# 2 Kings 01 š: Elijah Confronts Ahaziah
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#š Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#š Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#š§ Chapter Summary]]
> [[#āļø Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#š Key Principles / š Life Application]]
> [[#š¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#āļø Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#š Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#š Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#š Internal Notes]]
## š Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### Elijah Confronts the King and His Commanders
[[#Verse 01.]]Ā After Ahab died, Moab rebelled against Israel.Ā
[[#Verse 02.]]Ā Ahaziah fell through a window lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria and was injured. He sent messengers with these orders,Ā āGo, askĀ Baal Zebub,Ā the god of Ekron, if I will survive this injury.ā
[[#Verse 03.]]Ā But the angel of theĀ LordĀ told Elijah the Tishbite, āGet up; go to meet the messengers from the king of Samaria. Say this to them: āYou must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are on your way to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub the god of Ekron.Ā
[[#Verse 04.]]Ā Therefore this is what theĀ LordĀ has said, āYou will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die!āāā So Elijah went on his way.
[[#Verse 05.]]Ā When the messengers returned to the king,Ā he asked them, āWhy have you returned?āĀ
[[#Verse 06.]]Ā They replied,Ā āA man came up to meet us. He told us, āGo back to the king who sent you and tell him, āThis is what theĀ LordĀ has said: āYou must think there is no God in Israel! That explains why you are sending for an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron.Ā Therefore you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.āāāāĀ
[[#Verse 07.]]Ā The kingĀ asked them, āDescribe the appearanceĀ of this man who came up to meet you and told you these things.āĀ
[[#Verse 08.]]Ā They replied,Ā āHe was a hairyĀ man and had a leather beltĀ tied around his waist.ā The kingĀ said, āHe is Elijah the Tishbite.ā
[[#Verse 09.]]Ā The kingĀ sent a captain and his fifty soldiersĀ to retrieve Elijah.Ā The captainĀ went up to him while he was sitting on the top of a hill.Ā He told him, āProphet,Ā the king says, āCome down!āāĀ
[[#Verse 10.]]Ā Elijah replied to the captain,Ā āIf I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!ā Fire then came downĀ from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
[[#Verse 11.]]Ā The kingĀ sent another captain and his fifty soldiers to retrieve Elijah. He went up and told him,Ā āProphet, this is what the king says, āCome down at once!āāĀ
[[#Verse 12.]]Ā Elijah replied to them,Ā āIf I am indeed a prophet, may fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty soldiers!ā Fire from GodĀ came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty soldiers.
[[#Verse 13.]]Ā The kingĀ sent a third captain and his fifty soldiers. This third captain went up and fellĀ on his knees before Elijah. He begged for mercy, āProphet, please have respect for my life and for the lives of these fifty servants of yours.Ā
[[#Verse 14.]]Ā Indeed,Ā fire came down from the sky and consumed the two captains who came before me, along with their men.Ā So now, please have respect for my life.ā
[[#Verse 15.]]Ā The angel of theĀ LordĀ said to Elijah, āGo down with him. Donāt be afraid of him.ā So he got up and went downĀ with him to the king.
[[#Verse 16.]]Ā Elijah said to the king,Ā āThis is what theĀ LordĀ has said, āYou sent messengers to seek an oracle from Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron. Is it because there is no God in Israel from whom you can seek a message? ThereforeĀ you will not leave the bed you lie on, for you will certainly die.āā
[[#Verse 17.]]Ā And he did die in keeping with theĀ Lordās message that he had spoken through Elijah. In the second year of the reign of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat over Judah, Ahaziahās brother Jehoram replaced him as king of Israel, because he had no son.Ā
[[#Verse 18.]]Ā The rest of the events of Ahaziahās reign, including his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.
## š Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
## š¤ Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Moab rebelled against Israel after Ahab died (1:1). The Moabite Stone (Mesha Stele), discovered in 1868, records this revolt from Moab's side.
2. The name Baal-Zebub means "lord of the flies." Many scholars think it was a mocking change of Baal-Zebul, meaning "Baal the prince."
3. Ekron was one of the five main Philistine cities. An inscription found at Tel Miqne in 1996 confirmed the site as ancient Ekron.
4. Ahaziah was hurt when he fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria (1:2).
5. The question "Is there no God in Israel?" is asked three times in the chapter (1:3, 6, 16).
6. Elijah is described as a hairy man (or a man in a hair garment) with a leather belt (1:8). John the Baptist dressed the same way (Matthew 3:4).
7. Fire from heaven fell twice, each time on a captain and his fifty men (1:10, 12).
8. Jesus rebuked James and John when they wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village like this (Luke 9:54-55).
9. The angel of the Lord speaks to Elijah twice in this chapter (1:3, 15).
10. Ahaziah had no son, so his brother Jehoram (also called Joram) became king (1:17). For a time, kings named Jehoram ruled both Israel and Judah.
## š§ Chapter Summary
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## āļø Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the Lord who came to save lives, not destroy them. Fire fell on the soldiers sent against Elijah (1:10-12), but Jesus rebuked His disciples when they wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54-56).
## š Key Principles / š Life Application
> [!note] š± Still growing. This section is on its way.
## š¬ Discussion Questions
1. When King Ahaziah was injured, he sent messengers to Baal-Zebub instead of the Lord (1:2-3). Where are you tempted to turn first when trouble comes?
2. The third captain approached Elijah with humility and begged for mercy (1:13-14). What does his response teach about how we come before God?
3. The angel told Elijah not to be afraid and to go down with the captain (1:15). How does knowing God is with you give you courage to obey?
## āļø Key Verses to Remember
- š verse 3: Elijah asks if there is no God in Israel, since the king seeks a foreign god.
- š verses 13-14: The third captain humbles himself and pleads for his life and the lives of his men.
- š verse 17: Ahaziah dies just as the Lord said through Elijah.
## š Related Passages/Cross Reference
- š [[Luke 09#Verse 54.|Luke 9:54-56]] - Jesus rebukes the disciples who want to call down fire.
- š [[Matthew 03#Verse 04.|Matthew 3:4]] - John the Baptist dressed like Elijah.
- š [[Isaiah 08#Verse 19.|Isaiah 8:19]] - Should not a people seek their God?
- š [[1 Kings 22#Verse 51.|1 Kings 22:51-53]] - Ahaziah's evil reign begins.
- š [[Matthew 10#Verse 25.|Matthew 10:25]] - The enemies of Jesus called Him Beelzebul.
## š Devotional Reflection
š SOAP: [[2 Kings 01 - SOAP|God Given Courage]]
## š Internal Notes