2 Kings 1:10

10 Elijah responded to the captain of the 50, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 [men]." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 [men].^[a]

2 Kings 1:10 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 1:10

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, if I be
a man of God
As I am, and thou shalt know it by the following token, though thou callest me so jeeringly: then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty;
this he said not in a passion, and from a private spirit of revenge, but for the vindication of the honour and glory of God, and under the impulse of his spirit, who was abused through the insult on him as his prophet: and there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty;
a flash of lightning, which destroyed them at once; the Lord hearkening to the voice of his prophet, in vindication of him in his office, and of his own glory.

2 Kings 1:10 In-Context

8 They replied, "A hairy man with a leather belt around his waist." He said, "It's Elijah the Tishbite."

9 So King Ahaziah sent a captain of 50 with his 50 [men] to Elijah. When the captain went up to him, he was sitting on top of the hill. He announced, "Man of God, the king declares, 'Come down!' "

10 Elijah responded to the captain of the 50, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 [men]." Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 [men].

11 So the king sent another captain of 50 with his 50 [men] to Elijah. He took in the situation and announced, "Man of God, this is what the king says: 'Come down immediately!' "

12 Elijah responded, "If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 [men]." So a divine fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 [men].

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Kg 18:36-38