Melachim Bais 1

1 Then Moav rebelled against Yisroel after the mot Ach’av.

2 And Achazyah fell down through a lattice in his aliyyah (upper room) that was in Shomron, and it was a dire injury: and he sent malachim, and he said unto them, Go, inquire of Ba’al Zevuv elohei Ekron whether I shall recover of this choli (infirmity).

3 But the Malach Hashem said to Eliyahu HaTishbi, Arise, go up to meet the malachim of Melech Shomron, and say unto them, Is it because there is no Elohim in Yisroel, that ye go to inquire of Ba’al Zevuv elohei Ekron?

4 Now therefore thus saith Hashem, Thou shalt not get down from that mittah (bed, couch) on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Eliyahu departed.

5 And when the malachim turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?

6 And they said unto him, There came an ish up to meet us, and he said unto us, Go, turn again unto HaMelech that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith Hashem, Is it because there is no Elohim in Yisroel, that thou sendest to inquire of Ba’al Zevuv elohei Ekron? Therefore thou shalt not get down from that mittah on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

7 And he said unto them, What manner of ish was he which came up to meet you, and told you these devarim?

8 And they answered him, He was an ish ba’al se’ar (man owning [garment] of [camel] hair) and girt with an ezor ohr (belt of leather) about his waist. And he said, It is Eliyahu HaTishbi.

9 Then HaMelech sent unto him sar chamishim with his fifty. And he went up to him; and, hinei, he sat on the rosh hahar. And he spoke unto him, Thou Ish HaElohim, HaMelech hath said, Come down.

10 And Eliyahu answered and said to the sar hachamishim, If I be an Ish HaElohim, then let eish come down from Shomayim, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down eish from Shomayim, and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again also he sent unto him another sar chamishim with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O Ish HaElohim, thus hath HaMelech said, Come down quickly.

12 And Eliyahu answered and said unto them, If I be an Ish HaElohim, let eish come down from Shomayim, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the eish Elohim came down from Shomayim, and consumed him and his fifty.

13 And he sent again a third sar chamishim with his fifty. And the sar hachamishim hashlishi went up, and came and fell on his birkayim (knees) before Eliyahu, and besought him, and said unto him, O Ish HaElohim, please, let my nefesh, and the nefesh of these fifty thy avadim, be precious in thy eyes.

14 Hinei, there came eish down from Shomayim, and consumed the two sarim of the chamishim harishonim with their fifties; therefore let my nefesh now be precious in thy eyes.

15 And the Malach Hashem said unto Eliyahu, Go down with him; be not afraid of him. And he got up, and went down with him unto HaMelech.

16 And he said unto him, Thus saith Hashem, Forasmuch as thou hast sent malachim to inquire of Ba’al Zevuv elohei Ekron, is it because there is no Elohim in Yisroel to inquire of His Davar? Therefore thou shalt not get down from that mittah (bed, couch) on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

17 So he died according to the Devar Hashem which Eliyahu had spoken. And Yehoram [Yoram of Israel] reigned in his place in the second year of Yehoram [Yoram of Yehudah] ben Yehoshaphat Melech Yehudah; because bno he had not.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Achazyahu which he did, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim of the Melachim of Yisroel?

Melachim Bais 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.

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.