2 Kings 1:4

4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD: `Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou hast gone up, but shalt surely die!'" And Elijah departed.

2 Kings 1:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 1:4

Now therefore thus saith the Lord
Jehovah, the only true God:

thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but
shall surely die;
this sickness should be unto death, and the bed he had betaken himself to should be his deathbed. The phrases of going up to bed, and coming down, are used with great propriety; for in the eastern countries, in their bedchambers, they had a gallery raised four or five feet above the floor, with a balustrade on the front ^F4, and steps leading up to it; or ladders, which had more or fewer rounds, according as the beds were higher or lower ^F5:

and Elijah departed;
having met the messengers, and delivered his message from the Lord unto them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 See Dr. Shaw's Travels, p. 209. Ed. 2.
F5 Vid. Isidor. Origin. l. 20. c. 11. & Alstorph. de Lect. Vet. c. 2.

2 Kings 1:4 In-Context

2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick. And he sent messengers and said unto them, "Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover from this disease."

3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say unto them, `Is it not because there is not a God in Israel that ye go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?'

4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD: `Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou hast gone up, but shalt surely die!'" And Elijah departed.

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!"'"