2 Kings 1

Moab Rebels after Ahab’s Death

1After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.

Ahaziah Seeks Baal-Zebub

2Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper room that was in Samaria and became sick. So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this sickness.” 3But the messenger of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron?’ 4So thus says the LORD: ‘You will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you will surely die.’” Then Elijah went. 5The messengers returned to Ahaziah, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” 6They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him: Thus says the LORD: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron? Therefore you will not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you will surely die.’” 7He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?” 8They said to him, “A hairy man, with a leather belt bound around his waist.” He said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

Fire Falls on the First Two Captains

9Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. He went up to Elijah, and look, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” 10Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from the heavens and consumed him and his fifty. 11Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He answered and said to him, “Man of God, thus says the king: ‘Come down quickly.’” 12Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from the heavens and consumed him and his fifty.

The Third Captain Pleads for His Life

13Again the king sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, came, and knelt on his knees before Elijah. He pleaded with him and said to him, “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your eyes. 14Look, fire came down from the heavens and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties. But now let my life be precious in your eyes.” 15The messenger of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king.

Ahaziah Dies

16He said to him, “Thus says the LORD: Because you sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub, 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 to which you have gone up, but you will surely die.” 17So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. 18Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?