2 Kings 1
1 After the death of Ahab, Moab made itself free from the authority of Israel.
Then, after the death of Ahab, Moab transgressed against Israel.
2 Now Ahaziah had a fall from the window of his room in Samaria, and was ill. And he sent men, and said to them, Put a question to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, about the outcome of my disease, to see if I will get well or not.
And Ahaziah fell down through the lattices of his upper room, which he had in Samaria, and he was injured. And he sent messengers, saying to them, “Go, consult Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, as to whether I may be able to survive this infirmity of mine.”
3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Go now, and, meeting the men sent by the king of Samaria, say to them, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you are going to get directions from Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?
And an Angel of the Lord spoke to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying: “Rise up, and ascend to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria. And you shall say to them: ‘Is there not a God in Israel, so that you would go to consult Beelzebub, the god of Ekron?
4 Give ear then to the words of the Lord: You will never again get down from the bed on to which you have gone up, but death will certainly come to you. Then Elijah went away.
For this reason, thus says the Lord: From the bed to which you have ascended, you shall not descend. Instead, dying you shall die.’” And Elijah went away.
5 And the men he had sent came back to the king; and he said to them, Why have you come back?
And the messengers returned to Ahaziah. And he said to them, “Why have you returned?”
6 And they said to him, On our way we had a meeting with a man who said, Go back to the king who sent you and say to him, The Lord says, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you send to put a question to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? For this reason, you will not come down from the bed on to which you have gone up, but death will certainly come to you.
But they responded to him: “A man met us, and he said to us: ‘Go, and return to the king who sent you. And you shall say to him: Thus says the Lord: Is it because there was no God in Israel that you are sending to consult Beelzebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, from the bed to which you have ascended, you shall not descend. Instead, dying you shall die.’”
7 And he said to them, What sort of a man was it who came and said these words to you?
And he said to them: “What was the appearance and dress of that man, who met you and who spoke these words?”
8 And they said in answer, He was a man clothed in a coat of hair, with a leather band about his body. Then he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
So they said, “A hairy man, with a belt of leather wrapping his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah, the Tishbite.”
9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men; and he went up to him where he was seated on the top of a hill, and said to him, O man of God, the king has said, Come down.
And he sent to him a leader of fifty, with the fifty who were under him. And he ascended to him, sitting at the top of a hill, and he said, “Man of God, the king commanded that you should descend.”
10 And Elijah in answer said to the captain of fifty, If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven on you and on your fifty men, and put an end to you. Then fire came down from heaven and put an end to him and his fifty men.
And responding, Elijah said to the leader of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire from heaven descend and devour you and your fifty.” And then fire from heaven descended and devoured him and the fifty who were with him.
11 Then the king sent another captain of fifty with his fifty men; and he said to Elijah, O man of God, the king says, Come down quickly.
And again, he sent to him another leader of fifty, and the fifty with him. And he said to him, “Man of God, thus says the king: Hurry, descend.”
12 And Elijah in answer said, If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven on you and on your fifty men, and put an end to you. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and put an end to him and his fifty men.
Responding, Elijah said, “If I am a man of God, let fire from heaven descend and devour you and your fifty.” And fire from heaven descended and devoured him and his fifty.
13 Then he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men; and the third captain of fifty went up, and falling on his knees before Elijah, requesting mercy of him, said, O man of God, let my life and the life of these your fifty servants be of value to you.
Again, he sent a third leader of fifty men and the fifty who were with him. And when he had arrived, he bent his knees before Elijah, and he pleaded with him, and said: “Man of God, do not choose to despise my life and the lives of your servants who are with me.
14 For fire came down from heaven and put an end to the first two captains of fifty and their fifties; but now let my life be of value in your eyes.
Behold, fire from heaven descended and devoured the two previous leaders of fifty and the fifties who were with them. But now I beg you to take pity on my life.”
15 Then the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, Go down with him; have no fear of him. So he got up and went down with him to the king.
Then the Angel of the Lord spoke to Elijah, saying, “Descend with him; fear not.” And so, he arose and descended with him to the king.
16 And he said to him, This is the word of the Lord: Because you sent men to put a question to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, for this reason you will never again get down from the bed on to which you have gone up, but death will certainly come to you.
And he said to him: “Thus says the Lord: Because you sent messengers to consult Beelzebub, the god of Ekron, as if there were no God in Israel, from whom you would be able to seek a word, therefore, from the bed to which you have ascended, you shall not descend. Instead, dying you shall die.”
17 So death came to him, as the Lord had said by the mouth of Elijah. And Jehoram became king in his place in the second year of the rule of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah; because he had no son.
And so he died, in accord with the word of the Lord, which Elijah spoke. And Jehoram, his brother, reigned in his place, in the second year of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. For he had no son.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, are they not recorded in the book of the history of the kings of Israel?
But the rest of the words of Ahaziah that he worked, have these not been written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel?
