Font Size
2 Kings 1
Expanded Bible
2 Kings 1
Expanded Bible
Elijah and King Ahaziah
1 After Ahab died, Moab ·broke away from Israel’s rule [rebelled against Israel]. 2 Ahaziah fell down through the ·wooden bars in [lattice of] 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 [illness].”
3 But the Lord’s ·angel [messenger] said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up and ·meet [confront; intercept] the messengers sent by the king of Samaria. Ask them, ‘Why are you going to ·ask questions of [consult with; inquire of] Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron? Is it because 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 surely die.’” Then Elijah ·left [set out; departed].
5 When the messengers returned to Ahaziah, he asked them, “Why have you returned [C so soon after being sent]?”
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 [T Thus says the Lord]: ‘Why are you going to ·ask questions of [consult with; inquire of] Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron? Is it because there is no God in Israel?’ You will never get up from the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.”’”
7 Ahaziah asked them, “What ·did the man look like who [kind of man] met you and told you this?”
8 They answered, “He ·was a hairy man [or wore a hairy cloak] 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 [C a prophet], 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 [consume; destroy] you and your fifty men.” Then fire came down from heaven and ·burned up [consumed; destroyed] 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 [at once]!’”
12 Elijah answered, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and ·burn up [consume; destroy] you and your fifty men!” Then fire came down from heaven and ·burned up [consumed; destroyed] 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 [pleaded], “Man of God, please ·respect [value; consider precious] my life and the lives of your fifty servants. 14 ·See [T Behold], fire came down from heaven and ·burned up [consumed; destroyed] the first two captains of fifty with all their men. But now, ·respect [value; consider precious] my life.”
15 The Lord’s ·angel [messenger] 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 [consult with; inquire of] Baal-Zebub, god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel to ask? Because of this, you will never get up from your bed; you will surely die.’” 17 So Ahaziah died, ·just as the Lord, through Elijah, had said he would [L in accordance with the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken].
Because Ahaziah had no son to take his place, Joram[a] became king in Ahaziah’s place during the second year Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was king of Judah. 18 The other things Ahaziah did ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals] of the kings of Israel [C a history book now lost].
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 1:17 Joram Hebrew copies read “Jehoram.”
2 Kings 1
Common English Bible
2 Kings 1
Common English Bible
Ahaziah’s death
1 After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel.
2 Ahaziah fell out the window of his second-story room in Samaria and was hurt. He sent messengers, telling them, “Go to Ekron’s god Baal-zebub, and ask if I will recover from this injury.”
3 But the Lord’s messenger said to Elijah from Tishbe, “Go, intercept the messengers of Samaria’s king, and ask them, ‘Is it because there’s no God in Israel that you are going to question Ekron’s god Baal-zebub? 4 This is what the Lord says: You will never get out of the bed you are lying in; you will die for sure!’” So Elijah set off.
5 The messengers returned to Ahaziah. He said to them, “Why have you come back?”
6 They said to him, “A man met us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you. Say to him, This is what the Lord says: Is it because there’s no God in Israel that you’ve come to question Ekron’s god Baal-zebub? Because of this, you will never get out of the bed you are lying in; you will die for sure!’”
7 Ahaziah said to them, “Describe the man who met you and said these things.”
8 They said to him, “He wore clothes made of hair[a] with a leather belt around his waist.”
Ahaziah said, “That was Elijah from Tishbe.”
9 So Ahaziah sent out a commander with fifty soldiers. The commander met up with Elijah while he was sitting on a hilltop. The commander said, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!’”
10 Elijah replied to the commander of the fifty soldiers, “If I really am a man of God, may fire come down from the sky and burn up you and your fifty soldiers.” Then fire came down from the sky and burned up the commander and his fifty soldiers.
11 Ahaziah then sent another commander with fifty soldiers. The commander said to Elijah, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Hurry and come down!’”
12 Elijah said to them, “If I really am a man of God, may fire come down from the sky and burn up you and your fifty soldiers.” Then God’s fire came down from the sky and burned up the commander and his fifty soldiers.
13 For a third time Ahaziah sent a commander with fifty soldiers. So the third commander arrived. He kneeled before Elijah and begged him, “Man of God! Please have some regard for my life and the lives of these fifty soldiers who are your servants. 14 Look, fire came from the sky and burned up the two earlier commanders and their troops of fifty soldiers. Please have regard for my life.”
15 Then the Lord’s messenger said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.” So Elijah set out to go with him to the king.
16 Elijah said to the king: “This is what the Lord says: Why did you send messengers to question Ekron’s god Baal-zebub? Is there no God in Israel whose word you could seek? Because of this, you won’t ever get out of the bed you are lying in; you’ll die for sure!” 17 So Ahaziah died in agreement with the Lord’s word that Elijah had spoken.
Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram[b] became king after him in the second year of Judah’s King Jehoram, who was Jehoshaphat’s son. 18 The rest of Ahaziah’s deeds, aren’t they written in the official records of Israel’s kings?
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 1:8 Or He was a hairy man.
- 2 Kings 1:17 Heb Jehoram; the king’s name is variously spelled in either long Jehoram or short Joram form.
2 Kings 1
New International Version
2 Kings 1
New International Version
The Lord’s Judgment on Ahaziah
1 After Ahab’s death, Moab(A) rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers,(B) saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub,(C) the god of Ekron,(D) to see if I will recover(E) from this injury.”
3 But the angel(F) of the Lord said to Elijah(G) the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel(H) that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave(I) the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” So Elijah went.
5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you come back?”
6 “A man came to meet us,” they replied. “And he said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave(J) the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!”’”
7 The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?”
8 They replied, “He had a garment of hair[a](K) and had a leather belt around his waist.”
The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”
9 Then he sent(L) to Elijah a captain(M) with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a 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, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire(N) fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.
11 At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, “Man of God, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’”
12 “If I am a man of God,” Elijah replied, “may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.
13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life(O) and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! 14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!”
15 The angel(P) of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid(Q) of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.
16 He told the king, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers(R) to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave(S) the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” 17 So he died,(T) according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken.
Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram[b](U) succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. 18 As for all the other events of Ahaziah’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 1:8 Or He was a hairy man
- 2 Kings 1:17 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram
Expanded Bible (EXB)
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.