved remnant (the 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal), highlighting God's justice combined with His enduring grace and faithfulness to His covenant promises.
1 Kings 19 17 Commentary
1 Kings 19:17 reveals God’s unyielding commitment to uphold His covenant and deal with persistent idolatry and moral corruption in Israel. Elijah's commission of Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha highlights a successive and comprehensive purge of the nation. Hazael, an external Gentile king, would bring war and devastation, punishing Israel for its apostasy. Jehu, an internal Israelite king, would execute direct judgment against the house of Ahab and the remnants of Baal worship within the kingdom, carrying out a specific and bloody cleansing mandated by God. Finally, Elisha, the prophet, would ensure that any who survived these two stages and continued in rebellion would still face divine justice. Elisha’s "slaying" emphasizes that ultimate judgment, even when not through a physical weapon, is inescapable when delivered through God’s appointed spiritual means. This multi-layered judgment ensures that divine wrath is fully meted out against widespread unrepentant sin, simultaneously highlighting God's absolute sovereignty and the ultimate futility of resisting His purposes. It served to assure Elijah that despite appearances, God was still at work purifying His people and preparing for the preservation of a righteous remnant, providing both warning for the wicked and encouragement for the faithful.