1 Kings 19:15

New Living Translation

Then the Lord told him, "Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the Lord said to him, “Go and return by the way you came to the Wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Dammesek: and when you come, you shall anoint Haza'el to be king over Aram;

King James Version
And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

English Standard Version
And the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

New Century Version
The Lord said to him, "Go back on the road that leads to the desert around Damascus. Enter that city, and pour olive oil on Hazael to make him king over Aram.

New English Translation
The Lord said to him, "Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria.

Amplified Bible
The LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram (Syria);

New American Standard Bible
The LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the Lord said vnto him, Goe, returne by the wildernes vnto Damascus, and when thou commest there, anoint Hazael King ouer Aram.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and you will arrive and anoint Hazael king over Aram;

Contemporary English Version
The Lord said: Elijah, you can go back to the desert near Damascus. And when you get there, appoint Hazael to be king of Syria.

Complete Jewish Bible
Adonai said to him, "Go back by way of the Dammesek Desert. When you get there, anoint Haza'el to be king over Aram.

Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when thou comest, anoint Hazael king over Syria;

Easy-to-Read Version
The Lord said, "Go back. Take the road that leads to the desert around Damascus. Go into Damascus and anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; then go and anoint Hazael to be king over Aram;

Good News Translation
The Lord said, "Return to the wilderness near Damascus, then enter the city and anoint Hazael as king of Syria;

Lexham English Bible
Then Yahweh said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael as king over Aram;

Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and you shall go in and anoint Hazael as king over Syria;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But the LORDE sayde vnto him: Go yi waye agayne thorow the wyldernes vnto Damascon, & go in, & anoynte Hasael kynge ouer Siria,

American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;

Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to him, Go back on your way through the waste land to Damascus; and when you come there, put the holy oil on Hazael to make him king over Aram;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lord sayde vnto him: Go, and turne thy way to the wildernesse vnto Damasco: & when thou commest there, annoynt Hazael king ouer Syria:

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto him: 'Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Aram;

King James Version (1611)
And the Lord sayd vnto him, Goe, returne on thy way to the wildernesse of Damascus: and when thou commest, anoint Hazael to be King ouer Syria.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to him, Go, return, and thou shalt come into the way of the wilderness of Damascus: and thou shalt go and anoint Azael to be king over Syria.

English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto him, Go return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:

Berean Standard Bible
Then the LORD said to him, "Go back by the way you came, to the Desert of Damascus. When you arrive, you are to anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord seide to hym, Go, and turne ayen in to thi weie, bi the deseert, in to Damask; and whanne thou schalt come thidur, thou schalt anoynte Asahel kyng on Sirie;

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehovah saith unto him, `Go turn back on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and thou hast gone in, and anointed Hazael for king over Aram,

Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael [to be] king over Syria:

World English Bible
Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when you come, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;

New King James Version
Then the LORD said to him: "Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria.

New Life Bible
The Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the desert of Damascus. When you get there, set apart Hazael to be the king of Syria.

New Revised Standard
Then the Lord said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said unto him, Go, return to thy way, towards the wilderness of Damascus, - and, when thou enterest, then shalt thou anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said to him: Go, and return on thy way, through the desert, to Damascus: and when thou art come thither, thou shalt anoint Hazael to be king over Syria;

Revised Standard Version
And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Haz'ael to be king over Syria;

THE MESSAGE
God said, "Go back the way you came through the desert to Damascus. When you get there anoint Hazael; make him king over Aram. Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi; make him king over Israel. Finally, anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Anyone who escapes death by Hazael will be killed by Jehu; and anyone who escapes death by Jehu will be killed by Elisha. Meanwhile, I'm preserving for myself seven thousand souls: the knees that haven't bowed to the god Baal, the mouths that haven't kissed his image."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
The LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram;

Contextual Overview

⁹ There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" ¹⁰ Elijah replied, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." ¹¹ "Go out and stand before me on the mountain," the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. ¹² And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. ¹³ When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" ¹⁴ He replied again, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." ¹⁵ Then the Lord told him, "Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. ¹⁶ Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. ¹⁷ Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! ¹⁸ Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

wilderness of Damascus: The wilderness of Damascus seems to have been that part of Arabia Deserta which lay on the south-east of that city, and east of the Trachonites, or the Djebel Haouran and El Ledja; at which the prophet could arrive without meeting Jezebel or any of his enemies. Genesis 14:15, 2 Kings 8:7, Acts 9:2, Acts 9:3

anoint: Isaiah 45:1, Jeremiah 1:10, Jeremiah 27:2-22

Hazael: 2 Kings 8:8-15, 2 Kings 8:28, 2 Kings 9:14, Amos 1:4

Reciprocal: Judges 9:9 - wherewith 1 Samuel 9:16 - thou shalt 1 Kings 11:24 - to Damascus 2 Kings 8:9 - Hazael 2 Kings 8:13 - The Lord 2 Kings 8:15 - Hazael

Cross-References

Genesis 19:4
But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house.

Genesis 19:5
They shouted to Lot, "Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!"

Genesis 19:7
"Please, my brothers," he begged, "don't do such a wicked thing.

Genesis 19:8
Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection."

Genesis 19:17
When they were safely out of the city, one of the angels ordered, "Run for your lives! And don't look back or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away!"

Genesis 19:22
But hurry! Escape to it, for I can do nothing until you arrive there." (This explains why that village was known as Zoar, which means "little place.")

Genesis 19:24
Then the Lord rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 19:25
He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation.

Genesis 19:27
Abraham got up early that morning and hurried out to the place where he had stood in the Lord 's presence.

2 Corinthians 6:2
For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said unto him, go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus,.... He is bid to go back the way he came, through the wilderness of Arabia, which was part of his way to Damascus, near to which was another wilderness, which took its name from thence; though Fortunatus Schacchus x thinks no other is meant by this phrase than returning to his former course and custom of preach the law of God, and reclaiming men from the error of their ways:

and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; it is nowhere related that Elijah did go to Damascus, and anoint Hazael, though it may be he did; however he acquainted Elisha with it, and he declared it to Hazael, that he should be king of Syria, and which perhaps is all that is meant by anointing; that is, that he should be made king, and which was declared by both these prophets, see 2 Kings 8:13.

x Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 1. c. 39. col. 198.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The answer is not a justification of the ways of God, nor a direct reproof of the prophet’s weakness and despondency, nor an explanation or application of what Elijah had seen. For the present, he is simply directed back into the path of practical duty. His mission is not yet over, there is still work for him to do. He receives special injunctions with respect to Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha; and he is comforted with a revelation well adapted to rouse him from his despondency: there are seven thousand who will sympathize with him in his trials, and who need his care and attention.

The wilderness of Damascus - Probably the district north of the prophet’s own country, between Bashan and Damascus itself, and which was known in later times as Iturea and Gaulanitis. Here the prophet might be secure from Jezebel, while he could readily communicate with both Israel and Damascus, and execute the commissions with which he was entrusted.

When thou comest, anoint - Rather, “and thou shalt go and anoint,” Elijah performed one only of the three commissions given to him. He appears to have been left free to choose the time for executing his commissions, and it would seem that he thought the proper occasion had not arisen either for the first or the second before his own translation. But he took care to communicate the divine commands to his successor, who performed them at the fitting moment (marginal references).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 19:15. To the wilderness of Damascus — He does not desire him to take a road by which he might be likely to meet Jezebel, or any other of his enemies.

Anoint Hazael — For what reason the Lord was about to make all these revolutions, we are told in 1 Kings 19:17. God was about to bring his judgments upon the land, and especially on the house of Ahab. This he exterminated by means of Jehu; and Jehu himself was a scourge of the Lord to the people. Hazael also grievously afflicted Israel; see the accomplishment of these purposes, 2 Kings 8:0, and 2 Kings 9:0.