The Second Book of Kings
1
1 Moab
rebelled against
Israel after the
death of Ahab.
2 Ahaziah fell
down through the
lattice in his
upper room that
was in Samaria,
and was sick.
So he sent
messengers, and said
to them, “Go,
inquire of Baal Zebub,
the god of
Ekron, whether I
will recover of
this sickness.”
3 But
the LORD’s
angel said to
Elijah the
Tishbite, “Arise,
go up to
meet the
messengers of the
king of Samaria,
and tell them, ‘Is
it because there
is no God
in Israel that
you go to
inquire of Baal Zebub,
the god of
Ekron?
4 Now
therefore the LORD
says, “You will
not come down
from the bed
where you have
gone up, but
you will surely
die.” ’ ” Then Elijah
departed.
5 The
messengers returned
to him, and
he said to them,
“Why is it
that you have
returned?”
6 They
said to him, “A
man came up
to meet us,
and said to
us, ‘Go, return
to the king
who sent you,
and tell him, “The
LORD says, ‘Is
it because there
is no God
in Israel that
you send to
inquire of Baal Zebub,
the god of
Ekron? Therefore
you will not
come down from
the bed where
you have gone
up, but you
will surely
die.’ ” ’ ”
7 He
said to them, “What
kind of man was
he who came
up to meet
you and told
you these words?”
8 They answered
him, “He was
a hairy man,
and wearing a
leather belt around his
waist.”
He said, “It’s Elijah
the Tishbite.”
9 Then
the king sent
a captain of
fifty with his
fifty to him.
He went up
to him; and
behold,
he was sitting
on the top
of the hill.
He said to
him, “Man of
God, the king
has said, ‘Come
down!’ ”
10 Elijah
answered to the
captain of fifty,
“If I am a man
of God, then
let fire come down
from the sky
and consume you
and your fifty!”
Then fire came
down from the
sky, and consumed
him and his
fifty.
11 Again
he sent to
him another captain
of fifty with
his fifty. He
answered him, “Man
of God, the
king has said, ‘Come
down quickly!’ ”
12 Elijah
answered them, “If
I am a man
of God, then
let fire come down
from the sky
and consume you
and your fifty!”
Then God’s fire
came down from
the sky,
and consumed him
and his fifty.
13 Again
he sent the
captain of a
third fifty with
his fifty. The
third captain of
fifty went up,
and came and
fell on his
knees before
Elijah, and begged
him, and said
to him, “Man
of God, please
let my life
and the life
of these fifty
of your servants
be precious in
your sight.
14 Behold, fire
came down from
the sky
and consumed the last
two captains of
fifty with their
fifties. But now
let my life
be precious in
your sight.”
15 The
LORD’s angel said
to Elijah, “Go
down with him.
Don’t be afraid of
him.”
Then he arose
and went down
with him to
the king.
16 He
said to him, “The
LORD says, ‘Because
you have sent
messengers to
inquire of Baal Zebub,
the god of
Ekron, is it
because there is
no God in
Israel to inquire
of his word?
Therefore you will
not come down
from the bed
where you have
gone up, but
you will surely
die.’ ”
17 So
he died according
to the LORD’s
word which Elijah
had spoken.
Jehoram began to
reign in his
place 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,
aren’t they written
in the book
of the chronicles
of the kings
of Israel?