2 Kings

1 Then Moab revolted against Israel, after the death of Ahab.

2 And Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became sick,—so he sent messengers and said unto them—Go enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.

3 But the messenger of Yahweh spake unto Elijah the Tishbite, Rise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria,—and say unto them—Is it because there is no God in Israel that ye are going to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron?

4 Wherefore Thus saith Yahweh, From the bed whereunto thou hast gone up shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

5 And when the messengers returned unto him, he said unto them—How is it that ye have returned?

6 And they said unto him—A man came up to meet us, and said unto us—Go, return unto the king who sent you, and ye shall say unto him, Thus saith Yahweh—Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou art sending to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt surely die.

7 And he said unto them, What was the manner of the man who came up to meet you,—and spake unto you these words?

8 And they said unto him—A hairy man, with a leathern girdle girt about his loins. And he said—Elijah the Tishbite it was.

9 Then sent he unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty,—and he went up unto him, and lo! he abode on the top of the mountain, and he said unto him, O man of God! the king hath said, Come down!

10 And Elijah responded and said unto the captain of fifty, If then a man of God I am, let fire come down out of the heavens, and devour thee and thy fifty. So there came down fire out of the heavens, and devoured him and his fifty.

11 Then he again sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he also spake and said unto him, O man of God! thus saith the king, Haste thee, come down!

12 And Elijah responded and said unto them—If a man of God I am, let fire come down out of the heavens, and devour thee and thy fifty. And there came down a fire of God out of the heavens, and devoured him and his fifty.

13 Then he again sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty,—and the third captain of fifty ascended and came near, and bowed down upon his knees before Elijah, and made supplication unto him, and said unto him, O man of God! let my life, I pray thee, and the lives of these thy fifty servants be precious in thine eyes.

14 Lo! there hath come down fire out of the heavens, and devoured the captains of the former fifties with their fifties,—now, therefore, let my life be precious in thine eyes.

15 And the messenger of Yahweh said unto Elijah, Go down with him, do not fear because of him, So he arose, and went down with him unto the king;

16 and said unto him—Thus saith Yahweh—For that thou didst send messengers to enquire of Baalzebub, god of Ekron, was it because there was no God in Israel, for whose word thou couldst enquire? Therefore, from the bed whereunto thou hast gone up shalt thou not come down, for thou shalt surely die.

17 And he died, according to the word of Yahweh which Elijah had spoken, and Jehoram reigned in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah,—because he had no son.

18 Now the rest of the story of Ahaziah, the things that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?