2 Kings 1

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.' "

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].^[d]

11 So the king sent another captain of 50 with his 50 [men] to Elijah. He took in the situation^[e] 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^[f] came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 [men].

13 Then the king sent a third captain of 50 with his 50 [men]. The third captain of 50 went up and fell on his knees in front of Elijah and begged him, "Man of God, please let my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your sight.

14 Already fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of 50 with their fifties, but this time let my life be precious in your sight."

15 The angel of the Lord said to Elijah, "Go down with him. Don't be afraid of him." So he got up and went down with him to the king.

16 Then Elijah said to King Ahaziah, "This is what the Lord says: 'Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron-is it because there is no God in Israel for you to inquire of His will? You will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.' "

17 Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Since he had no son, Joram^[g] became king in his place. [This happened] in the second year of Judah's King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat.^[h][i]

18 The rest of the events of Ahaziah's [reign], along with his accomplishments, are written about in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.^[j]

2 Kings 1 Commentary

Chapter 1

The revolt of Moab-Sickness of Ahaziah, king of Israel. (1-8) Fire called from heaven by Elijah-Death of Ahaziah. (9-18)

Verses 1-8 When Ahaziah rebelled against the Lord, Moab revolted from him. Sin weakens and impoverishes us. Man's revolt from God is often punished by the rebellion of those who owe subjection to him. Ahaziah fell through a lattice, or railing. Wherever we go, there is but a step between us and death. A man's house is his castle, but not to secure him against God's judgments. The whole creation, which groans under the burden of man's sin, will, at length, sink and break under the weight like this lattice. He is never safe that has God for his enemy. Those that will not inquire of the word of God for their comfort, shall hear it to their terror, whether they will or no.

Verses 9-18 Elijah called for fire from heaven, to consume the haughty, daring sinners; not to secure himself, but to prove his mission, and to reveal the wrath of God from heaven, against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Elijah did this by a Divine impulse, yet our Saviour would not allow the disciples to do the like, ( Luke 9:54 ) . The dispensation of the Spirit and of grace by no means allowed it. Elijah was concerned for God's glory, those for their own reputation. The Lord judges men's practices by their principles, and his judgment is according to truth. The third captain humbled himself, and cast himself upon the mercy of God and Elijah. There is nothing to be got by contending with God; and those are wise for themselves, who learn submission from the fatal end of obstinacy in others. The courage of faith has often struck terror into the heart of the proudest sinner. So thunderstruck is Ahaziah with the prophet's words, that neither he, nor any about him, offer him violence. Who can harm those whom God shelters? Many who think to prosper in sin, are called hence like Ahaziah, when they do not expect it. All warns us to seek the Lord while he may be found.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Kg 3:4-27
• [b]. Lord of the Flies
• [c]. 1 Kg 17:1
• [d]. 1 Kg 18:36-38
• [e]. Lit He answered
• [f]. Lit a fire of God
• [g]. Lit Jehoram; 2 Kg 8:16
• [h]. LXX omits in the second year . . . Jehoshaphat
• [i]. 2 Kg 3:1
• [j]. LXX adds 4 more vv. here, which essentially duplicate the information in 2 Kg 3:1-3.

Chapter Summary

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.