Ahaziah’s Sickness and Death
2Ahaziah1:2 1Kg 22:40,51–53 had fallen through the latticed window of his upstairs room in Samaria1:2 1Kg 16:24; 22:51 and was injured. So he sent messengers, instructing them, “Go inquire of Baal-zebub,1:2 = Lord of the Flies1:2 Jdg 10:6 the god of Ekron,1:2 Jos 13:3; 2Kg 1:16 whether I will recover from this injury.”1:2 2Kg 8:8–9
3But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite,1:3 1Kg 19:7 “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria1:3 1Sm 28:7–8 and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
4Therefore, this is what the Lord says: You will not get up from your sickbed; you will certainly die.’” Then Elijah left.
5The messengers returned to the king, who asked them, “Why have you come back?”
6They 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.”’”
7The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke those words to you?”
He said, “It’s Elijah the Tishbite.”1:8 1Kg 17:1
9So King Ahaziah sent a captain with his fifty men1:9 2Kg 6:13–14 to Elijah. When the captain went up to him, he was sitting on top of the hill. He announced, “Man of God,1:9 1Kg 13:1 the king declares, ‘Come down! ’”
10Elijah responded to the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.1:10 1Kg 18:36–38
11So the king sent another captain with his fifty men to Elijah. He took in the situation1:11 Lit He answered and announced, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down immediately! ’”
12Elijah responded, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” So a divine fire1:12 Lit a fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
13Then the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. The third captain went up and fell on his knees in front of Elijah and begged him, “Man of God,1:13 1Kg 13:1 please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious to you.1:13 1Sm 26:21; Ps 72:14
14Already fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains with their companies, but this time let my life be precious to you.”
16Then 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.’”
17Ahaziah died according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken. Since he had no son, Joram1:17 Lit Jehoram; 2Kg 8:161:17 2Kg 3:1–3 became king in his place. This happened in the second year of Judah’s King Jehoram1:17 1Kg 22:50 son of Jehoshaphat.1:17 LXX omits in the second year... Jehoshaphat
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