2 Kings 1:5-15

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.

11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, "O man of God, thus hath the king said, `Come down quickly.'"

12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, "If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty." And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him and said unto him, "O man of God, I pray thee, let my life and the life of these fifty, thy servants, be precious in thy sight.

14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven and burned up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties. Therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight!"

15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, "Go down with him; be not afraid of him." And he arose and went down with him unto the king.

2 Kings 1:5-15 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.