1.
Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.
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, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.
2 Kings 1:2. Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber— Through the lattice into his upper chamber, Houbigant; who thinks that as he was walking on the top of the house the wooden lattice gave way, and he fell through. See Calmet's Dissertation upon the buildings of the ancient Hebrews.
Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron— Baal-zebub is generally interpreted the god of flies; but why he was so called, there is no substantial reason given. Mr. Roque, in his 10th Dissertation, has treated at large upon this subject, and to him we refer. Mr. Jurieu is of opinion, that the Baal-zebub of Scripture was the same with the Pluto of the ancients. As זב zab signifies to flow, Parkhurst says, that זבוב zebub, signifies the flower, the Baal, lord or power (generally supposed to be the sun) which, always flowing forth himself, is the first mover and causer of all fluidity. See his Lexicon. It is plain enough from all antiquity, but from the hymns of Orpheus especially, that the ancient idolaters deified and worshipped nature in all her constituent and operating parts. Ekron was a city and government of the Philistines, which fell by lot to the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:45 but was afterwards given to the tribe of Dan, though it does not appear that the Jews ever had a quiet and peaceable possession of it.
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 ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?
4.
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.
2 Kings 1:4. Thou shalt not come down from that bed, &c.— At one end of each chamber in the eastern buildings there is a little gallery raised three, four, or five feet above the floor, having a ballustrade in the front, with a few steps likewise leading up to it. There they placed their beds; a situation frequently alluded to in the Scriptures. See Shaw's Travels, p. 211, &c.
5.
And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back?
2 Kings 1:5. When the messengers turned back unto him, &c.— It may seem something strange, that Ahaziah's messengers should stop their journey to Ekron at Elijah's command. But he was a man of such a venerable presence, and spake to them with such authority in the name of the Lord, that they were over-awed thereby to obey him rather than the king.
6.
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 inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
7.
And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you 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.
2 Kings 1:8. He was an hairy man— Elijah being a hairy man may either denote his wearing long hair on his head and his beard, according to the manner of the ancient Greek philosophers, or it may denote his habit, which was made of skins, rough, and with the hair on; as the ancient heroes were clothed with the skins of tygers, lions, and bears; as the evangelist represents the Baptist, in a raiment of camel's hair; or as the apostle describes the prophets, wandering about in sheep-skins and goat-skins.
Note; 1. It is a vain curiosity to enquire when we shall die; but it is our best wisdom to be always ready. 2. If once we offer worship to any object below the glorious, self-existent Jehovah, a fly is as worthy a god as any other subordinate created being. The difference is inconsiderable between an Arian and an Ekronite. 3. They who will not sue to God for mercy, may expect to hear from him in judgment. 4. Neglect of God, or setting the affections on any thing upon earth more than on him, is practical atheism.
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 spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.
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 thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
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 hath the king said, Come down quickly.
12.
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.
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 thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
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 thy sight.
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.
2 Kings 1:15. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king— This is a great instance of Elijah's faith and obedience to God, in whom he trusted, that he would deliver him from the wrath of the king, and the malice of Jezebel. He had ordered, not long before, all the prophets of Baal to be slain; had sent a very unwelcome message to the king, and made a very terrible execution upon two of his captains and their companies: so that he had all the reason in the world to apprehend the utmost expressions of the king's displeasure; and yet, when God commands him, he makes no manner of hesitation, but goes boldly to Ahaziah, and confirms with his own mouth the unpleasant truth which he had declared to his messengers.
16.
And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.
17.
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.
2 Kings 1:17. And Jehoram reigned in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat— His brother Jehoram reigned in his stead, because he had no son. To avoid confusion, the reader should take notice, that in the course of this history there is mention made of two Jehorams; one, the second son of Ahab, who succeeded Ahaziah, and wasking of Israel; the other, son and heir to Jehoshaphat, who reigned in Judah. By comparing chap. 2Ki 3:1 and chap. 2 Kings 8:16 a great difference in the reading of the dates will appear. We should just remark, however, that it is commonly supposed, that Jehoshaphat declared his son Jehoram king while himself was alive, and reigned in conjunction with him for the space of seven years; a supposition which, if allowed, will in some degree clear up the difficulty. See Archbishop Usher's Annals, sub A.M. 3106.
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?