2 Kings 1:1-6

Ahaziah's Sickness and Death

1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.[a]
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,[b] the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury."
3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite,[c] "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?"
6 They replied, "A man came to meet us and said, 'Go back to the king who sent you and declare to him: This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you're sending [these men] to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not get up from your sickbed-you will certainly die.' "

2 Kings 1:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS

\\COMMONLY CALLED THE FOURTH BOOK OF THE KINGS\\

This, and the preceding book, are properly but one book divided into two parts, because of the size of it, as the book of Samuel; it is a continuation of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah; and for a further account of it the reader is referred to the title of the preceding book.

\\INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 1\\

This chapter begins with the rebellion of Moab against Israel, 2Ki 1:1, relates a fall of the king of Israel in his house, which brought on him a sickness, about which he sent messengers to inquire of the god of Ekron, who were stopped by Elijah, and bid to return, as they did; and upon the king's examination of them about the cause of their return, he perceived it was Elijah that forbad them, 2Ki 1:2-8, upon which the king sent to him two captains, with fifty men each, one after another, to bring him to him, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 2Ki 1:9-12, but a third with fifty men sent to him were spared, and he is bid to go along with them with a message to the king, as he did, 2Ki 1:13-16 and the chapter is closed with the death of Ahaziah, 2Ki 1:17,18.

Footnotes 3

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