2 Kings 1

Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

After Ahab's demise, Moab, filled with defiance, rose against Israel.

And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.

Ahaziah had a terrible fall from his upper room in Samaria, becoming gravely ill. In his desperation, he sent his messengers to seek guidance from Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, asking if he would survive his affliction.

But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?

The Lord's angel commanded Elijah, "Stand up, meet the king's messengers. Ask them, 'Isn't there a God in Israel? Why seek answers from Baalzebub, Ekron's god?'"

Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

The Lord declared, "You won't leave the bed you're in, death is certain." With that, Elijah left.

And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?

When the messengers returned to him, he asked them, puzzled, "Why have you come back so soon?"

And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

They told him, "A man met us and instructed us to return to the king who sent us. He told us to relay this message from the Lord: 'Are you seeking answers from Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, because you believe there is no God in Israel? Because of this, you will not leave the bed you've climbed into; you are destined to die."

And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?

He asked them, "Can you describe the man who approached you and spoke these words?"

And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

They described him as a man covered in hair, wearing a leather belt around his waist. Recognizing the description, he exclaimed, "That must be Elijah the Tishbite!"

Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

The king dispatched a captain and his fifty men to find him. They found him sitting atop a hill. The captain called out to him, "Man of God, the king orders you to descend."

And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Elijah responded to the military leader, "If I truly serve God, then let divine fire rain from the sky, engulfing you and your fifty men." And just like that, a heavenly fire descended, consuming him and his men.

Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly.

Once more, he dispatched another leader with his fifty men. The leader called out to the man of God, "The king commands you to come down immediately!"

And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

Elijah responded with conviction, "If I am truly a servant of God, let divine fire rain from the sky, engulfing you and your fifty men." And so, the fiery wrath of God descended from the heavens, consuming him and his fifty men.

And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.

Once more, a leader of fifty men was dispatched. This third leader approached Elijah with humility, kneeling before him. He pleaded, "O man of God, please, value our lives - mine and the lives of these fifty men under my command."

Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.

Look, fire came down from the sky and consumed the first two leaders, each with his fifty men. So now, please, value my life.

And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

The angel of the LORD reassured Elijah, "Go with him, don't fear him." Encouraged, Elijah stood up and bravely accompanied him to the king.

And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

He spoke, "God asks, 'Did you seek answers from the false god Baalzebub because you believe there's no God in Israel? Because of this, you won't leave your bed and you will certainly die."

So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.

He passed away, just as Elijah had prophesied through God's word. Jehoram took his place as king, during Jehoram of Judah's second year of reign, for he had no son to succeed him.

Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Isn't the rest of Ahaziah's story recorded in the history book of Israel's kings?