The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Kings 01
1 Moab rebelled against Israel after the
death of Ahab.
2 Ahaziahfell downthroughthe lattice in
his upper room that was in Samaria, and
was sick. So he sent messengers, and said
to them, “Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the
god of Ekron, whether I will recover of this
sickness.”
3 But Yahweh’s† angel said to Elijah the
Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them,
‘Is it because there is no God‡ in Israel that
you go to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of
Ekron?
4 Now therefore Yahweh says, “You will
not come down from the bed where you
have gone up, but you will surely die.” ’ ”
Then Elijah departed.
5 The messengers returned to him, and
he said to them, “Why is it that you have
returned?”
6 They said to him, “A man came up to
meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the
king who sent you, and tell him, “Yahweh
says, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel
that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the
god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come
down from the bed where you have gone
up, but you will surely die.
7 He saidto them, “What kindofman was
he who came up to meet you and told you
these words?”
8 They answered him, “He was a hairy
man, and wearing a leather belt around
his waist.” He said, “It’s Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 Then the king sent a captain of fifty
with his fifty to him. He went up to him;
and behold,§ he was sitting on the top of
the hill. He said to him, “Man of God, the
king has said, ‘Come down!’ ”
10 Elijah answered to the captain of fifty,
“If I am a man of God, then let fire come
down from the sky and consume you and
your fifty!” Then fire came down from the
sky, and consumed him and his fifty.
11 Again he sent to him another captain
of fifty with his fifty. He answered him,
“Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come
down quickly!’ ”
12 Elijah answered them, “If I am a man
of God, then let fire come down from the
sky andconsume youandyourfifty!” Then
God’s fire came down from the sky, and
consumed him and his fifty.
13 Again he sent the captain of a third
fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty
went up, and came and fell on his knees
before Elijah, and begged him, and said to
him, “Man of God, please let my life and
the life of these fifty of your servants be
precious in your sight.
14 Behold, fire came down from the sky
and consumed the last two captains of fifty
with their fifties. But now let my life be
precious in your sight.”
15 Yahweh’s angel said to Elijah, “Go
down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.”
Then he arose and went down with him
to the king.
16 He said tohim, “Yahwehsays, ‘Because
you have sent messengers to inquire of
Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because
there is no God in Israel to inquire of his
word? Therefore you will not come down
from the bed where you have gone up, but
you will surely die.’ ”
17 Sohedied according toYahweh’s word
which Elijah had spoken. Jehoram began
to reign in his place in the second year
of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of
Judah, because he had no son.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah
which he did, aren’t they written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?