(KJV) 2 Kings 112

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⥃Elijah Denounces Ahaziah [ 1 Kings 22:51–53 ]

[1] Then Moab3 rebelled against Israel after the4 death of Ahab. [2] And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice5 in his upper chamber that [was] in Samaria, and was sick6: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baal–zebub7 the god8 of Ekron whether9 I shall recover of this disease. [3] But the angel10 of the Lord said to Elijah11 the Tishbite, Arise12, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, [Is it13] not because [there is] not a God in Israel, [that] ye go14 to enquire of Baal–zebub the god of Ekron? [4] Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt15 not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt16 surely die. And Elijah departed.

[5] [¶]And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? [6] And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith17 the Lord, [Is it] not because [there is] not a God in Israel, [that] thou sendest to enquire of Baal–zebub the god of Ekron? therefore18 thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. [7] And he said unto them, What manner of man [was he19] which came up to meet you, and told you these words? [8] And they answered him, [He was] an hairy man20, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It [is] Elijah the Tishbite. [9] Then the king sent unto21 him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat22 on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man23 of God, the king hath said, Come down. [10] And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I [be] a man24 of God, then let fire25 come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed26 him and his fifty. [11] Again27 also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man28 of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. [12] And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I [be] a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.29

[13] [¶]And he sent again30 a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on31 his knees before Elijah, and besought32 him, and said unto him, O man of God33, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight. [14] Behold34, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life35 now be precious in thy sight. [15] And the angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him36. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. [16] And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch37 as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baal–zebub38 the god of Ekron, [is it] not because [there is] no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up39, but shalt surely die.

⥃Jehoram Succeeds Ahaziah

[17] [¶]So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram40 reigned in his stead in the second41 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 book42 of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

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  1. The events detailed in these books (Kings) are highly interesting and important. The account of the wisdom, magnificence, and extended commerce of Solomon; the rash and impolitic conduct of Rehoboam; the disobedient prophet; the widow of Zarephath; Elijah and the prophets of Baal; Ben–hadad’s pride and defeat; Elijah’s assumption into heaven; Elisha’s succession to his ministry, and the series of illustrious miracles he performed; the panic flight of the Syrians; the history of Ben–hadad and Hazael; and the predicted death of Ahab and Jezebel, and their children, are all pregnant with instruction, and have furnished themes for frequent dissertation. We perceive in these impressive histories the characters and qualities of men painted with the utmost fidelity, and the attributes of God displayed with great effect. We contemplate the exact accomplishment of God’s promises and threatenings, the wisdom of his dispensations, and the mingled justice and mercy of his government. The particulars and circumstances are sketched out with a brief and lively description, and the imagination lingers with pleasure in filling up the striking outlines presented to our view. The authenticity of these books is attested by the prophecies they contain, which were subsequently fulfilled; by the citation of our Saviour and his Apostles; by their universal reception by the Jewish and Christian churches; and by the corresponding testimonies of profane authors and ancient sculptures. ↩

  2. 2Kgs 1:1, Moab rebels; 2Kgs 1:2, Ahaziah, sending to Baal–zebub, hath his judgment by Elijah; 2Kgs 1:5, Elijah twice brings fire from heaven upon them whom Ahaziah sent to apprehend him; 2Kgs 1:13, He pities the third captain, and, encouraged by an angel, tells the king of his death; 2Kgs 1:17, Jehoram succeeds Ahaziah. ↩

  3. Num 24:7; 2Sam 8:2; 1Chr 18:2; Ps 60:8 ↩

  4. 2Kgs 3:4-5, 2Kgs 8:20, 2Kgs 8:22 ↩

  5. 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 (Deut 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. Judg 5:28; Song 2:9; Acts 20:9 ↩

  6. 1Kgs 22:34 *marg. 2Chr 21:14-15; Job 31:3 ↩

  7. 2Kgs 1:3, 2Kgs 1:6, 2Kgs 1:16; Matt 10:25, Matt 12:24-27; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15, Beelzebub ↩

  8. Judg 11:24; 1Sam 5:10; 1Kgs 11:33; Isa 37:12, Isa 37:19 ↩

  9. 2Kgs 8:7-10; 1Kgs 14:3 ↩

  10. 2Kgs 1:15; 1Kgs 19:5, 1Kgs 19:7; Acts 8:26, Acts 12:7-11 ↩

  11. 2Kgs 1:8; 1Kgs 17:1 ↩

  12. 1Kgs 18:1 ↩

  13. 2Kgs 1:6, 2Kgs 1:16, 2Kgs 5:8, 2Kgs 5:15; 1Sam 17:46; 1Kgs 18:36; Ps 76:1 ↩

  14. Jer 2:11-13; Jonah 2:8; Mark 3:22 ↩

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

  16. Gen 2:17, Gen 3:4; Num 26:65; 1Sam 28:19; 1Kgs 14:12; Prov 11:19, Prov 14:32; Ezek 18:4 ↩

  17. Isa 41:22-23 ↩

  18. 2Kgs 1:3-4; 1Chr 10:13-14; Ps 16:4 ↩

  19. Heb. What was the manner of the man, Judg 8:18; 1Sam 28:14 ↩

  20. 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; Zech 13:4; Matt 3:4, Matt 11:8; Luke 1:17; Rev 11:3 ↩

  21. 2Kgs 6:13-14; 1Kgs 18:4, 1Kgs 18:10, 1Kgs 19:2, 1Kgs 22:8, 1Kgs 22:26-27; Matt 14:3 ↩

  22. 1Kgs 18:42; Luke 6:11-12 ↩

  23. Amos 7:12; Matt 26:68, Matt 27:29, Matt 27:41-43; Mark 15:29, Mark 15:32; Heb 11:36 ↩

  24. 2Kgs 2:23-24; Num 16:28-30; 1Kgs 18:36-38, 1Kgs 22:28; 2Chr 36:16; Ps 105:15; Matt 21:41, Matt 23:34-37; Acts 5:3-10 ↩

  25. 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; Ps 106:18; Luke 9:54; Heb 12:29; Rev 11:5 ↩

  26. Dan 3:22, Dan 3:25, Dan 6:24; Acts 12:19 ↩

  27. Num 16:41; 1Sam 6:9; Isa 26:11; Jer 5:3; John 18:5-12; Acts 4:16-17 ↩

  28. 1Sam 22:17-19; Prov 29:12; Isa 32:7; Matt 2:16; Luke 22:63-64 ↩

  29. 2Kgs 1:9-10 ↩

  30. Job 15:25-26; Prov 27:22; Eccl 9:3; Isa 1:5 ↩

  31. Heb. bowed, Isa 66:2 ↩

  32. Exod 11:8; Num 12:11-13; 1Kgs 13:6; Isa 60:14; Rev 3:9 ↩

  33. Ps 102:17; Jas 4:7 ↩

  34. 2Kgs 1:10-11 ↩

  35. 1Sam 26:21, 1Sam 26:24; Ps 49:8, Ps 72:14, Ps 116:15; Prov 6:26; Matt 16:25-26; Acts 20:24 ↩

  36. Gen 15:1; 1Kgs 18:15; Ps 27:1; Isa 51:12; Jer 1:17, Jer 15:20; Ezek 2:6; Matt 10:28; Heb 11:27 ↩

  37. 2Kgs 1:3-4, 2Kgs 1:6; Exod 4:22-23; 1Kgs 14:6-13, 1Kgs 21:18-24, 1Kgs 22:28 ↩

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

  39. 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. 2Kgs 5:21; Ps 132:3 ↩

  40. As it is said in 2Kgs 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." ↩

  41. 2Kgs 3:1, 2Kgs 8:16-17; 1Kgs 22:51 ↩

  42. 1Kgs 14:19, 1Kgs 22:39 ↩