2 Kings 1:3

3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite,^[a] "Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?'

2 Kings 1:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 1:3

But the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah
One of the ministering spirits sent by the Lord to him:

arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria:
that is, the king of Israel, whose capital city was Samaria:

is it not because there is not a God in Israel;
known, acknowledged, and worshipped there, of whom there had been sufficient proof of his deity and divine perfections, as omniscience, omnipotence

that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?
about future things, when they had God nigh unto them, fully acquainted with them, as this message shows.

2 Kings 1:3 In-Context

1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.

2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: "Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury."

3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?'

4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: 'You will not get up from your sickbed-you will certainly die.' " Then Elijah left.

5 The messengers returned to the king, who asked them, "Why have you come back?"

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Kg 17:1