2 Kings 1:1-10

1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick. And he sent messengers and said unto them, "Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover from this disease."

3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say unto them, `Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?'

4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD: `Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou hast gone up, but shalt surely die!'" And Elijah departed.

5 And when the messengers returned unto the king, he said unto them, "Why have ye now turned back?"

6 And they said unto him, "There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, `Go, return unto the king who sent you and say unto him, "Thus saith the LORD: Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that thou sendest to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou hast gone up, but shalt surely die!"'"

7 And he said unto them, "What manner of man was he that came up to meet you and told you these words?"

8 And they answered him, "He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins." And he said, "It is Elijah the Tishbite."

9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him; and behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spoke unto him, "Thou man of God, the king hath said, `Come down.'"

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, "If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty." And there came down fire from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

2 Kings 1:1-10 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.