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
And thou shalt say H559 unto Pharaoh, H6547 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Israel H3478 is my son, H1121 even my firstborn: H1060 And I say H559 unto thee, Let my son H1121 go, H7971 that he may serve H5647 me: and if thou refuse H3985 to let him go, H7971 behold, I will slay H2026 thy son, H1121 even thy firstborn. H1060
And it was so, when Ahijah H281 heard H8085 the sound H6963 of her feet, H7272 as she came in H935 at the door, H6607 that he said, H559 Come in, H935 thou wife H802 of Jeroboam; H3379 why feignest thou thyself to be another? H5234 for I am sent H7971 to thee with heavy H7186 tidings. Go, H3212 tell H559 Jeroboam, H3379 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 Forasmuch as H3282 I exalted H7311 thee from among H8432 the people, H5971 and made H5414 thee prince H5057 over my people H5971 Israel, H3478 And rent H7167 the kingdom H4467 away H7167 from the house H1004 of David, H1732 and gave H5414 it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant H5650 David, H1732 who kept H8104 my commandments, H4687 and who followed H1980 H310 me with all his heart, H3824 to do H6213 that only which was right H3477 in mine eyes; H5869 But hast done H6213 evil H7489 above all that were before H6440 thee: for thou hast gone H3212 and made H6213 thee other H312 gods, H430 and molten images, H4541 to provoke me to anger, H3707 and hast cast H7993 me behind H310 thy back: H1458 Therefore, behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon the house H1004 of Jeroboam, H3379 and will cut off H3772 from Jeroboam H3379 him that pisseth H8366 against the wall, H7023 and him that is shut up H6113 and left H5800 in Israel, H3478 and will take away H1197 the remnant H310 of the house H1004 of Jeroboam, H3379 as a man taketh away H1197 dung, H1557 till it be all gone. H8552 Him that dieth H4191 of Jeroboam H3379 in the city H5892 shall the dogs H3611 eat; H398 and him that dieth H4191 in the field H7704 shall the fowls H5775 of the air H8064 eat: H398 for the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 it. Arise H6965 thou therefore, get H3212 thee to thine own house: H1004 and when thy feet H7272 enter H935 into the city, H5892 the child H3206 shall die. H4191 And all Israel H3478 shall mourn H5594 for him, and bury H6912 him: for he only of Jeroboam H3379 shall come H935 to the grave, H6913 because in him there is found H4672 some good H2896 thing H1697 toward the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 in the house H1004 of Jeroboam. H3379
Arise, H6965 go down H3381 to meet H7125 Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 which is in Samaria: H8111 behold, he is in the vineyard H3754 of Naboth, H5022 whither he is gone down H3381 to possess H3423 it. And thou shalt speak H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Hast thou killed, H7523 and also taken possession? H3423 And thou shalt speak H1696 unto him, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 In the place H4725 where dogs H3611 licked H3952 the blood H1818 of Naboth H5022 shall dogs H3611 lick H3952 thy blood, H1818 even thine. And Ahab H256 said H559 to Elijah, H452 Hast thou found H4672 me, O mine enemy? H341 And he answered, H559 I have found H4672 thee: because thou hast sold H4376 thyself to work H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD. H3068 Behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon thee, and will take away H1197 thy posterity, H310 and will cut off H3772 from Ahab H256 him that pisseth H8366 against the wall, H7023 and him that is shut up H6113 and left H5800 in Israel, H3478 And will make H5414 thine house H1004 like the house H1004 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 and like the house H1004 of Baasha H1201 the son H1121 of Ahijah, H281 for the provocation H3708 wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, H3707 and made Israel H3478 to sin. H2398 And of Jezebel H348 also spake H1696 the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 The dogs H3611 shall eat H398 Jezebel H348 by the wall H2426 of Jezreel. H3157 Him that dieth H4191 of Ahab H256 in the city H5892 the dogs H3611 shall eat; H398 and him that dieth H4191 in the field H7704 shall the fowls H5775 of the air H8064 eat. H398
And Micaiah H4321 said, H559 If thou return H7725 at all H7725 in peace, H7965 the LORD H3068 hath not spoken H1696 by me. And he said, H559 Hearken, H8085 O people, H5971 every one of you.
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 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 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
Surely I will not come H935 into the tabernacle H168 of my house, H1004 nor go up H5927 into my bed; H6210 H3326
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
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).