2 Kings 1

2 Kings 1:1-8

Before Christ byt.

1. Moab rebels against Ahaziah, ver. 1. 2. Ahaziah is mortally hurt by a fall, ver. 2. 3. The messengers sent to enquire of Baal, are sent back with an answer from Elijah, ver. 2—8. 4. The repeated destruction of the messengers sent to seize the prophet, ver. 9—12. 5. His compliance with the third messenger upon his submission, and the delivery of this message to the king himself, ver. 13—16. 6. The death of Ahaziah, ver. 17, 18.

2. THEN Moab rebelled against Israel, after the death of Abab. 2. And Ahaziah fell down through a latter in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: And he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover of this disease. 3. But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arife, 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 Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? 4. Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thus shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. 5. ¶ And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 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 enquire 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.

Israel’s decension begins with this book in the rebellion of Moab, to which Ahaziah’s wickedness and weakness tempted them. And this was followed with a stroke that more nearly affected him: he fell down through a latter; either thro’ a window on the top of his house, or perhaps the rails which surrounded it, and received a blow, which in its effects proved mortal. Now, Wherever we are, we are in danger: death often takes his stand, where we least expected to meet him.

1. In his illness, more solicitous to know whether he should recover or not, than careful to prepare for all events by a timely repentance, he foolishly and wickedly sends to enquire of the Philistine idol at Ekron, Baalzebub, the master-sly, so called perhaps from some deliverance of the country from the arms of flies with which they were infested, which they imputed to him. Now, (1.) It is a vain curiosity to enquire when we shall die; but our 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.

2. Elijah, at God’s command, meets and answers the messengers. With indignation at the contempt shewn to Israel’s God,