Bible Commentary


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1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said to them, Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?

4 Now therefore thus said the LORD, You shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die. And Elijah departed.

5 And when the messengers turned back to him, he said to them, Why are you now turned back?

6 And they said to him, There came a man up to meet us, and said to us, Go, turn again to the king that sent you, and say to him, Thus said the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.

7 And he said to them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?

8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spoke to him, You man of God, the king has said, Come down.

10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Again also he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, O man of God, thus has the king said, Come down quickly.

12 And Elijah answered and said to them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and sought him, and said to him, O man of God, I pray you, let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.

14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in your sight.

15 And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him to the king.

16 And he said to him, Thus said the LORD, For as much as you have sent messengers to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore you shall not come down off that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.

17 So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead 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, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?


Moab: Num 24:7, 2Sa 8:2, 1Ch 18:2, Psa 60:8

after the: 2Ki 3:4, 2Ki 3:5, 2Ki 8:20, 2Ki 8:22

Reciprocal: 2Pe 3:16 - speaking

a lattice: The flat roofs of the eastern houses are generally surrounded by a parapet wall breast high; but instead of this, some terraces are guarded with balustrades only, or latticed work. Of the same kind, probably, was the lattice, or net, as the term shevacha seems to import, through which Ahaziah fell into the court. This incident proves the necessity of the law for the formation of battlements for roof ( Deu 22:8), which God graciously dictated from Sinai, which furnishes a beautiful example of his paternal care and goodness; for the terrace was a place where many offices of the family were performed, and business frequently transacted. Jdg 5:28, Son 2:9, Act 20:9

was sick: 1Ki 22:34, *marg. 2Ch 21:14, 2Ch 21:15, Job 31:3

Baalzebub: 2Ki 1:3, 2Ki 1:6, 2Ki 1:16, Mat 10:25, Mat 12:24-27, Mar 3:22, Luk 11:15, Beelzebub

god: Jdg 11:24, 1Sa 5:10, 1Ki 11:33, Isa 37:12, Isa 37:19

whether: 2Ki 8:7-10, 1Ki 14:3

Reciprocal: Jos 15:11 - Ekron Jdg 9:46 - an hold Jdg 10:6 - the gods of the Philistines 1Sa 6:17 - Ekron 1Sa 28:7 - Seek me 1Ki 22:40 - Ahaziah 1Ki 22:52 - he did evil 1Ki 22:53 - he served Baal 2Ki 8:8 - inquire 2Ch 20:35 - who did very Ecc 5:17 - much Hos 2:13 - the days

angel: 2Ki 1:15, 1Ki 19:5, 1Ki 19:7, Act 8:26, Act 12:7-11

Elijah: 2Ki 1:8, 1Ki 17:1

Arise: 1Ki 18:1

it: 2Ki 1:6, 2Ki 1:16, 2Ki 5:8, 2Ki 5:15, 1Sa 17:46, 1Ki 18:36, Psa 76:1

ye go: Jer 2:11-13, Jon 2:8, Mar 3:22

Reciprocal: Jos 15:11 - Ekron Jdg 10:6 - the gods of the Philistines 1Sa 28:7 - Seek me 2Sa 12:1 - the Lord 1Ki 22:5 - Inquire 2Ki 1:2 - Baalzebub Isa 8:19 - should not Jer 21:2 - Inquire Hos 10:7 - Samaria

Thou shalt: etc. Heb. The bed whither thou art gone up, thou shalt not come down from it

but shalt: Gen 2:17, Gen 3:4, Num 26:65, 1Sa 28:19, 1Ki 14:12, Pro 11:19, Pro 14:32, Eze 18:4

Reciprocal: Deu 31:14 - that thou must die 2Ki 1:6 - therefore 2Ki 1:16 - Forasmuch 2Ki 8:10 - he shall surely die Eze 3:18 - I say Luk 1:17 - power

Thus saith: Isa 41:22, Isa 41:23

therefore: 2Ki 1:3, 2Ki 1:4, 1Ch 10:13, 1Ch 10:14, Psa 16:4

Reciprocal: Gen 3:4 - Ye Jos 15:11 - Ekron 1Ki 14:12 - when thy feet 1Ki 18:7 - he knew 1Ki 18:36 - let it 2Ki 1:2 - Baalzebub 2Ki 1:16 - Forasmuch 2Ki 5:8 - let him come 2Ki 8:8 - inquire 2Ki 22:15 - General Psa 41:3 - strengthen Ecc 5:17 - much

What manner of man was he: Heb. What was the manner of the man, Jdg 8:18, 1Sa 28:14

an hairy man: That is, he wore a rough garment, either made of camels’ hair, as that of John Baptist, or of a skin, dressed with the hair on. Sir J. Chardin informs us, in a manuscript note on this place, cited by Mr. Harmer, that the eastern dervishes and fakeers are clothed just as Elijah was, with a hairy garment, girded with a leathern girdle. Isa 20:2, Zec 13:4, Mat 3:4, Mat 11:8, Luk 1:17, Rev 11:3

Reciprocal: 2Ki 1:3 - Elijah 2Ki 2:8 - his mantle Mar 1:6 - clothed Luk 7:25 - A man Heb 11:37 - in sheepskins

sent unto: 2Ki 6:13, 2Ki 6:14, 1Ki 18:4, 1Ki 18:10, 1Ki 19:2, 1Ki 22:8, 1Ki 22:26, 1Ki 22:27, Mat 14:3

he sat: 1Ki 18:42, Luk 6:11, Luk 6:12

Thou man: Amo 7:12, Mat 26:68, Mat 27:29, Mat 27:41-43, Mar 15:29, Mar 15:32, Heb 11:36

Reciprocal: 1Sa 19:21 - sent messengers 2Sa 12:13 - David 2Sa 13:29 - servants 2Ki 1:12 - General 2Ki 4:40 - O thou 2Ki 8:7 - The man of God 2Ki 13:19 - the man of God Jer 35:4 - a man Mat 5:12 - for so Joh 18:6 - they went 2Co 13:8 - General 1Ti 6:11 - O man

If I be a man: 2Ki 2:23, 2Ki 2:24, Num 16:28-30, 1Ki 18:36-38, 1Ki 22:28, 2Ch 36:16, Psa 105:15, Mat 21:41, Mat 23:34-37, Act 5:3-10

let fire: Or, rather, as the original literally imports, and the LXX render, καταβησεται πυρ, fire shall come down; Elijah’s words being simply declarative, and not imprecatory. Num 11:1, Num 16:35, Job 1:16, Psa 106:18, Luk 9:54, Heb 12:29, Rev 11:5

consumed: Dan 3:22, Dan 3:25, Dan 6:24, Act 12:19

Reciprocal: Lev 10:2 - fire 1Ki 19:12 - a fire 2Ki 1:12 - General 2Ki 1:14 - Behold 2Ki 8:7 - The man of God Job 38:35 - Canst Psa 29:7 - flames Jer 5:14 - I will make Act 5:5 - hearing Rev 13:13 - he maketh Rev 20:9 - and fire

Again: Num 16:41, 1Sa 6:9, Isa 26:11, Jer 5:3, Joh 18:5-12, Act 4:16, Act 4:17

O man: 1Sa 22:17-19, Pro 29:12, Isa 32:7, Mat 2:16, Luk 22:63, Luk 22:64

Reciprocal: 2Ki 1:14 - Behold 2Ki 4:40 - O thou Jer 35:4 - a man

2Ki 1:9, 2Ki 1:10

Reciprocal: Lev 10:2 - fire Num 11:1 - and the fire 1Ki 18:38 - fire 1Ki 22:28 - If thou return Job 1:16 - there came

he sent again: Job 15:25, Job 15:26, Pro 27:22, Ecc 9:3, Isa 1:5

fell on: Heb. bowed, Isa 66:2

besought: Exo 11:8, Num 12:11-13, 1Ki 13:6, Isa 60:14, Rev 3:9

O man of God: Psa 102:17, Jas 4:7

Reciprocal: 1Sa 18:30 - set by 1Sa 22:17 - would not 2Ki 4:40 - O thou Est 7:3 - let my life Mat 27:54 - feared 1Ti 6:11 - O man

Behold: 2Ki 1:10, 2Ki 1:11

let my life: 1Sa 26:21, 1Sa 26:24, Psa 49:8, Psa 72:14, Psa 116:15, Pro 6:26, Mat 16:25, Mat 16:26, Act 20:24

Reciprocal: 1Sa 22:17 - would not Job 1:16 - there came Job 38:35 - Canst Mat 27:54 - feared

be not afraid of him: Gen 15:1, 1Ki 18:15, Psa 27:1, Isa 51:12, Jer 1:17, Jer 15:20, Eze 2:6, Mat 10:28, Heb 11:27

Reciprocal: 1Ki 21:17 - General 2Ki 1:3 - angel

Forasmuch: 2Ki 1:3, 2Ki 1:4, 2Ki 1:6, Exo 4:22, Exo 4:23, 1Ki 14:6-13, 1Ki 21:18-24, 1Ki 22:28

Baalzebub: Literally, "the lord of flies;" or, as the LXX render, Βααλ μυεαν θεον, Baal the fly god. See note on Exo 8:24.

on which thou art gone up: In the East there is usually at the end of each chamber a little gallery, raised three or four feet above the floor, with a balustrade in front, to which they go up by a few steps: here they place their beds; an allusion to which situation is involved in this declaration of Elijah’s, and frequently referred to in the Sacred Scriptures. See note on Gen 49:4. 2Ki 5:21, Psa 132:3

Reciprocal: Gen 3:4 - Ye Jos 15:11 - Ekron 1Ki 14:12 - when thy feet 1Ki 21:17 - General 2Ki 1:2 - Baalzebub 2Ki 8:10 - he shall surely die 2Ki 22:15 - General Psa 41:3 - strengthen Eze 14:4 - I the Lord Hos 6:5 - have I Luk 1:17 - power

Jehoram: As it is said in 2Ki 3:1, that he began his reign in the eighteenth of Jehoshaphat, it is supposed that Jehoshaphat admitted his son Jehoram to reign with him eight or nine years before his death. "The second year that Jehoram was Prorex, and the eighteenth of Jehoshaphat."

in the second: 2Ki 3:1, 2Ki 8:16, 2Ki 8:17, 1Ki 22:51

Reciprocal: 1Ki 22:40 - Ahaziah 1Ki 22:42 - thirty and five

in the book: 1Ki 14:19, 1Ki 22:39