2 And Ahaziah H274 fell down H5307 through a lattice H7639 in his upper chamber H5944 that was in Samaria, H8111 and was sick: H2470 and he sent H7971 messengers, H4397 and said H559 unto them, Go, H3212 enquire H1875 of Baalzebub H1176 the god H430 of Ekron H6138 whether I shall recover H2421 of this disease. H2483
And Elisha H477 came H935 to Damascus; H1834 and Benhadad H1130 the king H4428 of Syria H758 was sick; H2470 and it was told H5046 him, saying, H559 The man H376 of God H430 is come H935 hither. H2008 And the king H4428 said H559 unto Hazael, H2371 Take H3947 a present H4503 in thine hand, H3027 and go, H3212 meet H7125 the man H376 of God, H430 and enquire H1875 of the LORD H3068 by him, saying, H559 Shall I recover H2421 of this disease? H2483 So Hazael H2371 went H3212 to meet H7125 him, and took H3947 a present H4503 with him, H3027 even of every good thing H2898 of Damascus, H1834 forty H705 camels' H1581 burden, H4853 and came H935 and stood H5975 before H6440 him, and said, H559 Thy son H1121 Benhadad H1130 king H4428 of Syria H758 hath sent H7971 me to thee, saying, H559 Shall I recover H2421 of this disease? H2483 And Elisha H477 said H559 unto him, Go, H3212 say H559 unto him, Thou mayest certainly H2421 recover: H2421 howbeit the LORD H3068 hath shewed H7200 me that he shall surely H4191 die. H4191
But G1161 when the Pharisees G5330 heard G191 it, they said, G2036 This G3778 fellow doth G1544 not G3756 cast out G1544 devils, G1140 but G1508 by G1722 Beelzebub G954 the prince G758 of the devils. G1140 And G1161 Jesus G2424 knew G1492 their G846 thoughts, G1761 and said G2036 unto them, G846 Every G3956 kingdom G932 divided G3307 against G2596 itself G1438 is brought to desolation; G2049 and G2532 every G3956 city G4172 or G2228 house G3614 divided G3307 against G2596 itself G1438 shall G2476 not G3756 stand: G2476 And G2532 if G1487 Satan G4567 cast out G1544 Satan, G4567 he is divided G3307 against G1909 himself; G1438 how G4459 shall G2476 then G3767 his G846 kingdom G932 stand? G2476 And G2532 if G1487 I G1473 by G1722 Beelzebub G954 cast out G1544 devils, G1140 by G1722 whom G5101 do your G5216 children G5207 cast them out? G1544 therefore G5124 G1223 they G846 shall be G2071 your G5216 judges. G2923
Behold, with a great H1419 plague H4046 will the LORD H3068 smite H5062 thy people, H5971 and thy children, H1121 and thy wives, H802 and all thy goods: H7399 And thou shalt have great H7227 sickness H2483 by disease H4245 of thy bowels, H4578 until thy bowels H4578 fall out H3318 by reason of the sickness H2483 day H3117 by day. H3117
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 1
Commentary on 2 Kings 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
2Ki 1:1. Moab Rebels.
1. Then Moab rebelled—Subdued by David (2Sa 8:2), they had, in the partition of Israel and Judah, fallen to the share of the former kingdom. But they took advantage of the death of Ahab to shake off the yoke (see on 2Ki 3:6). The casualty that befell Ahaziah [2Ki 1:2] prevented his taking active measures for suppressing this revolt, which was accomplished as a providential judgment on the house of Ahab for all these crimes.
2Ki 1:2-8. Ahaziah's Judgment by Elijah.
2-8. Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber—This lattice was either a part of the wooden parapet, or fence, which surrounds the flat roofs of houses, and over which the king was carelessly leaning when it gave way; or it might be an opening like a skylight in the roof itself, done over with lattice-work, which, being slender or rotten, the king stepped on and slipped through. This latter supposition is most probably the true one, as Ahaziah did not fall either into the street or the court, but "in his upper chamber."
inquire of Baalzebub—Anxious to learn whether he should recover from the effects of this severe fall, he sent to consult Baalzebub, that is, the god of flies, who was considered the patron deity of medicine. A temple to that idol was erected at Ekron, which was resorted to far and wide, though it afterwards led to the destruction of the place (Zec 9:5; Am 1:8; Zep 2:4). "After visiting Ekron, 'the god of flies' is a name that gives me no surprise. The flies there swarmed, in fact so innumerably, that I could hardly get any food without these troublesome insects getting into it" [Van De Velde].
3. the angel of the Lord—not an angel, but the angel, who carried on all communications between the invisible God and His chosen people [Hengstenberg]. This angel commissioned Elijah to meet the king's messengers, to stop them peremptorily on the idolatrous errand, and convey by them to the king information of his approaching death. This consultation of an idol, being a breach of the fundamental law of the kingdom (Ex 20:3; De 5:7), was a daring and deliberate rejection of the national religion. The Lord, in making this announcement of his death, designed that he should see in that event a judgment for his idolatry.
4. Thou shalt not come down from that bed—On being taken up, he had probably been laid on the divan—a raised frame, about three feet broad, extended along the sides of a room, covered with cushions and mattresses—serving, in short, as a sofa by day and a bed by night, and ascended by steps.
Elijah departed—to his ordinary abode, which was then at Mount Carmel (2Ki 2:25; 1Ki 18:42).
5. the messengers turned back—They did not know the stranger; but his authoritative tone, commanding attitude, and affecting message determined them at once to return.
8. an hairy man—This was the description not of his person, as in the case of Esau, but of his dress, which consisted either of unwrought sheep or goatskins (Heb 11:37), or of camel's haircloth—the coarser manufacture of this material like our rough haircloth. The Dervishes and Bedouins are attired in this wild, uncouth manner, while their hair flows loose on the head, their shaggy cloak is thrown over their shoulders and tied in front on the breast, naked, except at the waist, round which is a skin girdle—a broad, rough leathern belt. Similar to this was the girdle of the prophets, as in keeping with their coarse garments and their stern, uncompromising office.
2Ki 1:9-16. Elijah Brings Fire from Heaven on Ahaziah's Messengers.
9. Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty—Any appearance of cruelty that there is in the fate of the two captains and their men will be removed, on a full consideration of the circumstances. God being the King of Israel, Ahaziah was bound to govern the kingdom according to the divine law; to apprehend the Lord's prophet, for discharging a commanded duty, was that of an impious and notorious rebel. The captains abetted the king in his rebellion; and they exceeded their military duty by contemptuous insults.
man of God—In using this term, they either spoke derisively, believing him to be no true prophet; or, if they regarded him as a true prophet, the summons to him to surrender himself bound to the king was a still more flagrant insult; the language of the second captain being worse than that of the first.
10. let fire come down—rather, "fire shall come down." Not to avenge a personal insult of Elijah, but an insult upon God in the person of His prophet; and the punishment was inflicted, not by the prophet, but by the direct hand of God.
15, 16. he arose, and went down with him—a marvellous instance of faith and obedience. Though he well knew how obnoxious his presence was to the king, yet, on receiving God's command, he goes unhesitatingly, and repeats, with his own lips, the unwelcome tidings conveyed by the messengers.
2Ki 1:17, 18. Ahaziah Dies, and Is Succeeded by Jehoram.
17. Jehoram—The brother of Ahaziah (see on 2Ki 3:1).