1
And Moab broke away from Israel after the death of Ahab.
2
And Ahaziah fell through the netting in his upper room that was in Samaria, and was sick; and he sent messengers and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall live from this sickness.
3
And the angel of Jehovah spoke to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and speak to them, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal-zebub, the God of Ekron?
4
Now therefore, thus says Jehovah, the bed whither thou hast gone up thou shalt not come down from it, but dying thou shalt die. And Elijah went away.
5
And the messengers returned to him, and he said to them, Why is it that you are returned?
6
And they said to him, A man came up to meet us, and said to us, Go, return to the king that sent you, and speak to him, Thus says Jehovah, Is it because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub, the God of Ekron? Therefore the bed whither thou art gone up thou shalt not come down from it, but dying thou shalt die.
7
And he spoke to them, What manner of man was he who came up to meet you, and spoke to you these words?
8
And they said to him, A hairy man and girded with a girdle of leather on his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
9
And he sent unto him a commander of fifty and his fifty. And he went up to him; and, behold, he was sitting on the head of the mountain. And he spoke to him, O man of God, the king has spoken: Come down.
10
And Elijah answered and spoke to the commander of the fifty, And if I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens, and devour thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from the heavens, and devoured him and his fifty.
11
And he returned and sent to him another commander of fifty and his fifty. And he answered and spoke to him, O man of God, thus has the king said: Hasten, come down.
12
And Elijah answered and spoke to them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heavens, and devour thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from the heavens, and devoured him and his fifty.
13
And he returned and sent a commander of fifty a third time and his fifty. And the commander of the third fifty went up and came, and stooped on his knees in front of Elijah, and asked him for grace, and spoke unto him, O man of God, I pray, let my soul, and the soul of thy servants, these fifty, be precious in thine eyes.
14
Behold, fire came down from the heavens, and devoured the two commanders of the first fifty and their fifties; but now, let my soul be precious in thine eyes.
15
And the angel of Jehovah spoke to Elijah, Go down with him; fear not his face. And he arose and went down with him to the king.
16
And he spoke to him, Thus says Jehovah, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the God of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore the bed whither thou art gone up, from it thou shalt not come down, but dying thou shalt die.
17
And he died, according to the word of Jehovah which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram became king in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; for he had no son.
18
And the remaining words concerning Ahaziah, which he did, are they not written in the book of the words concerning the days of the kings of Israel?
