1 Kings 19:17

And it Shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael [See 2 Kings 8:12 , 2 Kings 8:28 ; 2 Kings 10:32 ; 2 Kings 13:3 , 2 Kings 13:22 ] shall Jehu slay [ 2 Kings 9:24-33 ; 2 Kings 10:1-36 . passim. Cf. Isaiah 66:16 ]: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. [Elijah might reasonably interpret the commission to "anoint" Hazael, etc; as a figure, seeing there is an undoubted figure of speech here. Elisha was a man of peace. His sword was the "sword of the Spirit, the word of God." It was by "the breath of his lips he slew the wicked" ( Isaiah 2:4 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:8 ; Hosea 6:5 ). Not only are Isaiah 66:16 , Isaiah 66:17 an interpretation, in some sort, of the vision, but they are an answer to Elijah's complaint ( Isaiah 66:10 , Isaiah 66:14 ). The "children of Israel" who had forsaken the covenant should be punished by Hazael (cf. 2 Kings 8:12 , "I know what thou wilt do unto the children of Israel, " and cf. 1 Kings:32); the king and queen who had thrown down the altars and slain the prophets should be slain, one by the sword of Syria, the other at the command of Jehu; while to his allegation that the prophets were extinct and he was left alone is opposed the ordination of a successor, and the mention of the "seven thousand" in Isaiah 66:18 .]