1 Kings 19:17 (GNV)

Passage

And him that escapeth from the sworde of Hazael, shall Iehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Iehu, shall Elisha slay.

Nearby Context

1 Kings 19:15 And the Lord said vnto him, Goe, returne by the wildernes vnto Damascus, and when thou commest there, anoint Hazael King ouer Aram.

1 Kings 19:16 And Iehu the sonne of Nimshi shalt thou anoynt King ouer Israel: and Elisha the sonne of Shaphat of Abel Meholah shalt thou anoynt to be Prophet in thy roume.

1 Kings 19:17 And him that escapeth from the sworde of Hazael, shall Iehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Iehu, shall Elisha slay.

1 Kings 19:18 Yet wil I leaue seuen thousand in Israel, euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal, and euery mouth that hath not kissed him.

1 Kings 19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the sonne of Shaphat who was plowing with twelue yoke of oxen before him, and was with the twelft: and Eliiah went towards him, and cast his mantel vpon him.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "escapeth", "sworde", "hazael", "shall", "iehu", and "slay". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "escapeth" and "sworde", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 16's "And Iehu the sonne of Nimshi shalt..." into verse 18's "Yet wil I leaue seuen thousand in...", so "escapeth" and "sworde" belong inside that flow. In 1 Kings context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "escapeth" and "sworde" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.