2 Kings 1 6

2 Kings 1:6 kjv

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 Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

2 Kings 1:6 nkjv

So they said to him, "A man came up to meet us, and said to us, 'Go, return to the king who sent you, and say to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.' " ' "

2 Kings 1:6 niv

"A man came to meet us," they replied. "And he said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, "This is what the LORD says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!"?'?"

2 Kings 1:6 esv

And they said to him, "There came a man to meet us, and said to us, 'Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.'"

2 Kings 1:6 nlt

They replied, "A man came up to us and told us to go back to the king and give him this message. 'This is what the LORD says: Is there no God in Israel? Why are you sending men to Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, to ask whether you will recover? Therefore, because you have done this, you will never leave the bed you are lying on; you will surely die.'"

2 Kings 1 verses

2 Kings 1 6 Meaning

2 Kings 1:6 recounts the precise, divinely revealed message delivered by the prophet Elijah to the messengers of King Ahaziah of Israel. The king, having fallen ill, sought to inquire of Baal-zebub, a Philistine deity worshipped in Ekron, rather than the Lord, God of Israel. Elijah’s word, attributed directly to "Thus saith the LORD," condemned this act of idolatry and lack of faith, pronouncing an absolute judgment: the king would not recover from his injury but would certainly die, because he implicitly questioned God’s presence and power in Israel by seeking a foreign god.

2 Kings 1 6 Context

This verse is central to the unfolding judgment upon King Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, who inherited his parents' apostasy. Ahaziah suffered a fall from an upper window and, instead of seeking the Lord, sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, concerning his recovery. The very act of sending to a foreign idol challenged the sovereignty of Yahweh in Israel. This decision initiated the dramatic confrontation between the king and Elijah, God’s prophet, setting the stage for Elijah’s final public acts of divine judgment before his ascension. The message in 2 Kings 1:6, delivered by Elijah through the king's own messengers, emphasizes the direct connection between the king's sin of idolatry and his impending death, portraying God's immediate and uncompromising response to blatant spiritual disloyalty in the Northern Kingdom. It also serves as a polemic against the supposed power of pagan gods in contrast to the absolute authority of the God of Israel.

2 Kings 1 6 Word analysis

• "They said unto him": Refers to the messengers of King Ahaziah reporting back to the king, precisely recounting Elijah's words.
• "There came a man up to meet us": This anonymous description initially enhances the mysterious and sudden appearance of Elijah.
• "Go, turn again unto the king that sent you": Elijah immediately diverts the messengers from their original course, demonstrating the higher authority that sent him.
• "Thus saith the LORD" (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, koh ’amar Yahweh): The quintessential prophetic formula. It asserts that the words are not Elijah's own opinions but a direct, authoritative revelation from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, making the message undeniably true and binding. This phrase underlines God's direct involvement in human affairs and judgment.
• "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel" (הַמִבְּלִי אֵין אֱלֹהִים בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, hamib·bĕlî ’ê̄n ’ĕlōhîm bəyiśrā’ēl): A powerful rhetorical question expressing divine indignation. It implies that Ahaziah’s action was not merely an error but a profound theological statement, a direct affront and a denial of God's presence, power, and sufficiency within His chosen nation. It questions the very essence of God’s covenant with Israel.
• "that ye send to enquire of Baal-zebub" (לִדְרֹשׁ בְּבַעַל זְבוּב, lidrōš bəva‘al Zəḇūḇ):
  • "enquire" (דָּרַשׁ, dāraš): This Hebrew verb signifies seeking out, inquiring, or consulting, especially in religious contexts (e.g., seeking the Lord). Here, it highlights the king's misdirection of proper spiritual inquiry.
  • "Baal-zebub" (בַּעַל זְבוּב, Ba‘al Zəḇūḇ): Meaning "Lord of the flies" (or potentially "Lord of the dwelling," associated with an oracle at Ekron). This Philistine deity, worshipped in the city of Ekron, was considered a god of healing and/or an oracle. Consulting him represented severe idolatry and a clear violation of the covenant, as Yahweh is the sole healer and oracle for Israel. This also stands as a direct polemic, diminishing a foreign deity's influence by showing its inability to protect its worshipers against the Lord's pronouncements.
• "the god of Ekron" (’ĕlōhê ‘Eqrôn): Specifies the deity's local domain, associating him with one of the primary Philistine city-states. Ekron was a traditional enemy and cultural competitor of Israel, intensifying the theological offense.
• "Therefore ye shall not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die": This is the divine judgment, absolute and unconditional.
  • "not come down from that bed": Implies permanent incapacitation and inability to recover, leading to death on the very bed he was confined to.
  • "but shalt surely die" (מוֹת תָּמוּת, mōt tāmūth): A Hebrew idiom for certain, undeniable death, often used in legal or divine pronouncements (e.g., Gen 2:17). It underscores the irrevocable nature of God's verdict and the severity of Ahaziah's sin.

2 Kings 1 6 Bonus section

The association of "Baal-zebub" with later Jewish demonology is significant. In the New Testament, particularly the Gospels, "Beelzebul" (a variant likely derived from "Baal-zebub" or "Baal of the exalted dwelling") appears as a chief of demons, with whom Jesus is falsely accused of casting out demons (e.g., Mat 10:25; 12:24, 27). This connection highlights how this Philistine idol, an object of false worship, became synonymous with forces hostile to God, reflecting the theological conviction that all idolatry ultimately served demonic powers rather than a true deity. This transition reflects the strong polemical stance against false gods, demonstrating that they held no real divine power but were instead figures associated with evil. Elijah's prophetic authority here solidifies his role as a sentinel of pure Yahwism, relentlessly challenging syncretism and idolatry in the Northern Kingdom, particularly against the entrenched Baal worship perpetuated by the Omride dynasty.

2 Kings 1 6 Commentary

2 Kings 1:6 presents a sharp theological confrontation: God's jealousy for His exclusive worship and Israel's covenant. Ahaziah's act of consulting Baal-zebub wasn't merely seeking medical advice; it was a profound spiritual defection. By bypassing Yahweh, the sovereign God of Israel who had continually revealed Himself and offered salvation, and instead turning to a local Philistine deity, the king effectively declared that Yahweh was insufficient or absent in Israel. The rhetorical question, "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel?", underscores the audacity and insulting nature of the king's apostasy. This act demonstrated Ahaziah's deliberate rebellion against God's supreme authority, mirroring his parents' long-standing Baal worship. God's response, delivered with prophetic certainty by Elijah, emphasizes that divine judgment for such spiritual adultery is inevitable and precise, culminating in a death that directly contradicts the desired healing from the false god. The verse thus serves as a powerful reminder of God's unique identity, His covenant faithfulness, and His unwavering demand for exclusive devotion from His people.