2 Kings 1:11 kjv
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.
2 Kings 1:11 nkjv
Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: "Man of God, thus has the king said, 'Come down quickly!' "
2 Kings 1:11 niv
At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God, this is what the king says, 'Come down at once!'?"
2 Kings 1:11 esv
Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty men with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, "O man of God, this is the king's order, 'Come down quickly!'"
2 Kings 1:11 nlt
So the king sent another captain with fifty men. The captain said to him, "Man of God, the king demands that you come down at once."
2 Kings 1 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 18:19 | If anyone does not listen to My words that he shall speak in My name... | Consequences of disobeying God's prophet |
| Num 16:35 | Fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men... | Divine judgment by fire for rebellion |
| Psa 2:2–4 | The kings of the earth set themselves... He who sits in the heavens laughs. | Futility of earthly rulers opposing God |
| Prov 29:1 | He who is often reproved, yet stiffens his neck, will suddenly be broken... | Danger of persistent stubbornness |
| Rom 2:4–5 | Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, forbearance, and patience...? | Hardening heart against God's patience |
| Jer 7:26 | Yet they did not listen to me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. | Repeated disobedience despite divine warning |
| Zech 7:11–12 | But they refused to pay attention... and made their hearts diamond-hard. | Rejection of divine instruction and hardening heart |
| Ex 9:34–35 | When Pharaoh saw the rain and the hail... he sinned again and hardened his heart. | Pharaoh's repeated defiance mirroring Ahaziah |
| 1 Kgs 18:40 | Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” | Elijah's unwavering confrontation of false worship |
| Psa 115:3 | Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases. | God's absolute sovereignty over earthly powers |
| Isa 66:15–16 | For behold, the LORD will come in fire... to repay with fury and consuming flame. | Future judgment by fire on the rebellious |
| Mal 4:1 | For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace... | Prophetic warning of fiery judgment |
| 2 Thes 1:7–8 | ...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire. | Future divine judgment on the disobedient |
| Heb 12:29 | For our God is a consuming fire. | Nature of God's holy justice and power |
| Judg 9:20 | Let fire come out from Abimelech... | Retribution by fire as a divine instrument |
| Isa 30:1 | "Woe to the rebellious children," declares the LORD... | God's condemnation of rebellion |
| Eze 2:3–4 | I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a rebellious nation... | Description of rebellious Israel |
| Act 7:51 | "You stiff-necked people... You always resist the Holy Spirit." | Persistence in resisting God's Spirit |
| Lk 12:4–5 | I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body... | Fear God, not human authorities |
| Heb 13:7 | Remember your leaders... consider the outcome of their way of life. | Recognizing true spiritual authority |
2 Kings 1 verses
2 Kings 1 11 Meaning
2 Kings 1:11 reveals King Ahaziah's persistent rebellion and defiance against the LORD and His prophet Elijah. Despite the preceding clear demonstration of divine judgment through fire (v. 10), the king, in his stubbornness, sends yet another military contingent of fifty men under a captain to forcibly bring Elijah to him. This act underscores Ahaziah's spiritual blindness and his unwillingness to acknowledge the God of Israel as supreme, even when confronted with undeniable miraculous power. It illustrates the king's continued reliance on his human authority and military strength rather than humbling himself before divine decree.
2 Kings 1 11 Context
The immediate context of 2 Kings 1:11 details the final confrontation between King Ahaziah and the prophet Elijah. King Ahaziah, ruler of Israel, suffered a fall and sought healing from Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, instead of inquiring of the LORD. Elijah intercepted Ahaziah's messengers, proclaiming that the king would die for seeking foreign gods. Angered by this divine indictment and the defiance of a prophet who operated outside his royal authority, Ahaziah twice sent contingents of fifty soldiers, led by a captain, to seize Elijah. The first group was consumed by fire from heaven (v. 9-10). Verse 11 reveals Ahaziah's defiant and unyielding response to this undeniable display of God's power, immediately sending a second similar contingent. Historically, Ahaziah was part of the idolatrous Omride dynasty (son of Ahab and Jezebel), known for promoting Baal worship. This narrative thus becomes a direct polemic against the efficacy and authority of Baal-Zebub and the supremacy of human kingship over the divine will of Yahweh, emphasizing that the God of Israel alone holds dominion over life, death, and nature.
2 Kings 1 11 Word analysis
- Again (וַיָּ֧שָׁב - vayyashav): From the Hebrew root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to return, turn back, repeat." Here, it signifies repetition or persistence. It highlights the king's continued, unyielding course of action despite a clear and devastating divine judgment against his initial attempt. It conveys his stubbornness.
- the king (הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ - hammelekh): Refers to Ahaziah, king of Israel. The definite article emphasizes his royal title, stressing that this defiance comes from the highest human authority in the land. This contrasts his human authority with God's divine authority.
- sent (וַיִּשְׁלַח֙ - vayyishlakh): From the root שָׁלַח (shalakh), meaning "to send forth, extend." It denotes an active, deliberate command by the king, an exercise of his power to enforce his will.
- to him (אֵלָיו֙ - 'elav): Points specifically to Elijah, emphasizing the prophet as the direct object of the king's repeated hostile actions. It highlights Elijah's static position as God's representative, while the king makes futile attempts to approach him.
- another captain of fifty (שַׂר־חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים שְׁלִשִׁי֙ - sar-chamishshim shlishi):
- captain of fifty (sar-chamishshim): A standard military unit commander, highlighting the structured, state-sponsored nature of the king's opposition to Elijah. It implies military might and enforcement.
- another (shlishi - literally "third"): This is a significant point. While English translations often render it as "another," the Hebrew word shlishi literally means "third." This could be interpreted in several ways:
- Counting initial messengers: The first attempt by Ahaziah was sending messengers to Baal-Zebub (v. 2). The second was sending the first captain of fifty (v. 9). This third attempt (v. 11) is thus the "third" action initiated by the king to get information or seize Elijah. This highlights an escalation of royal stubborness.
- Idiomatic use: "Third" could be used idiomatically to simply mean "another one," similar to how a numerical adjective might describe a repetition.
- Scribal Variation/Nuance: Some scholarly discussions suggest possible textual fluidity or that the "third" here leads into the explicit "third captain" of v.13. Regardless, it underscores the king's stubbornness by implying he persists after previous attempts have clearly failed or met with divine intervention. In the narrative flow, this functionally is the second captain sent against Elijah after the destruction of the first.
- with his company (וְאֶת־חֲמִשָּׁיו֙ - ve'et-chamishav): Literally "and his fifties" or "and his fifty." This confirms the entire contingent of fifty soldiers, emphasizing the magnitude of the king's force and his reliance on sheer numbers to overwhelm the single prophet of God.
2 Kings 1 11 Bonus section
The repeated dispatch of "fifties" in 2 Kings 1 could symbolically represent the king's futile attempts to use organized military might, which is based on human strength and numbers, against a divine, spiritual authority. It signifies an escalating tension and the king's increasing foolishness in the face of escalating divine warnings. This repeated pattern of human opposition and divine judgment sets the stage for the crucial turning point in verses 13-15, where the third captain approaches Elijah with humility and fear of the LORD, resulting in a different outcome. This sequence vividly demonstrates the stark contrast between God's judgment upon defiance and His mercy towards humility and repentance.
2 Kings 1 11 Commentary
2 Kings 1:11 encapsulates King Ahaziah's hardened heart and defiant stance against the divine authority of the LORD, revealed through His prophet Elijah. After a spectacular demonstration of God's power—fire consuming the first military detachment sent to apprehend Elijah—the logical response for any sensible ruler would be to acknowledge the divine power and repent. Instead, Ahaziah, driven by pride, stubbornness, and deep-seated idolatry inherited from his parents Ahab and Jezebel, chose to double down on his defiance. His immediate action to send "another captain of fifty" (or "the third captain" as the Hebrew implies an escalation in sequence or attempts) speaks volumes of his spiritual blindness.
This verse reveals the nature of human rebellion when confronted by undeniable divine truth. Ahaziah's obstinacy is not mere oversight but active opposition, seeking to impose his will even against supernatural judgment. It is a futile attempt by earthly power to control heavenly power. The king's persistence highlights that repeated warnings or even judgments do not automatically lead to repentance for those whose hearts are hardened against God. This serves as a solemn warning against the perils of unyielding pride and a refusal to acknowledge the sovereignty of God, whose patience is not limitless.
The scene contrasts the vulnerability of a lone prophet on a mountaintop with the might of a royal army, yet it is the king who is powerless, and the prophet who wields ultimate authority from above. This reinforces the biblical principle that all earthly authority is subordinate to divine authority, and those who contend with God will ultimately fail. The captain in this verse, unlike the one in v.13, makes no appeal for mercy, reflecting the king's own hardened attitude.