# As Yahweh of hosts lives, before whom I stand, if I ... look at you

"As I know that Yahweh of hosts lives, before whom I stand, if I ... look at you." Here Elisha compares the certainty that Yahweh is alive to the certainty that, if it were not for Jehoshaphat being there, he would not pay attention to Joram. This is a way of making a solemn promise. Alternate translation: "As surely as Yahweh of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I promise you, if I ... look at you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-simile]])

# before whom I stand

Here serving Yahweh is spoken of as standing in his presence. Alternate translation: "whom I serve" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]])

# if I did not honor the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you

Elisha described a situation that was not real. He really did honor the presence of the king of Judah, so he paid attention to the king of Israel. It can be written in positive form. Alternate translation: "it is only because I honor the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah that I pay attention to you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-hypo]])

# I did not honor the presence of Jehoshaphat

Here Jehoshaphat is referred to by his presence. Alternate translation: "I honor Jehoshaphat" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metonymy]])

# I would not pay any attention to you, or even look at you

These two phrases have similar meaning and are used together to emphasize that he would not pay any attention to Joram. Alternate translation: "I would not have anything at all to do with you" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism]])

