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
And the king H4428 said H559 unto the footmen H7323 that stood H5324 about him, Turn, H5437 and slay H4191 the priests H3548 of the LORD; H3068 because their hand H3027 also is with David, H1732 and because they knew H3045 when he fled, H1272 and did not shew H1540 H241 it to me. But the servants H5650 of the king H4428 would H14 not put forth H7971 their hand H3027 to fall H6293 upon the priests H3548 of the LORD. H3068 And the king H4428 said H559 to Doeg, H1673 Turn H5437 thou, and fall H6293 upon the priests. H3548 And Doeg H1673 the Edomite H130 turned, H5437 and he fell H6293 upon the priests, H3548 and slew H4191 on that day H3117 fourscore H8084 and five H2568 persons H376 that did wear H5375 a linen H906 ephod. H646 And Nob, H5011 the city H5892 of the priests, H3548 smote H5221 he with the edge H6310 of the sword, H2719 both men H376 and women, H802 children H5768 and sucklings, H3243 and oxen, H7794 and asses, H2543 and sheep, H7716 with the edge H6310 of the sword. H2719
And G2532 the men G435 that held G4912 Jesus G2424 mocked G1702 him, G846 and smote G1194 him. And G2532 when they had blindfolded G4028 him, G846 they struck G5180 him G846 on the face, G4383 and G2532 asked G1905 him, G846 saying, G3004 Prophesy, G4395 who G5101 is it G2076 that smote G3817 thee? G4571
They answered G611 him, G846 Jesus G2424 of Nazareth. G3480 Jesus G2424 saith G3004 unto them, G846 I G1473 am G1510 he. And G1161 Judas G2455 also, G2532 which G3588 betrayed G3860 him, G846 stood G2476 with G3326 them. G846 As soon G5613 then G3767 as he had said G2036 unto them, G846 G3754 I G1473 am G1510 he, they went G565 backward, G1519 G3694 and G2532 fell G4098 to the ground. G5476 Then G3767 asked he G1905 them G846 again, G3825 Whom G5101 seek ye? G2212 And G1161 they said, G2036 Jesus G2424 of Nazareth. G3480 Jesus G2424 answered, G611 I have told G2036 you G5213 that G3754 I G1473 am G1510 he: if G1487 therefore G3767 ye seek G2212 me, G1691 let G863 these G5128 go their way: G5217 That G2443 the saying G3056 might be fulfilled, G4137 which G3739 he spake, G2036 G3754 Of G1537 them G846 which G3739 thou gavest G1325 me G3427 have I G3756 lost G622 none. G3762 Then G3767 Simon G4613 Peter G4074 having G2192 a sword G3162 drew G1670 it, G846 and G2532 smote G3817 the high priest's G749 servant, G1401 and G2532 cut off G609 his G846 right G1188 ear. G5621 G1161 The servant's G1401 name G3686 was G2258 Malchus. G3124 Then G3767 said G2036 Jesus G2424 unto Peter, G4074 Put up G906 thy G4675 sword G3162 into G1519 the sheath: G2336 the cup G4221 which G3739 my Father G3962 hath given G1325 me, G3427 shall I G4095 not G3378 drink G4095 it? G846 Then G3767 the band G4686 and G2532 the captain G5506 and G2532 officers G5257 of the Jews G2453 took G4815 Jesus, G2424 and G2532 bound G1210 him, G846
Saying, G3004 What G5101 shall we do G4160 to these G5125 men? G444 for G1063 that G3754 indeed G3303 a notable G1110 miracle G4592 hath been done G1096 by G1223 them G846 is manifest G5318 to all them G3956 that dwell G2730 in Jerusalem; G2419 and G2532 we cannot G3756 G1410 deny G720 it. But G235 that G3363 it spread G1268 no G3363 further G1909 G4119 among G1519 the people, G2992 let us straitly G547 threaten G546 them, G846 that they speak G2980 henceforth G3371 to no G3367 man G444 in G1909 this G5129 name. G3686
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).