2 Kings 1:8

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

2 Kings 1:8 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 1:8

And they answered him, he was an hairy man
Either the hair of his head and beard were grown very long, having been much neglected for a great while; or he had an hairy garment on, either of goats' hair, such as the Chinese wear ^F6, whose women spin it, see ( Exodus 35:26 ) and of which garments are made; or of camels' hair, such as John the Baptist wore, who came in his spirit and power, and imitated him in his dress, being also, as Elijah here, girt with a girdle of leather about his loins:
for more expeditious travelling, not for warmth, the climate being hot: and he said, it is Elijah the Tishbite;
for he had seen him formerly in his father's court in this dress.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 Semedo's History of China, part 1. ch. 3.

2 Kings 1:8 In-Context

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.' "

7 The king asked them: "What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke those words to you?"

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].