2 Kings 1

Elijah and King Ahaziah

1 After Ahab died, Moab broke away from Israel’s rule.

2 Ahaziah fell down through the wooden bars in his upstairs room in Samaria and was badly hurt. He sent messengers and told them, “Go, ask Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron, if I will recover from my injuries.”
3 But the Lord’s angel said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers sent by the king of Samaria. Ask them, ‘Why are you going to ask questions of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no God in Israel?’

4 This is what the Lord says: ‘You will never get up from the bed you are lying on; you will die.’ ” Then Elijah left.

5 When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he asked them, “Why have you returned?”

6 They said, “A man came to meet us. He said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him what the Lord says: “Why do you send messengers to ask questions of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron? Is it because you think there is no God in Israel? You will never get up from the bed you are lying on; you will die.” ’ ”

7 Ahaziah asked them, “What did the man look like who met you and told you this?”

8 They answered, “He was a hairy man and wore a leather belt around his waist.”
Ahaziah said, “It was Elijah the Tishbite.”

9 Then he sent a captain with his fifty men to Elijah. The captain went to Elijah, who was sitting on top of the hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!’ ”

10 Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and burn up you and your fifty men.” Then fire came down from heaven and burned up the captain and his fifty men.

11 Ahaziah sent another captain and fifty men to Elijah. The captain said to him, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down quickly!’ ”

12 Elijah answered, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and burn up you and your fifty men!” Then fire came down from heaven and burned up the captain and his fifty men.
13 Ahaziah then sent a third captain with his fifty men. The third captain came and fell down on his knees before Elijah and begged, “Man of God, please respect my life and the lives of your fifty servants.

14 See, fire came down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifty with all their men. But now, respect my life.”

15 The Lord’s angel said to Elijah, “Go down with him and don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to see the king.
16 Elijah told Ahaziah, “This is what the Lord says: ‘You have sent messengers to ask questions of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron. Is it because you think there is no God in Israel to ask? Because of this, you will never get up from your bed; you will die.’ ”

17 So Ahaziah died, just as the Lord, through Elijah, had said he would.
Joram became king in Ahaziah’s place during the second year Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. Joram ruled because Ahaziah had no son to take his place.18 The other things Ahaziah did are written in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.

2 Kings 1

Elijah Confronts the King and His Commanders

1 After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel.s

2 Ahaziah fell through a window lattice in his upper chamber in Samarias and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders,t “Go, askt Baal Zebub,s the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.”
3 But the Lord’s angelic messenger told Elijah the Tishbite, “Get up, go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: ‘You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron.t

4 Therefore this is what the Lord says, “You will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die!”’” So Elijah went on his way.
5 When the messengers returned to the king,ts he asked them, “Why have you returned?”6 They replied,t “A man came up to meet us. He told us, “Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “You must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are sending for an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron.t Therefore you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.”’”7 The kingt asked them, “Describe the appearancet of this man who came up to meet you and told you these things.”

8 They replied,t “He was a hairy mant and had a leather beltt tied around his waist.” The kingt said, “He is Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 The kingt sent a captain and his fifty soldierst to retrieve Elijah.t The captaint went up to him, while he was sitting on the top of a hill.s He told him, “Prophet,t the king says, ‘Come down!’”

10 Elijah replied to the captain,t “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire then came downt from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
11 The kingt sent another captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. He went up and told him,s “Prophet, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’”s

12 Elijah replied to them,s “If I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!” Fire from Godt came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
13 The kingt sent a third captain and his fifty soldiers. This third captain went up and fellt on his knees before Elijah. He begged for mercy, “Prophet, please have respect for my life and for the lives of these fifty servants of yours.14 Indeed,t fire came down from the sky and consumed the two captains who came before me, along with their men.t So now, please have respect for my life.”

15 The Lord’s angelic messenger said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So he got up and went downs with him to the king.

16 Elijaht said to the king,t “This is what the Lord says, ‘You sent messengers to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. You must think there is no God in Israel from whom you can seek an oracle!t Therefore you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.’”s
17 He died just as the Lord had prophesied through Elijah.t In the second year of the reign of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah, Ahaziah’s brother Jehoram replaced him as king of Israel, because he had no son.t

18 The rest of the events of Ahaziah’s reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.t