UNROLL
Dusk over Samaria on its round hill among olive groves: the stone royal quarter on the summit, one small latticed window glowing with lamplight, under a wide amber and violet sky.

The Book of

2 Kings 1

A king falls through a window, and sends to a foreign god to ask whether he will live.

18 verses≈ 5 min4 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–8ElishaThe prophet's double portionChapter 1
  2. 9–12JehuThe house of Ahab falls
  3. 13–17Last kings of IsraelSamaria falls
  4. 18–20HezekiahTrust in the LORD
  5. 21–23JosiahThe Book found
  6. 24–25ExileJerusalem falls

Elijah Denounces Ahaziah

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But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’

The angel of the LORD
The angel of the LORD

Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘You will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’” So Elijah departed.

Ahaziah son of Ahab

When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you returned?”

Ahaziah’s messengers

They replied, “A man came up to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him that this is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.’”

Ahaziah son of Ahab

The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?”

Ahaziah’s messengers

“He was a hairy man,” they answered, “with a leather belt around his waist.”

Ahaziah son of Ahab

“It was Elijah the Tishbite,” said the king.

Reflect

Is there no God in Israel?

Ahaziah knew where Elijah was, and still he sent to Ekron. When you are hurt or afraid, where do you go first for an answer? Write down one worry you are carrying now, and what it would look like to bring it to the LORD first.

Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men.

The first captain

So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’”

Elijah

Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men.

The second captain

And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’”

Elijah

Again Elijah replied, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.”

And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men.

On a hilltop in clear afternoon light: a graying captain in a leather corselet kneels before Elijah, who sits on a flat rock; his helmet and spear lie on the ground and his soldiers wait below the crest.

So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. And the third captain went up, fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, “Man of God, may my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours please be precious in your sight. Behold, fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty, with all their men. But now may my life be precious in your sight.”

0:23

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

Precious in His sight

The third captain climbed the hill, fell on his knees and asked for mercy: “may my life be precious in your sight.” He was spared. Thank the LORD that He hears the humble who come asking for mercy. Ask Him for a heart that bows to His word, instead of ordering it to come down.

Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Do not be afraid of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

And Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word?

2 Kings 1:16

Elijah
Elijah

Is that why you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not get up from the bed on which you are lying. You will surely die.”

Jehoram Succeeds Ahaziah

Israel

Joram follows Ahaziah

  1. Ahaziah dies, as the LORD said

    So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken.

  2. Jehoram’s 2nd year

    No son, so Joram reigns in his place

    And since he had no son, Jehoram succeeded him in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah.

  3. His acts in Israel’s royal chronicles

    As for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, along with his accomplishments, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken.

2 Kings 1:17

Question

Quick question

A king lay hurt in Samaria and wanted to know if he would live.

When King Ahaziah was injured, whom did he send to ask whether he would recover?

You’ve experienced

2 Kings 1

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A verse to carry with you

This is what the LORD says: Is there really no God in Israel for you to inquire of His word?

2 Kings 1:16

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