1 Kings 19:15

15 And the Lord said to him, Go, and turn again into thy way, by the desert, into Damascus (And the Lord said to him, Go, and return on the way, by the wilderness, to Damascus); and when thou shalt come thither, thou shalt anoint Hazael king upon Syria;

1 Kings 19:15 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 19:15

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 ^F24 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 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F24 Elaeochrism. Myrothec. l. 1. c. 39. col. 198.

1 Kings 19:15 In-Context

13 And when Elijah had heard this, he covered his face with a mantle, and he went out, and stood in the door of the den (and stood at the entrance to the cave). And a voice spake to him, and said, Elijah, what doest thou here?

14 And he answered, With fervent love I have loved fervently, for the Lord God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken thy covenant; they have destroyed thine altars, and they have killed with (the) sword thy prophets; and I am left alone, and they seek my life, that they do it away. (And he answered, and said, With fervent love I have fervently loved for the Lord God of hosts; but the Israelites have deserted thy covenant; they have destroyed thy altars, and they have killed thy prophets with the sword; and I alone am left, and now they seek my life, so that they can do me away.)

15 And the Lord said to him, Go, and turn again into thy way, by the desert, into Damascus (And the Lord said to him, Go, and return on the way, by the wilderness, to Damascus); and when thou shalt come thither, thou shalt anoint Hazael king upon Syria;

16 and thou shalt anoint (unto) king upon Israel, Jehu, the son of Nimshi; and thou shalt anoint a prophet for thee, Elisha, the son of Shaphat, that is of Abelmeholah. (and thou shalt anoint Jehu, the son of Nimshi, to be king upon Israel; and thou shalt anoint Elisha, the son of Shaphat, of Abelmeholah, to be the prophet in thy place.)

17 And it shall be, whoever shall flee the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay him; and whoever shall flee the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay him.