1 Then Moab H4124 rebelled H6586 against Israel H3478 after H310 the death H4194 of Ahab. H256
2 And Ahaziah H274 fell down H5307 through a lattice H7639 in his upper chamber H5944 that was in Samaria, H8111 and was sick: H2470 and he sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and said H559 unto them, Go, H3212 enquire H1875 of Baalzebub H1176 the god H430 of Ekron H6138 whether I shall recover H2421 of this disease. H2483
3 But the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 said H1696 to Elijah H452 the Tishbite, H8664 Arise, H6965 go up H5927 to meet H7125 the messengers H4397 of the king H4428 of Samaria, H8111 and say H1696 unto them, Is it not because there is not a God H430 in Israel, H3478 that ye go H1980 to enquire H1875 of Baalzebub H1176 the god H430 of Ekron? H6138
4 Now therefore thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Thou shalt not come down H3381 from that bed H4296 on which thou art gone up, H5927 but shalt surely H4191 die. H4191 And Elijah H452 departed. H3212
5 And when the messengers H4397 turned back H7725 unto him, he said H559 unto them, Why are ye now H2088 turned back? H7725
6 And they said H559 unto him, There came H5927 a man H376 up H5927 to meet H7125 us, and said H559 unto us, Go, H3212 turn again H7725 unto the king H4428 that sent H7971 you, and say H1696 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Is it not because there is not a God H430 in Israel, H3478 that thou sendest H7971 to enquire H1875 of Baalzebub H1176 the god H430 of Ekron? H6138 therefore thou shalt not come down H3381 from that bed H4296 on which thou art gone up, H5927 but shalt surely H4191 die. H4191
7 And he said H1696 unto them, What manner H4941 of man H376 was he which came up H5927 to meet H7125 you, and told H1696 you these words? H1697
8 And they answered H559 him, He was an hairy H8181 man, H1167 H376 and girt H247 with a girdle H232 of leather H5785 about his loins. H4975 And he said, H559 It is Elijah H452 the Tishbite. H8664
9 Then the king H4428 sent H7971 unto him a captain H8269 of fifty H2572 with his fifty. H2572 And he went up H5927 to him: and, behold, he sat H3427 on the top H7218 of an hill. H2022 And he spake H1696 unto him, Thou man H376 of God, H430 the king H4428 hath said, H1696 Come down. H3381
10 And Elijah H452 answered H6030 and said H1696 to the captain H8269 of fifty, H2572 If I be a man H376 of God, H430 then let fire H784 come down H3381 from heaven, H8064 and consume H398 thee and thy fifty. H2572 And there came down H3381 fire H784 from heaven, H8064 and consumed H398 him and his fifty. H2572
11 Again H7725 also he sent H7971 unto him another H312 captain H8269 of fifty H2572 with his fifty. H2572 And he answered H6030 and said H1696 unto him, O man H376 of God, H430 thus hath the king H4428 said, H559 Come down H3381 quickly. H4120
12 And Elijah H452 answered H6030 and said H1696 unto them, If I be a man H376 of God, H430 let fire H784 come down H3381 from heaven, H8064 and consume H398 thee and thy fifty. H2572 And the fire H784 of God H430 came down H3381 from heaven, H8064 and consumed H398 him and his fifty. H2572
13 And he sent H7971 again H7725 a captain H8269 of the third H7992 fifty H2572 with his fifty. H2572 And the third H7992 captain H8269 of fifty H2572 went up, H5927 and came H935 and fell H3766 on his knees H1290 before H5048 Elijah, H452 and besought H2603 him, and said H1696 unto him, O man H376 of God, H430 I pray thee, let my life, H5315 and the life H5315 of these fifty H2572 thy servants, H5650 be precious H3365 in thy sight. H5869
14 Behold, there came H3381 fire H784 down H3381 from heaven, H8064 and burnt up H398 the two H8147 captains H8269 of the former H7223 fifties H2572 with their fifties: H2572 therefore let my life H5315 now be precious H3365 in thy sight. H5869
15 And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 said H1696 unto Elijah, H452 Go down H3381 with him: be not afraid H3372 of him. H6440 And he arose, H6965 and went down H3381 with him unto the king. H4428
16 And he said H1696 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Forasmuch as thou hast sent H7971 messengers H4397 to enquire H1875 of Baalzebub H1176 the god H430 of Ekron, H6138 is it not because there is no God H430 in Israel H3478 to enquire H1875 of his word? H1697 therefore thou shalt not come down H3381 off that bed H4296 on which thou art gone up, H5927 but shalt surely H4191 die. H4191
17 So he died H4191 according to the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 which Elijah H452 had spoken. H1696 And Jehoram H3088 reigned H4427 in his stead in the second H8147 year H8141 of Jehoram H3088 the son H1121 of Jehoshaphat H3092 king H4428 of Judah; H3063 because he had no son. H1121
18 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Ahaziah H274 which he did, H6213 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Israel? H3478
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 1
Commentary on 2 Kings 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
2Ki 1:1. Moab Rebels.
1. Then Moab rebelled—Subdued by David (2Sa 8:2), they had, in the partition of Israel and Judah, fallen to the share of the former kingdom. But they took advantage of the death of Ahab to shake off the yoke (see on 2Ki 3:6). The casualty that befell Ahaziah [2Ki 1:2] prevented his taking active measures for suppressing this revolt, which was accomplished as a providential judgment on the house of Ahab for all these crimes.
2Ki 1:2-8. Ahaziah's Judgment by Elijah.
2-8. Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber—This lattice was either a part of the wooden parapet, or fence, which surrounds the flat roofs of houses, and over which the king was carelessly leaning when it gave way; or it might be an opening like a skylight in the roof itself, done over with lattice-work, which, being slender or rotten, the king stepped on and slipped through. This latter supposition is most probably the true one, as Ahaziah did not fall either into the street or the court, but "in his upper chamber."
inquire of Baalzebub—Anxious to learn whether he should recover from the effects of this severe fall, he sent to consult Baalzebub, that is, the god of flies, who was considered the patron deity of medicine. A temple to that idol was erected at Ekron, which was resorted to far and wide, though it afterwards led to the destruction of the place (Zec 9:5; Am 1:8; Zep 2:4). "After visiting Ekron, 'the god of flies' is a name that gives me no surprise. The flies there swarmed, in fact so innumerably, that I could hardly get any food without these troublesome insects getting into it" [Van De Velde].
3. the angel of the Lord—not an angel, but the angel, who carried on all communications between the invisible God and His chosen people [Hengstenberg]. This angel commissioned Elijah to meet the king's messengers, to stop them peremptorily on the idolatrous errand, and convey by them to the king information of his approaching death. This consultation of an idol, being a breach of the fundamental law of the kingdom (Ex 20:3; De 5:7), was a daring and deliberate rejection of the national religion. The Lord, in making this announcement of his death, designed that he should see in that event a judgment for his idolatry.
4. Thou shalt not come down from that bed—On being taken up, he had probably been laid on the divan—a raised frame, about three feet broad, extended along the sides of a room, covered with cushions and mattresses—serving, in short, as a sofa by day and a bed by night, and ascended by steps.
Elijah departed—to his ordinary abode, which was then at Mount Carmel (2Ki 2:25; 1Ki 18:42).
5. the messengers turned back—They did not know the stranger; but his authoritative tone, commanding attitude, and affecting message determined them at once to return.
8. an hairy man—This was the description not of his person, as in the case of Esau, but of his dress, which consisted either of unwrought sheep or goatskins (Heb 11:37), or of camel's haircloth—the coarser manufacture of this material like our rough haircloth. The Dervishes and Bedouins are attired in this wild, uncouth manner, while their hair flows loose on the head, their shaggy cloak is thrown over their shoulders and tied in front on the breast, naked, except at the waist, round which is a skin girdle—a broad, rough leathern belt. Similar to this was the girdle of the prophets, as in keeping with their coarse garments and their stern, uncompromising office.
2Ki 1:9-16. Elijah Brings Fire from Heaven on Ahaziah's Messengers.
9. Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty—Any appearance of cruelty that there is in the fate of the two captains and their men will be removed, on a full consideration of the circumstances. God being the King of Israel, Ahaziah was bound to govern the kingdom according to the divine law; to apprehend the Lord's prophet, for discharging a commanded duty, was that of an impious and notorious rebel. The captains abetted the king in his rebellion; and they exceeded their military duty by contemptuous insults.
man of God—In using this term, they either spoke derisively, believing him to be no true prophet; or, if they regarded him as a true prophet, the summons to him to surrender himself bound to the king was a still more flagrant insult; the language of the second captain being worse than that of the first.
10. let fire come down—rather, "fire shall come down." Not to avenge a personal insult of Elijah, but an insult upon God in the person of His prophet; and the punishment was inflicted, not by the prophet, but by the direct hand of God.
15, 16. he arose, and went down with him—a marvellous instance of faith and obedience. Though he well knew how obnoxious his presence was to the king, yet, on receiving God's command, he goes unhesitatingly, and repeats, with his own lips, the unwelcome tidings conveyed by the messengers.
2Ki 1:17, 18. Ahaziah Dies, and Is Succeeded by Jehoram.
17. Jehoram—The brother of Ahaziah (see on 2Ki 3:1).