2 Kings 1
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
Then, after the death of Ahab, Moab transgressed against Israel.
2 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.
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, 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 all of you go to enquire of Baalzebub 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 Now therefore thus says the LORD, You shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die. And Elijah departed.
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 when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are all of you now turned back?
And the messengers returned to Ahaziah. And he said to them, “Why have you returned?”
6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, return unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus says the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that you send to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.
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 unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
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 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.
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 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 spoke unto him, You 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 answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
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 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 has the king said, 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 answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
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 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 you, let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
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 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 your sight.
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 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.
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 unto him, Thus says the LORD, Forasmuch as you have 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 you shall not come down off that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.
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 he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his position in the second year of Jehoram the 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 which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles 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?
